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'''Central Asian studies''' is the discipline of studying the [[culture]], [[history]], and [[languages]] of [[Central Asia]]. The roots of Central Asian studies as a social science discipline goes to 19th century Anglo-Russian [[Great Game]]. During the 19th century, Central Asia became a subject of systematical information collection and organization thanks to the numerous travels made by British and Russian agents, soldiers, scholars into the region. |
'''Central Asian studies''' is the discipline of studying the [[culture]], [[history]], and [[languages]] of the region of [[Central Asia]]. The roots of Central Asian studies as a social science discipline goes to 19th century Anglo-Russian [[Great Game]]. During the 19th century, Central Asia became a subject of systematical information collection and organization thanks to the numerous travels made by British and Russian agents, soldiers, scholars into the region. After the collapse of the Soviet Union, interest in the field increased considerably. Central Asian studies in contemporary times is represented by a plethora of prominent scholars, institutions and academic programs throughout the world. |
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== History == |
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| ⚫ | Contemporary Central Asian studies have been developed by pioneers such as [[Nicholas Poppe]], [[Denis Sinor]], [[Ilse Laude-Cirtautas]], [[Alexandre Bennigsen]], [[Edward A. Allworth|Edward Allworth]], [[Yuri Bregel]] and Hasan Bulent Paksoy among others. Several American research universities have programs on Central Asia. The [[Mongolian and Altaic Studies Program]] within the [[Far Eastern and Russian Institute]] at the [[University of Washington]] (UW), established under Poppe's direction in 1949, became an early prototype of Central Asian Studies. [[The Central Asian Studies Program]], later formed by Cirtautas in 1968 at the UW, and the [[Department of Central Eurasian Studies (Indiana University)|Department of Central Eurasian Studies]] at [[Indiana University]] have been the leading research and teaching programs. Many scholars involved in Central Asia studies belong to the [[Central Eurasian Studies Society]]. |
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The roots of Central Asian studies as a social science discipline goes to 19th century Anglo-Russian [[Great Game]]. During the 19th century, Central Asia became a subject of systematical information collection and organization thanks to the numerous travels made by British and Russian agents, soldiers, scholars into the region. The British [[Royal Geographical Society]] and [[Russian Geographical Society]] published dozens of travel books on the region. |
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The late 19th century Russian Orientalist Vasilii Vladimirovich Bartold is credited as the founder of the modern study of Central Asian history.{{sfn|Levi|2012|p=867}} |
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[[File:Map of Central Asia.png|300px|thumb|Contemporary political map of Central Asia]] |
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| ⚫ | One of the oldest sources for Central Asia are the memoirs of travelers who passed through Central Asia. Some of the earliest extant examples were left by [[Arab geographers]] who passed through the region. In the 19th centuries numerous [[Europe]] |
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The [[Dissolution of the Soviet Union|collapse of the Soviet Union]] in 1991 led to an increased interest in the study of Central Asia.{{sfn|Levi|2012|p=866}} |
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== Central Asian studies in post-Soviet period== |
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After the fall of the Soviet Union and the opening of Central Asia to European and American researchers, numerous studies were carried out and hundreds of articles and monographs were published. Researchers of various specialties are engaged in the study of Central Asia: historians, archaeologists, orientalists, anthropologists, sociologists, political scientists and others. |
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| ⚫ | Contemporary Central Asian studies have been developed by pioneers such as [[Nicholas Poppe]], [[Denis Sinor]], [[Ilse Laude-Cirtautas]], [[Alexandre Bennigsen]], [[Edward A. Allworth|Edward Allworth]], [[Yuri Bregel]] and Hasan Bulent Paksoy among others. Several American research universities have programs on Central Asia. The [[Mongolian and Altaic Studies Program]] within the [[Far Eastern and Russian Institute]] at the [[University of Washington]] (UW), established under Poppe's direction in 1949, became an early prototype of Central Asian Studies. [[The Central Asian Studies Program]], later formed by Cirtautas in 1968 at the UW, and the [[Department of Central Eurasian Studies (Indiana University)|Department of Central Eurasian Studies]] at [[Indiana University]] have been the leading research and teaching programs. Many scholars involved in Central Asia studies belong to the [[Central Eurasian Studies Society]]. There are many prominent global [[think tanks]] and research organizations from the United States, the United Kingdom, India, China, Germany, and from the region itself, who are focused on Central Asian studies. These include the Cambridge Central Asia Forum, Harriman Institute, Central Asia Program, Central Asia-Caucasus Institute, Oxus Society for Central Asian Affairs, Tillotoma Foundation etc. |
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A large group of historians and archaeologists from France, Russia and Italy is studying the history of [[Sogdiana]] and [[Zoroastrianism]] in Central Asia.<ref>Grenet, Frantz. Was Zoroastrian art invented in Chorasmia?, Ancient Civilizations from Scythia to Siberia 24, no. 1-2 (2018): 68-86.</ref> |
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One of the major historians on the history of Central Asia was [[Yuri Bregel]]. He authored numerous publications on the medieval and early modern history of Central Asia, including the 3-volume Bibliography of Islamic Central Asia (1995), the edition and An Historical Atlas of Central Asia (2003) and many other publications.<ref>https://www.legacy.com/us/obituaries/bostonglobe/name/yuri-bregel-obituary?n=yuri-bregel&pid=181014124&fhid=8784 </ref> |
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| ⚫ | One of the oldest sources for Central Asia are the memoirs of travelers who passed through Central Asia. Some of the earliest extant examples were left by [[Arab geographers]] who passed through the region. In the 19th centuries numerous [[Europe]] and [[United States of America|American]] published their travelogues of Central Asia. This includes American journalist [[Anna Louise Strong]] who passed through [[Uzbekistan]], [[Kyrgyzstan]] and [[Tajikistan]] in the 1920s. |
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One of the famous experts in the medieval history of Central Asia was [[Clifford Edmund Bosworth]]. His works are devoted to the history of the [[Arab Caliphate]], [[Samanids]], [[Karakhanids]], [[Ghaznavids]] and [[Seljukids]].<ref> Bosworth, Clifford Edmund. New Islamic Dynasties: A Chronological and Genealogical Manual. Edinburgh University Press, 2019.</ref> |
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American and European scholars such as Maria Eva Subtelny<ref>Subtelny, Maria Eva. "Mīr 'Alī Shīr Nawā'ī". In C. E. Bosworth; E. Van Donzel; W. P. Heinrichs; Ch. Pellat (eds.). The Encyclopedia of Islam. Vol. VII. Leiden—New York: E. J. Brill. 1993</ref>, [[Stephen Dale|Stephen Frederic Dale]]<ref> Dale, Stephen Frederic. "The legacy of the Timurids." Journal of the Royal Asiatic Society 8, no. 1 (1998): 43-58. </ref>, [[Beatrice Forbes Manz]]<ref>Melville, Charles (April 2010). "Beatrice Forbes Manz, Power, Politics and Religion in Timurid Iran". Speculum. 85 (2): 429–30</ref>, Charles Melville<ref> Melville, Charles. "8. The Itineraries of Shāhrukh b. Timur (1405-47)." In Turko-Mongol Rulers, Cities and City Life, pp. 285-315. Brill, 2013.</ref>, have done significant research on the political and cultural history of the [[Timur]] and [[Timurid dynasty|Timurid]] epoch. |
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The political and economic history of the Uzbek khanates (16th-18th centuries) were the subject of research by [[Robert D. McChesney|R. McChesney]]<ref>McChesney R. Central Asia: Foundations of Change. Princeton&New Jersey: The Darwin Press, 1996</ref><ref>McChesney R. Waqf in Central Asia: Four Hundred Years in the History of a Muslim Shrine, 1480-1889. (Princeton:Princeton University, 1991</ref>, O.Burton<ref>Burton Audrey. The Bukharans. A dynastic, diplomatic and commercial history 1550−1702. Curzon, 1997</ref>, Y.Davidovich<ref>Davidovich Ye.A. Istoriya denezhnogo obrashcheniya srednevekovoy sredney Azii. Moscow: Nauka, 1983</ref>. |
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The history of the [[Jadids]] of Central Asia aroused great interest among researchers.<ref>Baldauf, Ingeborg. "Jadidism in Central Asia within reformism and modernism in the Muslim world." Die Welt des Islams 41, no. 1 (2001): 72-88.</ref><ref>Khalid, Adeeb. The politics of Muslim cultural reform: Jadidism in Central Asia. Vol. 27. Univ of California Press, 1999.</ref> The Jadids were Muslim modernist reformers within the [[Russian Empire]] in the late 19th and early 20th century. |
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A large amount of research is being done on Islam in the region.<ref>{{Cite journal|last=Feldman|first=Walter|title=Review: Islamization and Native Religion in the Golden Horde: Baba Tükles and Conversion to Islam in Historical and Epic Tradition by Devin Deweese|journal=Slavic Review|volume=56|issue=2|pages=352–353|publisher=The American Association for the Advancement of Slavic Studies|year=1997|jstor=2500803|doi=10.2307/2500803}}</ref><ref>Khalid, Adeeb. Islam in Central Asia 30 years after independence: debates, controversies and the critique of a critique. Central Asian Survey 40, no. 4 (2021): 539-554.</ref><ref>Khalid, Adeeb. "A secular Islam: nation, state, and religion in Uzbekistan." International journal of Middle East studies 35, no. 4 (2003): 573-598.</ref> |
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After the collapse of the Soviet Union, great strides have been made in the study of the history, culture and anthropology of Central Asia.<ref>Roy, Olivier. The new Central Asia: the creation of nations. NYU Press, 2007.</ref> However, there are shortcomings in research that are related to a number of reasons. The main problem of European scholars studying Central Asia is that some of them do not know local languages well. It is surprising that historians who do not understand the Arabic language and, accordingly, the texts of the [[Quran]] and [[Hadith]] claim that they are dealing with the issues of Islam in the region.<ref>Yemelianova, Galina M. Islam, national identity and politics in contemporary Kazakhstan, Asian Ethnicity 15, no. 3 (2014): 286-301.</ref> Poor knowledge of the local languages of the peoples of Central Asia by some anthropologists leads to many distortions in the interpretation of societies and their cultural characteristics. Often, such researchers become victims of colonial ideas and various clichés that do not reflect the ongoing social processes in the region. A certain number of researchers, not knowing the local languages, ignore the local historiography of the topics they study. For example, in a study on Islam in Uzbekistan, sources in local languages were not used at all.<ref>Louw, Maria Elisabeth. Everyday Islam in Post-Soviet Central Asia. Routledge, 2007.</ref> |
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==List of Central Asian Studies Journals== |
==List of Central Asian Studies Journals== |
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*''[[Central Asia Monitor]]'', was in publication from 1992 to 2002. Its editor-in-chief was [[Valery Chalidze]] and the primary editor was [[David Nalle]]. |
*''[[Central Asia Monitor]]'', was in publication from 1992 to 2002. Its editor-in-chief was [[Valery Chalidze]] and the primary editor was [[David Nalle]]. |
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*''[[Central Asian Review]]'', was published from 1953 |
*''[[Central Asian Review]]'', was published from 1953 to 1968 through the [[Central Asian Research Centre]] in association with [[St. Antony's College]], [[Oxford University]]. The editor was [[Geoffrey Wheeler (historian)|Geoffrey Wheeler]]. In 1968 Wheeler left the Central Asian Research Center and the following year “Central Asian Review” was incorporated into the journal ''Mizan'', published by the center from 1965 to 1971.<ref name=opc4>{{ |
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*''[[Central Asian Survey]]'', began publication in 1982 out of the United Kingdom and continues to publish to this day. |
*''[[Central Asian Survey]]'', began publication in 1982 out of the United Kingdom and continues to publish to this day. |
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* ''[[Central Asiatic Journal]]'', began publication in 1955 and continues to publish to this day. |
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*''[[Journal of Central and Inner Asian Dialogue]]'' (JCIAD), along with its supplementary newsletter, ''[[JCIAD News]]'', strive to inform the academic community and the public at large about the rich cultures, literature, languages and histories of the peoples of Central and Inner Asia. ''JCIAD'' and its newsletter are devoted to bringing the works of native scholars and literary figures of Central/Inner Asia—an area encompassing the Turkic, Mongolian and Tungusic populated regions of Asia east of the Volga—to light. |
*''[[Journal of Central and Inner Asian Dialogue]]'' (JCIAD), along with its supplementary newsletter, ''[[JCIAD News]]'', strive to inform the academic community and the public at large about the rich cultures, literature, languages and histories of the peoples of Central and Inner Asia. ''JCIAD'' and its newsletter are devoted to bringing the works of native scholars and literary figures of Central/Inner Asia—an area encompassing the Turkic, Mongolian and Tungusic populated regions of Asia east of the Volga—to light. |
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*''[[Asian Affairs|Journal of the Royal Central Asian Society]]'', began publication in 1914 as the ''Journal of the Central Asian Society''. From 1931 to 1969 it was published under the title of the ''Journal of the Royal Central Asian Society''. In 1969 the title was changed to ''Asian Affairs'' and the focus of the contents shifted from Central Asia to South Asia and East Asia. |
*''[[Asian Affairs|Journal of the Royal Central Asian Society]]'', began publication in 1914 as the ''Journal of the Central Asian Society''. From 1931 to 1969 it was published under the title of the ''Journal of the Royal Central Asian Society''. In 1969 the title was changed to ''Asian Affairs'' and the focus of the contents shifted from Central Asia to South Asia and East Asia. |
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==References== |
==References== |
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{{reflist}} |
{{reflist}} |
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==Sources== |
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*{{Cite journal |last=Levi |first=Scott C. |year=2012 |title=Early Modern Central Asia in World History |url=http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/hic3.12004 |journal=[[History Compass]] |volume=10 |issue=11 |pages=866–878 |doi=10.1111/hic3.12004 |issn=1478-0542}} |
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* [https://web.archive.org/web/20110614153904/http://www.eumed.net/entelequia/pdf/b014.pdf Tengri on Mars] |
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20110614153904/http://www.eumed.net/entelequia/pdf/b014.pdf Tengri on Mars] |
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* [http://aton.ttu.edu Central Asian Literature at Texas Tech University] |
* [http://aton.ttu.edu Central Asian Literature at Texas Tech University] |
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* [http://centralasia.group.cam.ac.uk Cambridge Central Asia Programme at Jesus College, University of Cambridge] |
* [http://centralasia.group.cam.ac.uk Cambridge Central Asia Programme at Jesus College, University of Cambridge] |
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{{Regional cultural studies}} |
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[[Category:Central Asian studies| ]] |
[[Category:Central Asian studies| ]] |
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[[Category:Asian studies]] |
[[Category:Asian studies]] |
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Latest revision as of 13:03, 8 December 2024
Central Asian studies is the discipline of studying the culture, history, and languages of the region of Central Asia. The roots of Central Asian studies as a social science discipline goes to 19th century Anglo-Russian Great Game. During the 19th century, Central Asia became a subject of systematical information collection and organization thanks to the numerous travels made by British and Russian agents, soldiers, scholars into the region. After the collapse of the Soviet Union, interest in the field increased considerably. Central Asian studies in contemporary times is represented by a plethora of prominent scholars, institutions and academic programs throughout the world.
History
[edit]The roots of Central Asian studies as a social science discipline goes to 19th century Anglo-Russian Great Game. During the 19th century, Central Asia became a subject of systematical information collection and organization thanks to the numerous travels made by British and Russian agents, soldiers, scholars into the region. The British Royal Geographical Society and Russian Geographical Society published dozens of travel books on the region.
The late 19th century Russian Orientalist Vasilii Vladimirovich Bartold is credited as the founder of the modern study of Central Asian history.[1]
The collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991 led to an increased interest in the study of Central Asia.[2]
Contemporary Central Asian studies have been developed by pioneers such as Nicholas Poppe, Denis Sinor, Ilse Laude-Cirtautas, Alexandre Bennigsen, Edward Allworth, Yuri Bregel and Hasan Bulent Paksoy among others. Several American research universities have programs on Central Asia. The Mongolian and Altaic Studies Program within the Far Eastern and Russian Institute at the University of Washington (UW), established under Poppe's direction in 1949, became an early prototype of Central Asian Studies. The Central Asian Studies Program, later formed by Cirtautas in 1968 at the UW, and the Department of Central Eurasian Studies at Indiana University have been the leading research and teaching programs. Many scholars involved in Central Asia studies belong to the Central Eurasian Studies Society. There are many prominent global think tanks and research organizations from the United States, the United Kingdom, India, China, Germany, and from the region itself, who are focused on Central Asian studies. These include the Cambridge Central Asia Forum, Harriman Institute, Central Asia Program, Central Asia-Caucasus Institute, Oxus Society for Central Asian Affairs, Tillotoma Foundation etc.
Travelogues of Central Asia
[edit]One of the oldest sources for Central Asia are the memoirs of travelers who passed through Central Asia. Some of the earliest extant examples were left by Arab geographers who passed through the region. In the 19th centuries numerous Europe and American published their travelogues of Central Asia. This includes American journalist Anna Louise Strong who passed through Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan in the 1920s.
List of Central Asian Studies Journals
[edit]- Central Asia Monitor, was in publication from 1992 to 2002. Its editor-in-chief was Valery Chalidze and the primary editor was David Nalle.
- Central Asian Review, was published from 1953 to 1968 through the Central Asian Research Centre in association with St. Antony's College, Oxford University. The editor was Geoffrey Wheeler. In 1968 Wheeler left the Central Asian Research Center and the following year “Central Asian Review” was incorporated into the journal Mizan, published by the center from 1965 to 1971.[3][4]
- Central Asian Survey, began publication in 1982 out of the United Kingdom and continues to publish to this day.
- Journal of Central and Inner Asian Dialogue (JCIAD), along with its supplementary newsletter, JCIAD News, strive to inform the academic community and the public at large about the rich cultures, literature, languages and histories of the peoples of Central and Inner Asia. JCIAD and its newsletter are devoted to bringing the works of native scholars and literary figures of Central/Inner Asia—an area encompassing the Turkic, Mongolian and Tungusic populated regions of Asia east of the Volga—to light.
- Journal of the Royal Central Asian Society, began publication in 1914 as the Journal of the Central Asian Society. From 1931 to 1969 it was published under the title of the Journal of the Royal Central Asian Society. In 1969 the title was changed to Asian Affairs and the focus of the contents shifted from Central Asia to South Asia and East Asia.
See also
[edit]- History of Central Asia
- Geopolitics in Central Asia
- History of East Asia
- Indo-Aryan migration hypothesis
- Turkic migration
References
[edit]- ^ Levi 2012, p. 867.
- ^ Levi 2012, p. 866.
- ^ "Mizan: incorporating Central Asian review". OPC4. Archived from the original on 2007-09-27. Retrieved 2006-06-21.
- ^ Will Myer. Islam and Colonialism: Western Perspective on Soviet Asia. London: RoutledgeCurzon, 2002. p. 103-4. ISBN 0-7007-1765-X.
Sources
[edit]- Levi, Scott C. (2012). "Early Modern Central Asia in World History". History Compass. 10 (11): 866–878. doi:10.1111/hic3.12004. ISSN 1478-0542.