Values as ‘Amoeba Words’. The Symbolic Impact of Educational Policy of Azerbaijani during the Post-Soviet Period

Abstract

The article explores the formation of values in Azerbaijani school education policy during the post-Soviet period (1991–2011). Drawing on Ivan Illich’s critique of vague concepts, the study examines how values declared in legal documents, curricula, and textbooks often lack precise definitions, operationalization, and measurable educational outcomes. The theoretical framework is based on Karl Weick’s sensemaking approach, which allows for an understanding of how educational discourses rationalize student identities and values over time. Methodologically, the research is grounded in qualitative content analysis of 11 normative and instructional sources translated from Azerbaijani. The analysis reveals dominant value clusters — patriotism, national pride, respect for cultural diversity, democracy, and human rights. However, these are largely presented without corresponding behavioral guidelines, implementation contexts, or assessment mechanisms. A key limitation of the study is its exclusive focus on declarative policy documents, without investigating how values are interpreted or enacted by teachers. Furthermore, the unavailability of some official materials from the early post-Soviet period restricts the depth of historical comparison. The paper concludes that without clearer structuring, explanation, and assessment criteria, values remain abstract and ambiguous — becoming “amoeba words”: overly general, context-independent, and ultimately ineffective for guiding educational practice or policy.