SATIRE, PUBLIC SPHERES, AND IMPERIAL RECKONINGS IN THE REVOLUTIONARY TRANSCAUCASUS
Keywords:
Satire, Public Sphere, Counterpublics, Molla Nasraddin,Abstract
This article investigates the pivotal role of satirical media, specifically the Azerbaijani journal Molla Nasraddin, in shaping public discourse and fostering political imagination during the revolutionary ferment of the early 20th-century Transcaucasus. Situated at the nexus of the declining Russian, Qajar, and Ottoman Empires, Molla Nasraddin utilized humor, sharp critique, and innovative visual satire to challenge imperial hegemonies, expose social ills, and mobilize a diverse readership across linguistic and national boundaries. By analyzing the journal's content and its circulation, this study demonstrates how Molla Nasraddin actively contributed to the formation of an inter-imperial "counterpublic," enabling the articulation of shared grievances and revolutionary ideals among various ethnic and social groups. The article highlights the journal's influence on the Iranian Constitutional Revolution and its broader legacy in democratizing political discourse and catalyzing social change in a period of profound imperial reckoning and transformation.
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