Historical Constructions and Nation Formation in Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan

This research project explores historiographical discourse about the "origins" and "past" of so-called "titular nations" in post-Soviet Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan, with reference to history textbooks. The project focuses on three central questions:

The first question concerns the way in which the "past" of "titular" nations has been described and reinterpreted in history textbooks, with special focus on the period of Russian colonialism and Soviet rule. This includes political reinterpretations of the "past" that concern (among other things) the history of neighbouring countries and an imaginary geography of one`s "own" nation state. Special consideration will be given to the role of Islam in the legitimisation of "titular nations".

Second, the project is devoted to the question whether, how and to what extent ethnic and religious minorities, as well as peoples who are represented in official historiography almost as if they were 'religious rivals' of the 'titular nations', are represented and perceived.

Third, the project deals with transnational aspects of post-Soviet historiography. How is the relation to Europe treated in these countries? Is it defined exclusively in relation to Russia, or do other, both new and traditional, approaches exist? How is historiography responding in geopolitical terms to the fact that Moscow's centralising power has considerably decreased? These questions should help to show how the categories 'East' and 'West' are to be understood in these countries today.

Duration of the whole project: June 2007-May 2009

Publications developed within the project:

• Sidikov, Bahodir (2008a): Zwischen Bourdieu und postkolonialerTheorie: Zur Analyse postsowjetischer Schulbücher für das Fach Geschichte (Am Beispiel Aserbaidschans), in: Jahrbuch Aserbaidschanforschung 2008. Beiträge aus Politik, Wirtschaft, Geschichte und Literatur, edited by M. Aghayev & R. Suleymanova, Berlin 2008, 221-247. Also online: http://orient.ruf.uni-freiburg.de/dotpub/sidikov.pdf (14.10.2009).
• Sidikov, Bahodir (2008b): ‚Aserbaidschan – Machtpoker um die Petrodollars’, in: Der Kaukasus. Geschichte – Kultur – Politik, edited by M.-C. v. Gumppenberg & U. Steinbach, München 2008, 49-63.
• Sidikov, Bahodir (2008c): Aserbaidschan: Revolution in Grün, in: WOZ Die Wochenzeitung, No. 2, of 17.01.2008.
• Sidikov, Bahodir (2008d): Zentralasien: Minderheiten und Schulbuchsysteme, in: Eckert. Das Bulletin 4 (2008), 24-26.
• Sidikov, Bahodir (2008e): Expedition in unbekannte Welten: Zentralasien und seine Schulbücher, in: Internationale Schulbuchforschung 4 (2008), 855-881.
• Sidikov, Bahodir/ Held, Marcus (2009): Berg Karabach - Krieg der Vorstellungswelten?, in: WeltTrends 64 (2009), 51-60.

Cooperation partner: Institut für Orientalistik in Halle/S.

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