BOOK REVIEWS

suitable for use in college and university As such, it demands our attention, care- teaching, both at the undergraduate and ful reading, deep engagement, and under- postgraduate levels. The book runs coun- standing. VGTVQOCP[O[VJUTGNCVGFVQVJG5CNCſCE- tivism, which were created in the highly 'TOKP5KPCPQXKè charged climate during the past decade. United States Naval Academy

Fergana Valley: The Heart of

Edited by S. Frederick Starr, Baktybek Beshimov, Inomjon I. Bobokulov and Pulat Shozimov Armonk: M.E. Sharpe, 2011, 442 pages, ISBN 978076562999.

Fergana Valley: The Heart of Central space, and the relation between geography Asia is a remarkable volume that offers a and politics, seem to be the subject of this very comprehensive and interesting study edited book, Fergana Valley intends to on the political and social life of the Fer- go beyond the simple geopolitical calcu- gana Valley and the three countries that lations that are generally used to explain include parts of it, , the strategic and political intentions of and , as well as Central Asia external powers in the region. Instead of in general. The book is based on two gen- focusing of such narrations as the (New) eral assumptions that can be easily picked Great Game, this book on the one hand from its title and the introductory words tries to analyze the economic, social, po- of the editor, S.F. Starr. As he maintains litical, demographic, ecologic and cultural at the beginning, the Fergana is assumed forces in the region throughout the periods to be the heart of Central Asia and so the of political unity (as during the times of contributors believe that what happens , Tsarist Russia, and the there might affect the fate of the whole Soviet rule), periods of disintegration (as region. The second assumption is sum- during the times of independent republics) marized also by Starr in the following and transitionary periods (as during the phrase: “nothing about the Fergana Val- time of Revolution, the perestroika period ley is simple” (p.ix). and the nation and/or state building peri- Fergana Valley is a comprehensive ods of Uzbekistan, Tajikistan and Kyrgyz- UVWF[UKPEGKVCKOUVQTGƀGEVVJGEQORNGZ stan). And on the other hand, the chapters and multidimensional nature of the politi- collectively intend to illuminate two con- cal and social construction of the Fergana tradictory trends in the valley: 1) “unity both as a center and as a peripheral mir- in diversity” as the reference to Sasha Ku- ror of the whole region from pre-colonial prin who is one of the Fergana poets illus- times to the division of the valley among trates: “words like kishlak (village), aryk three independent republics. Although two (irrigation canal), chinar (oriental plane basic dimensions of geopolitics, time and tree), bazaar, chaikhane (teahouse) and

Vol. 14 / No. 3 / 2012 213 BOOK REVIEWS

plov (pilaf) are not mere fragments of ex- usually supposed to generate economic, otic vocabulary but worlds through which ethnic and religious tensions such as that we experience a common time and des- observed in the Fergana Valley particu- tiny” (p.293); and 2) “diversity in unity” larly during the last three decades. that reveals in the overlapping dual lives, All in all the editorial team tries to languages, identities and loyalties existing TGƀGEV FKHHGTGPV XKUKQPU QH  TGIKQPCN in Fergana along with different fault lines experts from various disciplines in 14 in the Fergana states (especially chapters chapters to reach a coherent reading of 5, 7, 8, 9, 12, and 13). the Fergana’s reality. To accomplish this Fergana Valley is an interesting book FKHſEWNV VCUM VJG GFKVQTKCN VGCO DTKPI not only because of the complexity it re- forth nine key questions (pp.xvi-xix) used ƀGEVUDWVCNUQDGECWUGQHVJGPCVWTGQHGCEJ by the authors in writing their chapters. chapter’s structure in which the editor(s) Among these, three questions are es- try to offer insights of scholars from all pecially important and are used in each three Fergana states. Therefore each con- chapter to explain the nature and direction tribution is based on the collective work of change in the Fergana. These questions of one principle author and other con- are related to 1) the role of localism in tributing authors from different Fergana TGƀGEVKPI EQPVKPWKV[ CPF EJCPIG KP VJG countries, with two exceptions (chapters 4 valley; 2) the driving motives for change, and 11 where the leading authors are re- whether they are external or internal; and spectively from Russia and Switzerland). 3) the direction of change and whether it 6JKU UVTWEVWTG KU UKIPKſECPV GURGEKCNN[ creates centripetal or centrifugal forces in when one thinks that the Fergana’s social, the valley. Although, the book provides economic and political realities, such as a very elaborate but coherent picture of the role of religion—primarily Islam—and the Fergana’s reality, distinguishing the state in the construction of the region, the sources and directions of change is not meaning of nationality (Uzbek, Tajik and easy because there is a continuous inter- Kyrgyz), the instruments of economic (in) change between top-down and bottom-up equality (trade-water-energy bargaining), TGƀGEVKQPUQHEJCPIGCUYGNNCUDGVYGGPKVU the culture of resistance (from the time of inside-out and outside-in drivers. The in- Basmachi Revolt to the Tulip Revolution), terplay between causes and consequences the future of democracy and inter-state of change in Fergana actually resembles challenges, the continuous interplay be- the visual impact of a möbius ribbon on tween conservatism and modernism since YJKEJ GZVGTPCN KPƀWGPEGU CPF VQRFQYP the movement, and the shifting re- policies of change can be vernacularized gional tendency from being isolated to be- and localized over time as one can see KPI C EQPVCEV \QPG YJGTG GZVGTPCN KPƀW- in the revival of Islam in valley either in ences reach to the main cities and enclaves conservative or radical form since 1980s of Fergana, have different and contentious (chapters 9 and 13). meanings in each republic, in Russia and The international community has in the West. Moreover, this book as a col- mixed feeling of indifference and concern lective study may be taken as example of for the Fergana Valley and Central Asia as VJGRTQNKſEHCEGQHEQPVCEV\QPGUVJCVCTG it is seen as relatively stable compared to

214 INSIGHT TURKEY BOOK REVIEWS

the contemporary Middle East. The Fer- of Central Asia proves that understanding gana Valley, now located at the periph- VJG(GTICPCŏUEQORNGZKVKGUCPFKVUƀWEVWC- ery of three Central Asian republics but tion between unity and diversity is crucial once the center of Central Asia, illustrates to understanding regional change. both the risks and opportunities for social and political changes in the whole region, 8KĩPG-QTMOC\ and the book Fergana Valley: the Heart Yildiz Technical University

Islam Without Extremes - A Muslim Case for Liberty

By Mustafa Akyol New York: W. W. Norton & Company, 2011, 352 pages, ISBN 9780393070866, $25.95.

In Mustafa Akyol’s book Islam With- cultural context (tribalism) or economics out Extremes, the author takes up the (commerce). To support his arguments challenge to confront the many miscon- and interpretations, he employs quotes ceptions and false portrayals of Islam from the Qur’an, Hadiths, and explains as inherently conservative or violent by the socio-cultural setting that shaped and tracing back Islam’s history, the develop- KPƀWGPEGF VJG FGXGNQROGPV QH RQNKVKECN  ment of political Islam, and offering his Islam. Akyol focuses on the origins of own vision for a modern and more liberal +UNCOKPVJGſTUVRCTVQHVJGDQQMCPFCU- political Islam. Throughout his writings, serts that they provided a foundation for a he is implicitly and explicitly guided by more liberal future, citing women’s rights the question why a dominantly conserva- (p.53) or the role of the individual (p.49). tive brand of Islam is nowadays present He then goes on to follow the blossoming in many governments or societies. Yet in of Islamic culture, trade and political life the course of the book, he contrasts (for- which all come to an end or faced stagna- merly) authoritarian and secularist Turkey tion from the 12th century (to a degree with other Islamic countries, concluding even earlier) on due to, among other rea- that Islam may not be the reason for au- sons, the economic decline, and a lack of thoritarianism but that other factors are at trade (pp.125-127). play. Drawing also on his own experienc- However, aside the lack of economic es, religious beliefs, and Turkish heritage, development, Akyol also discusses the Akyol analyzes the emergence of political role the desert environment played on Islam by deconstructing the past, meaning shaping the nature of Islam, the function he sheds light on both conservative (Tra- of the middle class, and the role of the ditionalists) and more progressive (Ratio- respective rulers of the land. This critical nalists) movements within Islam and sup- review will assess the latter point, the role plements his evaluation of the movements and power of rulers in the Muslim world with a discussion on other factors, such as CPFJQYVJGKTKPVGTGUVUKPƀWGPEGFVJGFG- the environment (desert vs. arid regions), velopment and interpretation of Islam.

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