Islamic Solidarity on Sale: the Nagorno-Karabakh Conflict in the context of Azerbaijan’s Nation-Branding Endeavors

Abstract

To reach their political goals, countries try to craft an image acceptable to the international community as reliable allies standing for similar values. Since its independence, Azerbaijan has been actively working on its branding as a country that bridges the West and the Islamic world. To do this, Azerbaijan creates its image as a secular, multicultural state and a leading state among Islamic countries with a firm support of Islamic solidarity. Positioning Azerbaijan as an advocate of Islamic solidarity, Ilham Aliyev then embarks on the next step of his plan to demand the Islamic world’s solidarity about the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict. Thus, nation branding in the case of Azerbaijan is not only about creating an image of a possible investment place or touristic destination; official Baku “sells” its solidarity pursuing the political goal of getting the support of Islamic countries against Armenia․