National-cultural associations of Azerbaijanis of Samara Region (1990s-the first decade of the XXI century)

The following paper describes features of the modern cultural development of Samara region’s Azerbaijanis through the prism of public companies: e.g. Samara regional public organization «League of Azerbaijanis of Samara Region». The aim of the study was to identify the role of national-cultural associations in the life of Azerbaijanis of Samara and Samara Region. The work is based on field research materials the authors collected in the Azerbaijani community of Samara in 2015-2016. Civil society organizations have a potential to consolidate the community and ensure the reproduction of ethnocultural values in it. The results showed that, despite some difficulties in intra-ethnic communication, the Azerbaijani public organizations of Samara actively engaged in cultural and educational activities, directed both inward, that is, on the members of the community, and aimed to preserve and transmit ethnic and cultural values to future generations, as well as outside and aimed at foreign cultural environment and perception of a positive image of the Azerbaijani culture and on the creation of a positive image of the community members. Different kinds of artistic and sports groups, festive and memorable events, creating a real platform for intraethnic communication, play an important role for the consolidation of the diaspora groups members. A virtual platform and, at the same time, the «voice» of the community is the newspaper called «Ochag». The existence of several independent NGOs complicates the social life of Samara Azerbaijanis, but currently observed installation on intraethnic consolidation in public organizations of Azerbaijanis allows to count on intraethnic consolidation, on overcoming disagreements and a constructive dialogue.