Soviet Propaganda and the Integration of the Yezidis into the Communist Society during the Korenizatsiya Policy (1923–1934)

Abstract

Yezidis arrived in the South Caucasus following their migration from the Ottoman Empire. They led a traditional semi-nomadic life and preserved their culture through oral transmission, lacking a formal written tradition or education. After the establishment of the Soviet Union, the Bolsheviks intended to resolve the national question. In contrast to the Russification policy of Tsarist Russia, they granted unprecedented rights to national minorities. However, these rights needed to gain their trust and integrate them into the voluntary project of construction of a communist society. By developing propaganda tools, the Soviet authorities built a foundation for the promotion of Marxist-Leninist ideology. The process was called korenizatsiya (indigenization). This study aims to explore how Bolshevik propaganda was employed to transform the traditional lifestyle of the small Yezidi community during the korenizatsiya policy (1923–1934) so they could be integrated into a communist society. By conducting desk research and analysing both specialised literature and archival documents, the study indicates that the Soviet authorities provided the Yezidi community with opportunities to study their language and culture to publish literature and journalistic works aimed at instilling communist values and spreading ideology. Furthermore, Soviet authorities directed their propaganda at the religious and tribal leaders of the Yezidi community, using multiple various forms of art to weaken their authority and support the integration of Yezidis into the Soviet system. As a result, some aspects of the Yezidi identity, including religion and traditions, were stigmatized and portrayed as relics of the past.