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Ohio Slavic & East European Universm Newsletter · · T H E Ohio Slavic & � East European uNivERSm Newsletter 22, No. Volume 7 April 1994 Columbus, Ohio Yuri Bregel on Central Asian History The claim that Central are just now discovering of national history, to Bregel, w Asians The idea according as or rediscovering their past is unttue, argues distinguished rought to Central Asia only in So et times, with the creation of b vi orientalist Yuri Bregel. Bregel, a graduate of Moscow State new "national" republics as a result of the so-called "national Universtiy, is a ofe sor of Centtal history at delimitation" of Central in 1924. republics were pr s Asian Indiana Asia These University . He spoke at the conference "Central Asia and Azer­ entities, theoretically based on ethnic principles, but in artificial baijan from Cz.arist Rule to I dependent States" on March 18, n reality ethnically heterogeneous. Since the nations were created 1994. The confere ce was sponsored by The Ohio State Univer­ fic y, the could be c ged as easily as they n arti iall y han werecreated, sity Middle St dies Center, Center for Slavic and East and their historical legitimacy could c le ged by the East u be hal n European Studies, Mershon Center, the Center for Education i and confl cting claims of other such entities. Under these conditions, and Training for Employment the national historiography that emerged y 1950s was b the In address to the conference Bregel pointed out with providin j ti on the existing his that preoccupied g us ficati for political indigenous historical tion had exis in Central in entities. "The new national historiographies to ome an an tradi ted Asia had bec the form of both historical writing and oral tr ti long before essential of the new national identi es " said Bregel . adi on part ti , ·the Russian conquest. The tive historical tradition continued The war with Germany added im to development na petus under Czarist only fading out in the 1920s. A modem his­ of national history, when in order to give peoples rule, the non-Russian toriography of Central Asia, however, originated not in of Soviet Union like Russians a boost to their moral a Central the the itself, but nly in Russia to the effom of Russian propaganda of historical past" of the ntral Asia mai due the "great Ce Asian orientalists, archaeologists, amateur scholars. peoples began. After the war the theme of "great cultural and the The Russian Revolutions of 1917 dramatically affected heritage" of the peoples of Central Asia emerged histo o­ in ri the writing of Central Asian history. Firstly, mm n It arose 1948-49 during c paigns against "cosmo­ the Co u ist graphy. in am Party used historical ho hip for political purposes and politanism " in the Soviet Uni y a rise sc lars on, accompanied b in exercised political con l over historians . S ndly, historians ssian chauvinism. Said Bregel: "This was a time ... when tro eco Ru of Cenlral Asian origin with modem training appeared, although a popular joke c ul a Russian, when to write a irc ated that asked n ed to play an role. A body of on elephants, entided it 'Russia as Home of Ele­ Russians co tinu important great tteatise the histori graph appeared, but of neven quality. Although great ph ts. '" Inspired by such ac eveme , scholars o y u an hi nts Central Asian ad s were in the ancient and medieval fields, the vance made tried not to lag behind. There was a problem: the great cultural history of Central Asia from the Russian penetration onwards has figures--scholars, poets, as well as statesmen, of the ved past li been thoroughly distorted, as a result of Party guidance . long before the creation of the new Cen natio s. tral Asian n Nevertheless these figures were c med by the new national lai histories. for was claimed by the Kazakhs. Al-Farabi, example, Inside OSEEN The Tenth Century Islamic scholar was of Turkic origin and was on the territory of Kazakhstan, but he lived years before born 500 Ohio Slavic the people emerged and all his life Iraq and Calendar 2 Kazakh spent in Syria, writing "In this way, by mid 1950s, the Monone:u.! 3 in Arabic! the cultural h ge of medieval Central Asia med divided, like Study and Research Opportunities erita see booty, among victorious nations." the Summer and Academic Year Study Abroad At the same time Centtal scholars established the 3 Asian sovereignty of the new nations over the history of present U.S. Summer Language Study 4 their Opportunities tories . was not e ough , oweve , project the past Other 5 terri It n h r to into )nstitutes for Teachers modem boundaries, argued Bregel . became necessary to prove 5 It nauon mtory ats mployment Opportunitie8---------------;--tne ethmc con�nu1ty of �f a:ei>�c--- . die Oilllie te dunng the covered by ewly his nes. Opportunities for Support 6 enure pe�od the n writte� � Brege compared dus approach of modem Centtal his Mee f 7 l Asum mgs Continued on column page 2, 1 2 OSEEN April 1994 OSEEN Quotable do ' know what is going on in Russia today. "I n t If Matthew R. Schwonek, Editor you what is going on in Russia today, please someone tells don't believe him." Allan Wildman, Director, CSEES Oleg Grinevsky, Russian Ambassador to Sweden Ohio Slavic and East EuropeanNewsl etter (OSEEN) is published Mershon Center, March 14, 1994 monthly, October June, by the Center for Slavic and East Lecture, the through European Studies of the Ohio State University. It is provided free of charge to subscn"bers. Submissions to all departments are welcome. Direct subscription requests and submissions to: OSEEN Center for Slavic and East European Studies 303 Oxley Hall 1712 Neil Ave. The Ohio State University OH 43210-1219 Columbus, Tuesday, AprU 5 Phone 292-8770 BROWN BAG DISCUSSION: Pokrovsky, Mo ow (614) Prof. Nikita sc FAX 292-4273 State U versit , "The Social Behavior of Russians Today," 122 (614) ni y Oxley 12:30-2:00 p.m. Hall, Wednesday, April Bregel on Central Asia 6 LEC11JRE: f. Neil Jacobs, The Ohio State University, "A Continuedfrom column Pro page J, 2 Roadmap to Ourselves: The Rise of Yiddish Language with theirpre-modem predecessors'. "The he said, and torians latter," Civilization," Bexley High School, 326 Cassingham Rd. "created genealogical myths to provide legitimacy to royal their patrons, while nes created historical myths order the "modem" o in Monday, 11 provide legitimacy to nati ns." This was difficult to do, AprU to their o LEcnJRE: Davlat K.hudonazarov, "The of the Civil War for Cen Asian Turkic peoples had nomads and Origins the ttal been in Taj stan and Their Policy Implications for Reestablishing became known by their present names and on their present iki Civil Order the Coun ," 122 Oxley Hall, 11:30-1:30 p.m. territories only five centuries ago. in try four or Bregel is disappointed with independence of the that Saturday, AprU Centtal Asian States these distortions have n the 16 ot been first CONFERENCE: "The Post-Soviet Era: Politics and Society in of n historians trying to "recover" histories. Central target ative the Newly Independent States," Stecker Lounge, Ohio Union, Asian historians have shown no interest in methodological 9:00 a.m.-6:00 p.m. problems. continue to use Marxist c ic es "chew the and they l h and same verbal cud unchanged." old Marxist No special attention Wednesday, April been given to the modem history of Centtal which is 20 has Asia, BROWN BAG DISCUSSION: Prof. Barbara Clements, Univer­ " " sttiking when compared with the virtual of revisionist sity Civ l War," flood of Akron, "Women Bolsheviks in the Russian i publications by their colleagues in Russia and the other fonner 122 Oxley Hall, 12:30 p.m.-2:00 p.m. Soviet republics. The "rediscover " of m st of y the o recent past peoples concern. Centtal Asian is not their main LECTURE: Prof. Barbara Clements, University of Akron, Bre el chief concerns of modern g argues the Central "Writing io phy of Women in the Russian F eld," 300 Asian historians remain the same "great cultural h tag " and B gra i eri e Journalism, 3:00 p.m.-5:00 p.m. ethnogenesis. The co ti ng is not aimed correcting n nui attention at distortions, but rather adding new ones of the sort. same Monday, April 20 to Friday, May Glowing reports of th rediscovery of history by 6 e Central Asian ART EXillBIT: "Ch n ' s From Bosnia and Croatia," are p m me may have a ildre Art historians re at and negative effect on Hopkins Hall G ery, 9:00 am.-5:00 p.m. nde g processes takingplace in Asia today. all u rstandin of the Central less hannful the presentation United States recent No is in of Tuesday, May the 3 writings distingui only by nationalist zeal as ttu� scholarly A drz j Garlicki, University_ w_�w __ _ shed _____LEC1llRE;_of. n e of _!_____ works. Bregel urged the au ence meet new h ship critical- di sc olar "Pilsudski 122 Oxley Hall, 12:30 p.m.-2:00 p.m. ly. "We can com omise in politics. But we should not compro- and Walesa," pr mise scholarsh p, n he said. in i April 1994 OSEEN 3 Saturday, May 7 well as graduate srudents who have not SYMPOSIUM: "Politics and Theater in Romania: The View the dissertation stage. Contact: The reached From Outside," Stadium TheaterII, Drake Union,9:00 a.m.-5:00 Ko§ciuszko Foundation; Domestic Grants p.m.
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