London School in Bishkek

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London School in Bishkek

Class Syllabus – Fall Semester 2012

Course: RUSS 372: Instructors: Bermet Omurova and

Understanding Central Asia Cholpon Turdalieva

Professor of AUCA, Doctor of

Historical Sciences

Time: See Schedule Phone: 0996 (0312) 544474

Location: London School in Bishkek Email:

Course Description______

The course offers a broad overview of the cultural and social as well as the historical and religious dimensions of Central Asia including Kyrgyzstan, Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Turkmenistan, and Tajikistan, in addition to Afghanistan and Xinjiang because of their influential role in greater Eurasia. Students will be expected to keep abreast of current events in Central Asia to enhance their understanding of the region.

The course surveys various topics within Central Asia: the ancient civilizations and religions of Central Asia during the pre-Islamic period, the lasting influences of the various empires, khanates, and states of Greece, Persia, East Asia, and the Middle east, the ancient divide of the nomadic empires and settled centers, the regional trade networks known as the Silk Road (or Silk Route) and its gradual decline, economic and cultural changes during the Soviet era following the Bolshevik Revolution, cultural revival and redefining of nationalistic identities following independence, as well as recent trends.

In addition to examining the cultural dimensions of each Central Asian state individually, the course applies a regional-based approach at addressing: performing arts, visual arts, architecture, festivals, leisure, religions, folklore, gender, courtship, marriage, media and the cinema. Throughout the course, the implications of the role of family, ethnic identity, tribalism, nationalism, and attitudes towards society will be addressed.

Extensive use of audio-visual materials, including music, videos, and other illustrated materials will be incorporated into the course.

Learning Goals and Outcomes______

This course will:

•  provide basic knowledge of ethnological and historical material on Central Asian countries

•  introduce students to contemporary research on the subjects

•  explore the role of the Soviet period in the development of the Central Asian region

•  encourage students to establish their own critically formed opinions

•  give students the opportunity to develop their analytical and critical thinking skills by

exploring these issues through class discussion and a course paper

•  give students an opportunity to develop their communication and presentation skills by discussing and debating these issues

•  foster independent learning

Required Texts______

Christian, David. A History of Russia, Central Asia and Mongolia (Oxford, 1998).

Roy, Oliver. The New Central Asia. The Creation of Nations (Tauris Publishers, 2000).

Soucek, Svat. A History of Inner Asia (Cambridge, 2000).

Rafis Abazov, Culture and Customs of the Central Asian Republics. Culture and Customs of Asia (Greenwood, 2007)

Seminar Outline______

Each class/topic is two (60-minute) hours in duration and standard format is

for each hour to be divided into two sections.

. Lecture on the Topic(15 Minutes)

. Presentation / Article Readings / Discussion (45 Minutes)

Attendance is also required for Guest Speaker, Discussion Panel, and News

Reading sessions as scheduled for this course.

Grading______

The final course grade will be determined based on the following distribution:

·  Participation: 20%

o  Attended and on time for classes: 5%

o  Polite, active participation in class discussions: 10%

o  Polite, active participation in Q&A for other students' presentations: 5%

·  Mid-term presentation: 30%

·  Final draft of policy paper: 50% (See separate handout.)

The grading scale is as follows:

88-89 B+ 78-79 C+ 68-69 D+

93-100 A 83-87 B 73-77 C 65-67 D

90-92 A- 80-82 B- 70-72 C- 64 & below F

Mid-term presentation and Policy Recommendation Paper ______

See separate Final Paper Assignment: Writing Guide for SRAS Courses.

Class Participation______

The first requirement to receive the participation portion of your grade is attendance. The second requirement is that you must actively contribute to class discussions. You are also expected to take notes during guest lecturers and panel discussions in addition to each class.

In terms of class discussions, please maintain an atmosphere of respect; however, feel free to disagree with the instructor and your classmates as long as the discussion is conducted in an intelligent and scholarly manner. Please refrain from using cell phones and laptops during class.

Current Events______

As a requirement of the course, students must frequently read news pertaining to Central Asia. Current event discussions will be conducted throughout the duration of the course with a focus on their cultural significance and implications. Students should prepare two article readings of their own for each discussion. The following news sources will provide the basis for discussion; however, students are also free to use their own sources:

·  http://www.eurasianet.org/

EurasiaNet provides information and analysis about political, economic, environmental and social developments in the countries of Central Asia and the Caucasus, as well as in Russia, the Middle East, and Southwest Asia.

·  http://iwpr.net/programme/central-asia/

The Institute for War and Peace Reporting (IWPR) is an international media development charity with several media outlets in Central Asia. Additionally, IWPR has weekly radio programs for Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan providing 15 minutes of analysis on current political and social themes.

·  http://www.rferl.org/section/Central+Asia/172.html

Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty (RFERL) journalists report the news in 21 countries, including Central Asia, where a free press is banned by the government or not fully established and provides: uncensored news, responsible discussion, and open debate.

·  http://www.times.kg/

Academic Honesty______

Academic dishonesty will not be tolerated at the London School in Bishkek. Each of the following will be considered as plagiarism:

·  Copying directly from a source without quotations and source citation;

·  Paraphrasing or summarizing another’s idea without attribution;

·  Changing a sentence’s structure but copying words;

·  Changing a sentence’s words but copying its basic structure;

·  Using media sources without acknowledgement;

·  Submitting a paper written by another student and claiming it as your own;

·  Using information obtained through interviewing an expert without attribution;

·  Purchasing or downloading a paper and claiming it as your own;

·  Collaborating excessively on an essay with another person;

·  Submitting an essay that was previously written for another class.

The consequence of students found guilty of plagiarism will vary, depending on the severity of the offense. However; blatant plagiarism, will not be tolerated and will result in immediate failure of the course.

Course and Topical Outline______

PART I.

STUDYING THE ANCIENT TIME FROM INSIDE:

THE EMERGENCE OF THE CENTRAL ASIAN CIVILIZATION

Class 1 – Topic: Course Introduction

Student introductions, overview of the course, expectations and requirements.

Assigned Readings: N/A

Class 2 – Topic: What is History? Synthesizing the Local, Regional, and World Histories

What is history? Who is a historian? What is historical source? Why is it important to study history? What is historiography? How does the history of Central Asia relate to the world history? What are the approaches and subfields of history you know and how do they explain the events in the past? Do you agree with the definition of Edward Carr that history is “continuous process of interaction between the historian and his facts, an unending dialogue between the present and the past”?

Assigned Readings:

Historical images and maps of old Central Asia http://depts.washington.edu/silkroad/, http://www.angelfire.com/nb/russianmaps/latin/index.htm

Carr, Edward. What is History (N-Y, 1990), pg. 7-30

Soucek, Svat. A History of Inner Asia (Cambridge, 2000), pg. 3-29.

Class 3 – Topic: Before the First Written Record

Why are the Stone and Bronze Ages called prehistory? How do we know about those periods in the world history? When did first humans appear in Central Asia? Where did they come from? What lifestyle and economies did they lead? What art did they develop?

Assigned Readings and Film:

Film: Tamgaly (UNESCO project, 2007).

Images of Altamira rock art in Spain at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wtDRA5emVqo&feature=related

Christian, David. A History of Russia, Central Asia and Mongolia (Oxford, 1998), pg. 99-121.

Class 4 – Topic: First Civilizations, States, and Polities in Central Asia

What is civilization? How did Herodotus and Strabo describe Scythians/Sakas? Who were Wusuns? What kind of political organization was the Davan state and its relationships with others? What were the relationships between those nomadic and sedentary societies? What was their lifestyle and traditions?

Assigned Readings:

Herodotus, History, trans. George Rawlinson, Book IV, http://classics.mit.edu/Herodotus/history.4.iv.html (in the folder).

Christian, David. A History of Russia, Central Asia and Mongolia (Oxford, 1998), pg. 123-157.

Tashbaeva, K. “Localization of the Cities of the Davan State”. Civilizations of Nomadic and Sedentary Peoples of Central Asia (Samarkand-Bishkek, 2005), pg. 155-166.

PART II

THE ENLIGHTMENT IN CENTRAL ASIA:

Class 5 – Topic: Turks: The Creation of the New Identity and Culture

In the sixth century the region of Central Asia experienced the arrival of new tribes. The new migrants were different from the old population of Central Asia by appearance, language spoken, and lifestyle. Their name was Turks. Who were Turks? Where did they come from? What states did they establish? Why did they succeed?

Assigned Readings:

Turkic inscriptions at http://irq.kaznpu.kz/?lang=e&mod=1 (Kul Tegin, Tonyukuk).

Soucek, Svat. A History of Inner Asia, pg. 51-69.

Barfield, T. The Nomadic Alternative (Prentice Hall, 1993), pg. 136-159.

Class 6 – Topic: The Golden Age in Eurasia and the Creation of the First Islamic State in Central Asia

One of the Turkic dynasties that established the biggest and the most glorious state in Central Asia was the Qarakhanids. Who were the Qarakhanids? Where did they come from? What religion did they make the official religion? What was the role of Islam in the political unification and cultural revival of Central Asia? What progress did the Qarakhanids achieve in art, poetry, architecture?

Assigned Readings:

Balasaguni, Yusuf. Beneficent Knowledge, trans. Walter May (Bishkek, 1998).

Soucek, Svat. A History of Inner Asia, pg. 83-92.

Class 7 – Topic: The Leadership of Yenisei Kyrgyz in Eurasia

There are a lot of debates going on about the origin of Kyrgyz living on the territory of Kyrgyzstan today. The reason was that historical sources recorded two communities under the same name but living in different regions and different time periods. Who were those Kyrgyz living on the Yenisei River in 7-13th centuries? Were those Kyrgyz the ancestors of the present-day Kyrgyz formed on the Tien Shan Mountains? Did the Yenisei Kyrgyz have any relation with the present-day Kyrgyz? What was the role of Barsbek in the political life and diplomacy of Eurasia? What is the connection between Manas Kyrgyz epic and the Great Kyrgyz Empire in the 9-10th centuries?

Assigned Readings:

Yenisei inscriptions at http://irq.kaznpu.kz/?lang=e&mod=1

Syma Tsan, Historical Notes (in the folder).

Akerov T. Ancient Kyrgyz and the Great Steppe (Bishkek, 2007), pg. 85-103.

Map quiz! To prepare for a map quiz work with the interactive map at: http://depts.washington.edu/silkroad/maps/mapquiz/mapquiz.html “Water and Mountains-East” and the “Cities of the Silk Road”.

PART III

THE MONGOL INVASION:

A COLLIDING/COLLUDING LEGACY OF CENTRAL ASIA

Class 8 – Topic: Mongolian Dynasties in Central Asia

The Mongols led by Genghis Khan invaded Central Asian region in the 13th century. Why did they succeed? What were the implications of the Mongol invasion for Central Asia and other regions affected? What states emerged in Central Asia and Kyrgyzstan as a result? What kind of identity developed in Central Asia?

Assigned Readings and Film:

The Secret History of the Mongols, Chapter 1, at http://altaica.narod.ru/shengl.htm (in the folder)

William of Rubruck's Account of the Mongols (in the folder)

Soucek, Svat. A History of Inner Asia, pg. 103-122

Film: Chinghiz Khan

Class 9 – Topic: Renaissance in Post-Mongolian Period

Timur established one of the greatest empires after the Mongol invasion. It was the most glorious empire of that time. Science, art, literature developed a lot thanks to the scholars and other prominent people invited by the Timurids. What was so significant about the Empire of Timur? What people ruled the empire? What relations did it have with Mogholistan, the state that existed on the present-day territory of Kyrgyzstan in 14th century?

Assigned Readings:

Clavijo, Embassy to Tamerlane in 1403-1406, trans. Guy Le Strance, (New York & London, 1928). The whole electronic version of this source can be found at http://depts.washington.edu/silkroad/texts/clavijo/cltxt1.html

Soucek, Svat. A History of Inner Asia, pg. 123-148.

Class 10 – Topic: The Ethnic Processes in Central Asia and Formation of Nations

In the 15th and early 17th centuries the Central Asian tribal confederations and dynastic clans chose the people grouping. The nomads and settlers identified themselves as members of concrete nation. What kind of factors did influence such transitions and who led the ideology of integrity and centralization of power?

Assigned Readings:

Mirza Muhammad Haidar, Tarikh-i-Rashidi (in the folder)

Anderson Benedict Imagined Communities (New York: Verso, 2006) Ch.3. pg.37-46

Class 11 – Topic: Process of State Formation in Central Asia in 17-19th centuries

Relationships between the people of Central Asia, domination of the Kokand khanate, Bukhara and Khiva emirates, integration of three tribal unions (Djuz) in Kazakhstan )

Class 12 – Topic: Central Asia as Part of the Russian Empire

Preconditions for the incorporation of Central Asia into the Russian Empire; political and economic reasons, peaceful and violent processes of incorporation. Central Asia after invasion.

Class 13 –Topic: Kyrgyz and Kazakh Culture. Epical Traditions. Preservation.

The “seven cultural highlights” of Kyrgyz culture, music, handicrafts, etiquette, legends, symbolism, sports and games, cuisine, customs and traditions, sayings and superstitions, and inter-ethnic conflict. The heritage of folklore and literature of Central Asia, oral traditions including the Manas epic, distinguished writers and poets of the pre-colonial era, the development of Russian influenced literature, and post-soviet and modern literature. Kazakh hospitality, customs and traditions, legends, weddings, sports and games, cuisine, national dress, music, bazaars, decorative art, folk Islam and pre-Islamic traditions. Similarities and differences in the cultures of Kyrgyz and Kazakh peoples.

Assigned Readings:

Birth of Manas and his Childhood at http://www.silkroadfoundation.org/folklore/manas/manasse2.html (in the folder)