Aghdam’s destruction analyzed in international study as case of urbicide
Baku, May 25, AZERTAC
A study titled “Urbicide in Eastern Europe and the Middle East: Grozny, Aleppo, and Aghdam in comparative analysis,” co-authored by Farid Shafiyev, Chairman of the Board of the Center of Analysis of International Relations (AIR Center), and developed under his academic supervision, has been published in the Journal of Urban Affairs.
The Journal of Urban Affairs is regarded as one of the leading academic journals in the field, with high scholarly reputation and wide citation impact.
The article examines urbicide in a contemporary context, highlighting politically motivated large-scale urban destruction, ethnic or population cleansing, and the systematic erasure of cultural heritage. It argues that urbicide extends beyond military necessity to include the deliberate degradation of historical and cultural identity and the erasure of collective memory.
Focusing on post–Cold War cases, the authors compare Grozny, Aleppo, and Aghdam, arguing that large-scale urban destruction in armed conflicts goes beyond military objectives and instead reflects systemic policies aimed at preventing population return, transforming socio-cultural structures, and hindering post-conflict recovery. The study highlights Aghdam and other formerly occupied Azerbaijani cities as cases of systematic post-war destruction intended to block resettlement, and also reviews key academic approaches and definitions of urbicide.
The study draws on interviews, photo reports, and comparative analysis. Data on Aghdam were taken from official archives, field research, and local sources, while information on Grozny and Aleppo was obtained from international reports, academic literature, media, and organizations such as the UN, OSCE, and Global Conflict Tracker.
The study is said to provide a more precise academic definition of urbicide as a phenomenon that may evolve into a long-term threat, while clarifying it in a broader political context and serving as a key resource for experts in the field.
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