On February 19, faculty members of the Departments of Regional Studies on Eastern and Western Countries of the Azerbaijan University of Languages (AUL) participated in an international conference entitled “Neocolonialism and Global Inequality,” organized by the Baku Initiative Group (BIG).

The conference was attended by PhD in Political Science Tarana Guluzade, Shahla Khalafova, Fatma Isgandarova, and Nigar Dunyamali from the Department of Regional Studies on Eastern Countries; senior lecturers Shafag Mustafayeva and Aygun Soltanzade; as well as senior lecturers Diana Huseynova, Sara Alasgarli, and Tamilla Naibova from the Department of Regional Studies on Western Countries.

The event brought together politicians, scholars, public figures, and representatives of independence movements from the United States, Guadeloupe, Corsica, New Caledonia, Réunion, Comoros, Belgium, Germany, Algeria, Togo, Cameroon, and Martinique, as well as researchers specializing in neocolonialism.

Within the framework of the panel discussions, presentations were delivered on the topics “The Epigenetic Factor of Colonialism,” “How Did Independence Movements Gain the Upper Hand over the Colonial Order?”, “How Colonial Empires Divided the World: Borders, Power and Ongoing Consequences,” and “How French Assimilation Policy Reshaped Identity?”

During the discussions, particular attention was paid to the psychological and biological impacts of the colonial legacy, intergenerational trauma, social consequences, as well as issues of culture, language, and identity. The speakers emphasized the importance of eliminating the legacy of colonialism, accelerating decolonization processes, and strengthening international cooperation in this direction.

The participants underlined the significance of studying the historical roots of global inequality and developing joint approaches to address contemporary challenges.

At the end of the event, a final statement on the outcomes of the international conference “Neocolonialism and Global Inequality” was adopted.