Ins i u o amilia y desa íos mode nos en Aze baiyán:
in es igación his ó ica y e nológica
Shahla Nu uzade
Associa e P o esso , Baku Sla ic Uni e si y, Aze baijan. Doc o o Philosophy in His o y.
E-mail: [email p o ec ed]; ORCID: h ps://o cid.o g/0000-0002-3813-5619
Resumen. Es e a ículo examina en de alle la e olución his ó ica del ins i u o
amilia aze baiyano, así como los cambios que ocu ie on en las elaciones amilia es
adicionales du an e la e a so ié ica y los años de independencia. U ilizando mé odos
his ó ico-e nológicos, obse ación e nog á ica y en oques in e cul u ales, se analiza la
ans o mación de la amilia aze baiyana adicional desde el pasado has a el p esen e.
Se discu e ampliamen e la in luencia de las polí icas nacionales aplicadas du an e la
e a so ié ica sob e la es uc u a amilia y las no mas sociales. Du an e es e pe íodo,
se analizan en de alle los cambios en la es uc u a y unciones de la amilia, así como
la p ese ación de los alo es adicionales. Asimismo, se abo dan la es au ación de
los alo es amilia es adicionales y los desa íos sociales y cul u ales en la e a mode na
du an e el pe íodo de independencia. El a ículo a a sob e la ida labo al de las mu-
je es, los oles cambian es den o de la amilia, la adap ación de los jó enes a un nue o
es ilo de ida y la in luencia cul u al y geog á ica de la egión del Cáucaso. También
se des acan los cambios en los alo es mo ales adicionales de la amilia aze baiyana
mode na y el impac o de es os cambios en la es uc u a social en el con ex o de la
globalización. Se deba e ampliamen e el impac o de la u banización y o os cambios
sociales sob e la dinámica amilia . Se p esen a en de alle la impo ancia cien í ica y
p ác ica del a ículo, los cambios en las es uc u as amilia es y las consecuencias a
la go plazo de es os cambios.
Palab as cla e: Aze baiyán, ins i u o amilia adicional, alo es amilia es, polí ica amilia
so ié ica, globalización.
Recibido: 30/05/2025 ~ Acep ado: 15/10/2025
INTERACCIÓN Y PERSPECTIVA
Re is a de T abajo Social
ISSN 2244-808X ~ Dep. Legal pp 201002Z43506
DOI: h ps://doi.o g/10.5281/zenodo.17666279
Vol. 16 (1): 85 - 105 pp, 2026
86 Nu uzade
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Family ins i u e and mode n challenges in Aze baijan:
his o ical and e hnological esea ch
Abs ac : This a icle examines in de ail he his o ical e olu ion o he Aze bai-
jani amily ins i u ion, he changes ha ook place in he adi ional amily ela ion-
ship du ing he So ie e a and he yea s o independence. Using his o ical-e hnolog-
ical, e hnog aphic obse a ion and c oss-cul u al me hods, he ans o ma ion o he
adi ional Aze baijani amily om he pas o he p esen is analyzed. The in luence o
na ional policies applied du ing he So ie e a on amily s uc u e and social no ms is
widely discussed. Du ing his pe iod, he changes in amily s uc u e and unc ions and
he p ese a ion o adi ional alues a e analyzed in de ail. Res o a ion o adi ional
amily alues and social and cul u al challenges in he mode n e a a e also b ough o
he a en ion du ing he pe iod o independence. The a icle co e s women’s wo k li e,
changing oles wi hin he amily, young people’s adap a ion o a new li es yle, and he
cul u al and geog aphical in luence o he Caucasus egion. Also, changes in he adi-
ional mo al alues o he mode n Aze baijani amily and he impac o hese changes
on he social s uc u e a e highligh ed in he condi ions o globaliza ion. The impac o
u baniza ion and o he social changes on amily dynamics is widely deba ed. Scien i ic
and p ac ical impo ance o he a icle, changes in amily s uc u es and long- e m
consequences o hese changes a e p esen ed in de ail.
Keywo ds: Aze baijan, adi ional amily ins i u ion, amily alues, So ie amily policy,
globaliza ion.
INTRODUCTION
Globaliza ion educes he economic dependence o people on each o he , he la ge amily
ype is eplaced by small amilies. P ese a ion o adi ional amily alues and ansmission o new
gene a ions is one o he main p oblems ha conce n he middle gene a ion. Respec o pa en s
and g andpa en s plays an impo an ole in amily ela ions. In o de o s abilize he ins i u ion
o ma iage and amily and p o ec high amily alues, he eby p e en ing nega i e si ua ions in
amily-ma iage ela ions, common and mass- hinking adi ional na ional-mo al alues should be
s eng hened and hei in luence should be inc eased. Thus, he mode n Aze baijani amily ins i u-
ion is a unique social ins i u ion de eloped in complex socio-poli ical and spi i ual-mo al condi-
ions. Mode ni y and adi ion in he amily, he challenges o mode n imes a ec adi ional am-
ily alues and subjec hem o ans o ma ion. In o de o ind answe s o all hese ques ions, i s
o all, he ac o s a ec ing he o ma ion o he adi ional Aze baijani amily ins i u ion should be
analyzed.
LITERATURE REVIEW
The Aze baijani amily ins i u ion has been a ec ed by a numbe o his o ical-poli ical
and ideological p ocesses. I was pa o he Russian Empi e o 200 yea s and he USSR o
70 yea s and was a ec ed by he policy o Russi ica ion. The e o e, he ins i u ion o he
amily in Aze baijan was s udied om di e en aspec s in each pe iod, and he esul s o
Ins i u o amilia y desa íos mode nos en Aze baiyán: in es igación his ó ica y e nológica 87
Vol. 16(1) ene o - ab il 2026/ 85 - 105
he s udies we e in luenced by he ideological in luence o he So ie go e nmen . Howe e ,
despi e his, e en du ing he yea s o So ie ule, Aze baijani esea che s ied o in es iga e
he amily ins i u ion as a social ins i u ion ha li es and consumes he adi ional alues o
he people. We would like o d aw a en ion o some o hem: Manaye G. Righ s and du-
ies o amily membe s acco ding o So ie amily law (Baku: Aze baijan S a e Uni e si y,
1986); Manaye G. So ie amily law (Baku: Aze ad isnash , 1963); Kocha li F. How he
So ie amily should be (Baku: Aze nash , 1962), A. Asado ’s “Measu es o he pa y and he
go e nmen o u he s eng hen he So ie amily” (Baku: Aze nash , 1959), e hnog aphe
H. Guliye ’s book “Some issues o amily li e in Aze baijan” shows he posi i e aspec s o
he So ie ideology o he Aze baijani amily ins i u ion, bu mainly issues such as he s uc-
u e o he adi ional amily ins i u ion and amily alues we e in es iga ed. E hnog aphe s
S. Maha amo a’s “His o ical-e hnog aphic s udy o he sou heas e n egion o he Lesse
Caucasus in he 19 h and ea ly 20 h cen u ies (based on he ma e ials o Zangezu , Jab ayil
and Ja anshi dis ic s)” (Baku: “Apos ophe-A”, 2020), N. Guliye a’s mode n Aze baijan
illage amily and amily li e. Baku: Elm, 2005) e c. in he monog aphs, he s uc u e o am-
ily ins i u ion and adi ions o Aze baijanis we e in es iga ed. Sh. Nu uzade’s monog aph
en i led “E hno-con essional si ua ion in Aze baijan in he 20-30s o he wen ie h cen u y”
(Baku: Khaza Uni e si y, 2010) examines he adi ional amily o Aze baijanis and he con-
sequences o he amily policy o he So ie go e nmen and he blows o he mo al alues
o he people. Howe e , in hese esea ch s udies, he his o ical ans o ma ion o he amily
ins i u ion in Aze baijan and he impac o globaliza ion ha e no been in es iga ed.
RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS
His o ical-compa a i e, c oss-cul u al and e hnological- heo e ical me hods should be used
o in es iga e he in luence o a numbe o p ocesses, p ima ily globaliza ion and in eg a ion
in o Eu ope, on he Aze baijani amily ins i u ion in mode n imes. Fo his, he s uc u e o he
adi ional Aze baijani amily, in a- amily ela ions, igh s and powe s o amily membe s, eco-
nomic and eligious ac o s we e analyzed. Analyzing he changes ha ook place in he Aze bai-
jani amily and he So ie na ional policy du ing he So ie pe iod h ough a chi al documen s,
pe iodicals o ha pe iod, scien i ic li e a u e and e hnog aphic obse a ion allows o de e mine
he cha ac e is ic ea u es o he pe iod. By using compa a i e analysis, obse a ion and su ey
me hods, i was possible o de e mine he impac o he collapse o he USSR and globaliza ion
p ocesses on he amily ins i u ion.
RESULTS AND DISCUSSION
T adi ional amily ins i u ion in Aze baijan
The unique cha ac e is ics o each na ion a e mani es ed in i s esidences, clo hing, ood and
he pe o mance o a ious ce emonies, as well as in amily-household ela ions.
As in many peoples o he wo ld, Aze baijanis also had wo amily o ms as a esul o he
his o ical de elopmen p ocess: la ge and small amilies acco ding o he numbe and s uc u e o
amily membe s. Resea che s pu o wa d he idea ha small amilies we e ypical in Aze baijan in
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he 19 h cen u y (Maha amo a, 2020, p. 193). In addi ion, a he beginning o he 20 h cen u y,
he e we e also epo s o he exis ence o la ge pa ia chal amily emains.
La ge amilies consis ed o ep esen a i es o h ee, ou and some imes i e gene a ions. Such
amilies could ha e up o 50-70 o mo e membe s (Maha amo a, 2020, p. 193). In Aze baijan,
“big amilies” we e called “kul a ”. In mode n imes, amilies wi h many child en a e called “kul a ”
(meaning amily membe s).
Se e al amilies ( a he and mo he ; amilies o hei sons; amilies o g andchild en and
g ea -g andchild en) o med a join economic uni . A cha ac e is ic ea u e o he amily com-
muni y was he join use o land, ools, domes ic animals and o he p ope y by all i s membe s.
In la ge amilies, he ela ionship be ween amily membe s was egula ed on he basis o adi-
ions and Sha ia no ms. Family membe s we e based on ce ain ules in hei beha io depend-
ing on he age limi . The head o he amily was conside ed an “Agsaqqal” ( ha is, he head o
he amily). As a ule, “agsaqqal” was he oldes in he amily - g and a he , a he . The g ea
powe s o he elde included he di ision o powe s among amily membe s, managemen o he
household, di ision o he amily budge . Howe e , acco ding o adi ion, he head o he amily
sough he ad ice o he olde membe s o he amily (men and women) in discussing impo an
issues ela ed o he economy o amily li e. All household cho es in he amily we e managed
by he elde mo he o he amily – “agbi chak”. A e he dea h o “agsaqqal”, he head o he
amily would be “agbi chak” ( he one wi h whi e hai ), i.e. g andmo he o mo he . A e ha ,
he amily p ope y would no be di ided. E en a e he dissolu ion o he amily communi y,
amily membe s li ed in houses close o each o he , hus main aining a common household and
domes ic li e. La ge amilies, co e ing se e al gene a ions, consis ed o hose om he pa e nal
line. The li ing o membe s o one gene a ion mainly in illages was cha ac e is ic o all Cauca-
sian peoples (Kos en, 1963, p. 178), (Figu e 1).
FIGURE 1. The amily o Aze baijani w i e Yusi Vazi Chamanzaminli, Shusha ci y, 1906.
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E en un il he end o he 20 h cen u y in Aze baijan, he e we e cases whe e he houses
o pa e nal descendan s, i.e. b o he s and cousins, we e buil in one ya d e en a e hey go
ma ied. In Baku, which is he capi al o Aze baijan, i conside ed nega i e ha he male
child en o he amily lea e hei a he ’s house and mo e o a new house a e ma iage.
Because, e en now in Aze baijan, one o he main esponsibili ies o a son o he amily is o
suppo he pa en s and o he needy amily membe s, o example, hei sis e s who do no
ha e inancial suppo , i hei b o he has passed away, hey ha e o suppo his amily no
only inancially, bu also mo ally.
A he end o he 19 h and he beginning o he 20 h cen u y, in addi ion o la ge amilies,
small amilies began o sp ead widely in Aze baijan. Du ing ha pe iod, he de elopmen o
capi alis ela ions and p oduc i e o ces in he coun y s eng hened he p ocess o o ma ion o
small amilies. Thus, pa onymics began o lose hei economic uni y, monogamous amilies we e
o med, which we e he basis o pa onymics, and ideological and social uni y was main ained
o a ce ain ex en (Quliye , 1986, p. 15). The igh s o amily membe s and he dis ibu ion o
p ope y we e egula ed acco ding o adi ion and sha ia. The a he ’s and mo he ’s sha e in he
di ision o p ope y was called “xey a lıq” (“khey a lıg”) (Quliye H. S. 9). In he egions, he
mo he had g ea igh s a e he dea h o he a he wi hin he amily. A e he mo he , his
powe passed o he eldes son o he amily. In he amily, he widow o he deceased b o he
wi h child en also go a sha e. In some egions o Aze baijan, he p ope y o he a he is called
“ocaq” (“ocaq” – “ojak” / hea h - means a he ’s house). When he gi ls go ma ied, he b o he
had o gi e he a dow y. Some imes, he a he would di ide he ya d a ea, land sha e, and equal
amoun o p ope y o his child en who wan ed o lea e du ing his li e ime. Al hough sepa a ed
b o he s li ed in he o m o independen a ms, wi hin a ya d, o in places close o each o he ,
in mos cases hey main ained social, ideological and economic uni y. This adi ional di ision o
p ope y s ill exis s o some ex en .
In e hnog aphy, hese associa ions a e known as pa onymics. In Aze baijani illages, neigh-
bo hoods o en e lec he names o neils o pa onymic g oups. Fo example, in he Yukha i Koy-
nuk illage o Sheki egion, he e a e neighbo hood names such as “Mudhaddin’s child”, “Akhund’s
child”, “Shahmu ad’s child” (Quliye , 1986, p. 12) and o he s. In mode n imes, he local names
e lec ing he g ea gene a ion and amily uni y ha e emained only in he spoken language o he
people.
A small amily consis ed o wo o h ee gene a ions. Al hough economic and household
li e di e ed in his ype o amily, kinship ela ions, he concep o “agsaqqal”, “agbi chek” and
o he ela ions ypical o he Aze baijani amily emained adi ional. Small amilies, in u n,
we e di ided in o simple and complex amilies. A simple amily consis ed o a he , mo he
and child en, and a complex amily consis ed o g andpa en s (1s gene a ion), pa en s (2nd
gene a ion), son and child (3 d gene a ion). As in la ge amilies, in a small amily he head o
he amily was he a he , while he mo he was esponsible o b inging up he child en ac-
co ding o adi ions. Acco ding o he adi ion in he Aze baijani amily, he a he had h ee
obliga ions owa ds he child: o b ing him up, o gi e him an educa ion and o ma y him. In
adi ional amily educa ion, h ee p inciples - child en’s aining, mo al and labo aining a e
in he cen e o a en ion o pa en s (Quliye a, 2005, p. 135). Aze baijan’s p ominen hinke
Abbasgulu Agha Bakikhano highly app ecia ed he ole o pa en s in aising child en and w o e
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ha “ he beau y o mo als should be augh o hem as child en. Science lea ned in childhood is
like a pic u e eng a ed in he head” (Bakıxano , 1982, p. 6). In he Aze baijani amily, he main
ocus is on b inging up he child use ul o his amily and socie y. I should be no ed ha e en
in mode n imes, pa en s in Aze baijani amilies conside i hei du y o educa e and educa e
child en based on mo al alues.
The amily is he main social ins i u ion ha consumes and p o ec s mo al alues. The e o e,
one o he main unc ions o pa en s is o educa e hei child en’s amily membe s in alues such as
espec o socie y, loyal y among amily membe s, hospi ali y and espec o elde s. Fo example,
when pa en s, g andpa en s, and gene ally olde people en e he house, hey should s and up and
g ee hem as a sign o espec (Quliye a, 2005, p. 111). A he same ime, he a he mus main-
ain his espec in he amily. The e o e, mos o he ime, p oblems ela ed o hei child en would
be epo ed o he a he h ough he mo he . Acco ding o he ules o e ique e, he eldes o he
amily should si a he op o he dining able.
Hospi ali y has a special meaning in he Aze baijani amily. The adi ions and mo al alues o
he people a e e lec ed in he cus om o hospi ali y. Among Aze baijanis, hospi ali y se ed peace,
b o he hood and peace, he cus om o “cu ing b ead” (ea ing b ead oge he wi h ano he pe son),
“opening a able” (se ing a ious ypes o ood in one’s home) is a symbol o b a e y, masculini y,
kindness, and humani y. The hospi ali y o he people is e lec ed in he wo ks o poe s and w i e s.
In he poems o Nizami Ganja i (12 h cen u y), he a i ude owa ds he gues is clea ly isible:
“You a e my gues , O pu e pe son
I is necessa y o che ish he gues ” (Nizami Gəncə i, 1983, p. 139).
In he pas , he e we e ca a anse ais in la ge esiden ial a eas in Aze baijan, bu he e we e also
p i a e gues houses (Qədi zadə, 2012, p. 92). T a ele s and a ele s would spend he nigh in ha
gues house. E e y house would de ini ely ha e a “li ing oom”. In some egions, a special oom
buil o gues s was called “balakhana” (Quliye , 1986, p. 40). This oom would be kep specially
o he gues . Tha oom would ha e esh bedding and dishes o he gues . The concep o “li ing
oom” emains in mode n imes. Showing espec and hono o a gues is cha ac e is ic o all Tu kic
and Caucasian peoples. Alexande Dumas w i es: “I you knock on any doo in Aze baijan, as well
as in he en i e Caucasus, and say ha I am a o eigne , I ha e no place o s ay, he owne o he
house will gi e you his bigges oom a ha hou . And he will se le in a small oom wi h his amily”
(Duma, 1985, p. 17). In Aze baijan, he exp essions “God’s gues ”, “The gues ’s sus enance comes
wi h him”, “He who lo es he gues will ha e plen y o ood”, “The gues is he nigh ingale o he
house” a e widesp ead. Acco ding o his belie , i a amily we e o open a able o a gues (e en
an acciden al gues ), ha amily would be ewa ded by God. The e o e, e e y Aze baijani amily
conside s i hei “se ious du y” o p epa e a able o a ious dishes o gues s. B i ish sailo An ony
Jenkinson, who was a gues o Abdull Khan in Shamakhi in he 16 h cen u y, w i es ha Aze bai-
janis a e e y hospi able and no es ha 290 ypes o ood and ui s we e laid ou on he able in his
hono (Путешественники об Азербайджане, 1961, p. 110). In Aze baijan, he a i al o a gues
in e e y house would become a wedding- es i al. F om he momen he gues en e ed he house,
he was su ounded by ca e, he hos would no only ake ca e o he com o o he gues , bu also
o his ho se. The gues was sea ed in he mos espec ed place in he house - he place o he owne
o he amily, and a ious ypes o ood we e laid ou on he able. In each egion, a special oom
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was se aside o gues s, ha oom was deco a ed wi h ca pe s, and expensi e and deco a i e dishes
we e a anged on he shel es. A pe son who ecei es a lo o gues s in his house would be consid-
e ed a pe son o g ea espec in he illage. He e, e e y amily kep a special ese e o he gues ,
welcomed he gues who came a any ime wi h digni y, made a sac i ice a his ee , and opened
a able ull o specially p epa ed meals o him, no e e yday ood p epa ed a home. “E en i he
gues is an enemy o he hos , hey will gi e him shel e and p o ec him om he bad si ua ion
he is in, e en i a gues lea es a house o ended, i would be conside ed an insul o ha house and
illage” (Maha amo a, 2020, p. 244). When he gues le , he was de ini ely gi en a ious gi s. To
a ce ain ex en , his cus om emains in mode n imes. In gene al, like o he Tu kic and Caucasian
peoples, i he did no ollow he “ada ” no ms (unw i en no ms o med acco ding o adi ions
and sha ia) in his Aze baijani amily, he was expelled om he illage and se lemen whe e he li ed
wi h his amily.
The a i ude o amily membe s depended on he s a us and condi ion o he woman in he
amily communi y. In poo and middle-class amilies, women wo ked in he a m as well as men.
Fo example, women wo ked in ui a ming in he Guba egion, in ice cul i a ion in Lanka an,
in silk a ming in Sheki, Shi an, Ka abakh and Nakhchi an, and in sheep a ming in Khakhaz and
Zangilan. Women who we e ac i e in almos all economic ac i i ies had a s onge social s a us in
he amily. In such a si ua ion, he man consul ed wi h he woman abou economic issues.
The main unc ion o he amily includes ep oduc ion, child en’s upb inging, economic oc-
cupa ion. These unc ions a e egula ed by cus oms among all membe s o he amily, so in a- am-
ily ela ions we e o med. Family ela ionships, p ima ily ma iage, we e based on adi ions as well
as Sha ia no ms. Despi e he ac ha he as majo i y o he popula ion o Aze baijan is Shii e, he
monogamous o m o ma iage was cha ac e is ic (Guliye , 1986, p. 15). The amilies depic ed in
Aze baijani epics, ai y ales, o he examples o o al olk li e a u e, and a is ic wo ks a e based on
monogamy (Maha amo a, p. 197). Fo example, in he epic “Ki abi-Dade Go gud”, only Bu la
Kha un is he wi e o Gazan Khan, only Banuchichk is he wi e o Bey ey (Ki abi-Dade Go gud,
2004), only Niga Khanum is he wi e o he legenda y Ko oglu. M s. Niga has no child en. De-
spi e his, Ko oglu did no ma y a second ime. The monogamous amily o m is cha ac e is ic o
he Tu kic peoples, as well as he Caucasian peoples. In he Caucasian peoples, he de ende o he
mo he ’s igh s in he amily is mainly he son.
The e we e di e en o ms o ma iage in Aze baijan. These include “besikkə ma” (“Besik-
ke ma” - C adle be o hal), “göbəkkəsmə” (“gobekkesma” - C adle be o hal), “deyikli” (“deikli”
- engaged gi l), “qız qacı ma” (“B ide kidnapping”), e c. Today, he emnan s o hese cus oms a e
s ill ali e o one deg ee o ano he . “Besikke ma” o “gobekkasma” ma iage cus oms had he same
essence, he e was an ag eemen be ween he wo amilies ha he pa en s would ma y hei chil-
d en a e hey g ew up. Acco ding o he “Besikke ma” cus om, he c adle o a newbo n gi l was
cu wi h a kni e and he pa en s o bo h child en p omised each o he ha hei child en would
ma y each o he when hey g ew up. The cus om o beshikke ma and umbilical co d cu ing,
which is conside ed an ancien ma iage, is also e lec ed in ou ai y ales and epics. “Ki abi-Dada
Go gud” desc ibes he cus om o umbilical co d cu ing as ollows: “Baybö a bey said: “May I also
ha e a son, le him s and in he se ice o Bayındı Khan, and I will look a e him and us him,
be happy and ejoice. Ha ing said his, he Oghuz Beys u ned o he sky ( ha is, hey ook pe -
mission om Teng i - Sh.N,). They aised hei hands and p ayed. “May Allah g an you a son!”
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- hey said. Baybican s ood up and said: “Beys (is a Tu kic i le o a chie ain, and an hono i ic
i le adi ionally applied o people wi h special lineages o he leade s o ule s), p ay o me oo.
May Allah gi e me a daugh e oo,” he said. The Oghuz men aised hei hands and p ayed: “May
Teng i gi e you a daugh e oo,” hey said. Baybican bey said: “Beys, be wi nesses, i Allah gi es me
a daugh e , le he be ma ied o he son o Baybo a bey!” (Ki abi-Dada Go gud, 2004, p. 150). As
i can be seen om he e, Baybica’s daugh e , Banichichek, was “be o hed” (be o hed) o Baybo e’s
son Bamsi Bey e be o e he was e en bo n.
The cus om o “b ide kidnapping” occu ed o wo easons. One o hem is he kidnapping o
he gi l by o ce, and he second is ha he gi l uns away wi h he boy she lo es. In he second case,
when he pa en s o he gi l and he boy (mos ly he gi l) did no ag ee o hei ma iage, young
people who lo ed each o he an away om home and go ma ied wi hou hei pa en s’ pe mis-
sion. In Aze baijan, “qız qacı ma” in some cases led o bad esul s, blood enmi y a ose be ween wo
gene a ions and his enmi y con inued o a long ime. In bo h cases, i was conside ed dis espec -
ul o he gi l’s a he and b o he . A e “b ide kidnapping”, he boy’s pa en s o ela i es come
o he gi l’s pa en s and ask he o econcile. Mos o he ime, he gi l’s a he did no accep and
did no econcile wi h his daugh e . Cases o abduc ion o a gi l by o ce a e no ound in mode n
Aze baijan, bu he e a e cases o a gi l ma ying a boy a he own will wi hou he pe mission o he
pa en s. T adi ionally, acco ding o Sha ia, gi ls could ge ma ied a he age o 15-16, and boys a
16-18. Based on e hnog aphic ma e ials, i can be said ha in he 19 h cen u y, ma iage in Aze -
baijan had a “pa ilocal” cha ac e (Quliye , 1986, p. 21). Tha is, he man b ough he b ide o his
house. This cus om emains in he mode n e a, as in Aze baijan, a man’s going o a woman’s house
a e ma iage is iewed nega i ely by he socie y. Such people we e called “damagi ” o “damag-
i ën” (meaning oo -house, one who li es in someone else’s house) in he no hwes e n egion. In
mode n imes, in some cases, i is obse ed ha young people a e mo ing away om adi ions and
he man li es in he woman’s house.
E hnog aphic obse a ions allow us o come o he conclusion ha om he day a child is
bo n in Aze baijan, pa en s p epa e o he wedding ce emony. A dow y is p epa ed o a gi l om
a young age. The dow y includes household i ems. Fo he boy, a gold ing, necklace, and b acele
we e bough o he gi l he would ma y in he u u e, and money was se aside o he wedding
ce emony. Poo amilies also made his p epa a ion wi hin hei means.
T adi ionally, “kabin” ( eligious ma iage) was pe o med in Aze baijan acco ding o Sha ia
no ms. The b ide and g oom wen o he mosque wi h he p esence o a wi ness and he mullah
concluded hei eligious ma iage. T adi ionally, he eligion de ined “Meh ” o he woman when
he ma iage was concluded. “Meh ” is he money ha he husband will pay o he wi e du ing
he di o ce. The documen on he conclusion o a eligious ma iage legalized he obliga ions o
a woman and a man o each o he . In mode n imes, since “Meh ” has no legal s a us, i is almos
o mal in na u e, only eligious people pay “Meh ” o hei wi es when hey di o ce.
Family policy o he So ie go e nmen
In he i s yea s o he So ie ule in Aze baijan ( he So ie go e nmen was es ablished in
1920), he amily policy implemen ed by he So ie s a e in he ield o legal and amily-ma iage
ela ions led o he disin eg a ion o he adi ional pa ia chal Aze baijani amily. The na ional
policy o he So ie go e nmen was aimed a he o ma ion o So ie li e. All his had o a ec
Ins i u o amilia y desa íos mode nos en Aze baiyán: in es igación his ó ica y e nológica 99
Vol. 16(1) ene o - ab il 2026/ 85 - 105
On he one hand, he changes in amily ela ions a e e alua ed as a “ amily c isis” in connec-
ion wi h he ansi ion o ma ke (economic) ela ions, and on he o he hand, in he con ex o
he gene al ans o ma ion o ci iliza ion. E en in mode n imes, adi ionalism has been p ese ed
o a ce ain ex en in amily ela ions. Fo example, espec ing a he and mo he , g and a he and
g andmo he , and ea ing hem e hically is s ill an impo an issue. Acco ding o he Cons i u ion
o he Republic o Aze baijan, “A icle 34. I is he child’s du y o espec pa en s and ake ca e o
hem. Able-bodied child en who ha e eached he age o 18 a e obliged o suppo hei incapaci-
a ed pa en s” (Azə baycan Respublikasının Kons i usiyası, 2012, p. 13).
A numbe o adi ions a e disappea ing unde he in luence o globaliza ion. Fo example,
un il ecen yea s, younge child en s ood up when hei a he and g and a he en e ed he oom,
bu now his adi ion is a ely seen. Rega dless o age, as in all Caucasian peoples, smoking in he
p esence o pa en s and elde s is no welcomed among Aze baijanis. This is conside ed dis espec -
ul o adul s. In ecen yea s, i is obse ed ha his cus om is slowly disappea ing. Howe e , e en
hough hese cases a e encoun e ed, he Aze baijani socie y does no accep i .
Cu en ly, “small amilies” a e nuclea amilies. Fo example, i he son li ed in he same house
wi h his pa en s when he go ma ied, now he as majo i y p e e s o li e sepa a ely. Aze baijani
people adi ionally p e e o s a a amily be ween he ages o 20 and 25. Howe e , e hnog aphic
s udies and obse a ions o ecen yea s show ha as a esul o globaliza ion, he age o ma iage
has inc eased and he o ms o ma iage ha e changed. In mode n amilies, cohabi a ion, di o ce
and ema iage ha e inc eased. On he o he hand, he endency o e u n o adi ionalism is
s eng hening in Aze baijani socie y. Fo example, he younge gene a ion a aches special impo -
ance o eligious ma iages. I is impossible o de e mine he s a is ics o eligious ma iages in
Aze baijan, as hey a e pe o med in mosques. Howe e , he e hnog aphic s udy shows ha he
pe cen age o eligious ma iages is highe in he sou he n and Abshe on egions o he coun y,
as well as in he ci ies o o he egions, compa ed o o he egions. This end is inc easing mainly
among he younge gene a ion.
Family-ma i al ela ions in he coun y a e egula ed by he Cons i u ion o he Republic o
Aze baijan and he Family Law. Acco ding o he Cons i u ion, “A icle 17. The amily, as he main
co e o socie y, is unde he special p o ec ion o he s a e; Taking ca e o child en and he amily in
he Republic o Aze baijan is unde he special p o ec ion o he s a e, mo he hood, a he hood and
childhood a e p o ec ed by law (Azə baycan Respublikasının Kons i usiyası, 2012, p. 8). The S a e
Commi ee on Family, Women’s and Child en’s P oblems was es ablished in 2006 by o de o he
P esiden o he Republic o Aze baijan as an indica o o special ca e o sol ing amily p oblems in
he Republic (Azə baycan Respublikasının Ailə, Qadın ə Uşaq P oblemlə i üz ə Dö lə Komi əsi
haqqında ƏSASNAMƏ). One o he mos impo an asks acing he commi ee is comp ehensi e
de elopmen and s eng hening o he amily ins i u ion, p o ec ion o amily alues, minimiza ion
o i s p oblems, imp o emen o he ole o he amily in he socie y and inc ease o well-being.
His o ical-e hnological s udies show in de ail he ans o ma ion o cul u al no ms and social
s uc u es in Aze baijani amily ela ions. Changes in he mode n e a esul in he blending o a-
di ional and mode n elemen s. These changes a e caused by a ious social and economic ac o s.
Fi s o all, he e is a ans o ma ion o cul u al no ms. Aze baijan’s adi ional amily alues a e
a ec ed by globaliza ion and social changes in mode n imes. The e is a need o ha monize adi-
ional no ms and cus oms wi h he mode n way o li e.
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In o de o de e mine he impac o globaliza ion on he Aze baijani amily, a su ey was
conduc ed among 200 young people aged 18-30 (mos ly uni e si y s uden s), and 30 people aged
35-60. All he esponden s we e ep esen a i es o he Muslim na ions li ing in he coun y - Lezgi,
Ta , Talish, Ku d, A a , Sakhu , Ingiloy and o he s. The eason o conduc ing he su ey among
he Muslim popula ion o Aze baijan was ha ega dless o he e hnic composi ion o he coun y’s
Muslim popula ion (he e we a e alking abou e hnic Muslimness, no he deg ee o eligiosi y),
he amily ins i u ion was o med unde he in luence o he same his o ical, poli ical, ideological
p ocesses and hey had common amily alues.
“How do you app oach he adi ion o espec ing elde s in you amily and socie y?” 98% o
he esponden s o bo h age g oups ga e a posi i e answe o his ques ion and associa ed i wi h
Aze baijanism and Islamism. 2% o he esponden s said ha hey a e in a o o mu ual espec
(Figu e 5).
FIGURE 5. “How do you app oach he adi ion o espec ing elde s in you amily and socie y?”
“Do you wan o use examples o na ional cul u e in he design o he house, o example,
adi ional ca pe s, ches s, lamps?” 60% o esponden s aged 18-30 ga e a posi i e answe o his
ques ion. 40% o he esponden s o ha age limi said ha hey p e e mode n design, bu he
possibili y o using ce ain na ional deco a ions (Figu e 6).
FIGURE 6. “Do you wan o use examples o na ional cul u e in he design o he house,
o example, adi ional ca pe s, ches s, lamps?”
Abou 80% o esponden s aged 35-60 yea s said ha hey a e posi i e abou using na ional
ca pe s, adi ional shel es and lamps in hei home design because hey a e associa ed wi h memo-
ies om hei childhood and g andpa en s. 20% o he esponden s s a ed ha hey ha e a neu al
app oach o his issue (Figu e 7).
Ins i u o amilia y desa íos mode nos en Aze baiyán: in es igación his ó ica y e nológica 101
Vol. 16(1) ene o - ab il 2026/ 85 - 105
FIGURE 7. “Do you wan o use examples o na ional cul u e in he design o he house,
o example, adi ional ca pe s, ches s, lamps?”.
90% o esponden s aged 18-30 ga e a posi i e answe o he ques ion “Do you celeb a e eli-
gious and na ional holidays and ce emonies wi h you amily?”. 10% said ha i is no so impo an
in hei li es. I should be no ed ha No uz holiday and Qu ban holiday a e celeb a ed by almos
e e yone in Aze baijan a amily and s a e le el. The a i ude o eligious holidays and ce emonies
is ambiguous (Figu e 8).
FIGURE 8. “Do you celeb a e eligious and na ional holidays and ce emonies wi h you amily?”.
99% o he esponden s aged 18-30 and 35-60 yea s said ha hey a e in a o o keeping he
adi ional wedding ce emony as a beau i ul adi ion o he people o he ques ion “Do you p e e
adi ion in he wedding ce emony?” 1% o esponden s said ha i is no so impo an . I should
be no ed ha a Aze baijani weddings, he b ide and g oom a e accompanied by he na ional music
“Vazhalı” when he wedding ce emony s a s and ends (Figu e 9).
FIGURE 9. “Do you p e e adi ion in he wedding ce emony?”.
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To he ques ion “Wha is you a i ude owa ds eligious ma iage (kabin)?” he as majo i y
o he esponden s said ha hey a e in a o o eligious ma iage. 98% o he esponden s aged
18-30 we e posi i e abou i . 2% said ha i is no e y impo an o hei amily li e. Le ’s ake
in o accoun ha hey we e mos ly uni e si y s uden s, he e hnog aphic esea ch on he egions
o Aze baijan shows a di e en esul . In ela ion o his ques ion, no su ey was conduc ed among
he esponden s aged 35-60 (Figu e 10).
FIGURE 10. “Wha is you a i ude owa ds eligious ma iage (kabin)?”
Rega ding he ques ion “How do you eel abou you pa en s’ di o ce?”, a su ey was con-
duc ed only among esponden s aged 18-30. 80% o hem said ha hey had a nega i e a i ude,
and 20% had a no mal a i ude. The main eason o no conduc ing a su ey on his ques ion
among he esponden s aged 35-60 is ha in Aze baijan, un il abou 2000, hey had a e y nega-
i e a i ude owa ds he b eakup o he amily and he di o ce o a woman om he husband. This
app oach is obse ed o some ex en e en now (Figu e 11).
FIGURE 11. “How do you eel abou you pa en s’ di o ce?”
I was also clea om he esul s o he su ey ha he p ese a ion o adi ionalism o Aze -
baijanis is ela ed o hei na ional iden i y. Fo hem, he p ese a ion o adi ions is an indica ion
o he uniqueness o hei people. The main eason o answe ing he su ey conduc ed among he
esponden s in his way is ha Aze baijan was unde he occupa ion o he Russian Empi e o
a long ime, and hen he USSR o 70 yea s. Undoub edly, e hnological and his o ical esea ch
shows ha he ensla ed people y o p o ec hei adi ions and na ional iden i y in gene al. A e
Aze baijan gained independence in 1991, he people began o es o e hei adi ional sys em o
mo al alues. Howe e , he challenges o globaliza ion ine i ably a ec he Aze baijani amily ins i-
u ion, albei o a ce ain ex en .
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Second, as a esul o globaliza ion, a ans o ma ion is aking place in he social s uc u e. I in
he So ie e a, he main mass o he popula ion conside ed ela i ely he same mo als, no ms o beha -
io , and educa ional me hods accep able unde he s ong ideological p essu e o he poli ical egime,
oday obse a ions show ha di e si y is e iden in he hinking o Aze baijanis: on he one hand, he
in luence o globaliza ion and Eu opean cul u e, on he o he hand mani es a ion o Islamic cul u e.
Changes in amily ela ions, such as women becoming mo e ac i e in public li e, he libe aliza ion o
p ema i al sex, and he inc ease in di o ce a es, a e causing impo an changes in he social s uc u e.
These changes e eal he need o adap adi ional amily alues o he mode n social con ex . Thi d,
u u e pe spec i es should be conside ed. His o ical-e hnological s udies show ha inding a balance
be ween adi ional amily no ms and mode n social equi emen s is di icul . In o de o adap o
cul u al and social changes, he app oaches o di e en sec ions o socie y o his p oblem wi h a new
pe spec i e can be impo an in p o ec ing amily alues, as well as in eshaping hem acco ding o
he equi emen s o he mode n e a. In his ega d, i is impo an o be e unde s and cul u al and
social ans o ma ions in he u u e and o de elop app op ia e policies.
CONCLUSION
This e hnological s udy shows how he amily ins i u ion and cul u al no ms o Aze baijan
ha e been ans o med in mode n imes. Acco ding o he esul s o he esea ch, he changes in
Aze baijani amily ela ions a e mani es ed in se e al main di ec ions:
1) His o ical and eligious adi ions, including classical no ms in amily-ma iage ela ions, a e
being ans o med unde he in luence o mode n imes. The measu es implemen ed o he
p o ec ion o Islamic alues and na ional adi ions a e ying o be adap ed o mode n social
changes.
2) Globaliza ion and socio-economic changes ha e had new e ec s on amily s uc u e and ela-
ionships. These e ec s a e mani es ed in economic independence, inc eased social pa icipa-
ion o women and changes in socie y’s a i ude owa ds social phenomena such as di o ce.
3) The impac o economic de elopmen and ma ke ela ions on amily alues leads o changes
in adi ional no ms. People’s economic independence and social changes ha e led o he
eme gence o new app oaches and no ms in amily ela ions.
4) Women’s mo e ac i e pa icipa ion in social and economic sphe es leads o changes in amily
oles and wide p o ec ion o women’s igh s.
5) Adap a ion o amily law in he Republic o Aze baijan o mode n equi emen s, as well as
adap a ion o in e na ional s anda ds, ensu es egula ion o amily-ma iage ela ions wi hin
he amewo k o legisla ion. Wi h he suppo o amily legisla ion and s a e au ho i ies,
posi i e changes ha e aken place in he di ec ion o he de elopmen and p o ec ion o he
amily ins i u ion.
Thus, he esul s o he his o ical-e hnological and e hnog aphic esea ch show ha he ans o -
ma ion o he Aze baijani amily ins i u ion akes place as a esul o he challenges o he mode n e a.
The syn hesis o adi ional and mode n alues, in connec ion wi h he social and economic de elop-
men o socie y, equi es he e ec i e egula ion o amily-ma iage ela ions. A he same ime, he
e hnological esea ch shows ha Aze baijanis we e loyal o adi ions and despi e he in luence o he
challenges o he mode n e a, he basic alues o he amily ins i u ion we e p ese ed.
104 Nu uzade
In e acción y Pe spec i a. Re is a de T abajo Social Vol. 16(1): 2026
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