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The course is a general survey of ethnic history of Central Asia from the first centuries A.D. to the present time. Central Asia is defined as the western part of Inner Asia; it stretches from the Caspian Sea in the west to Eastern Turkestan (Sinkiang) in the east, and belongs culturally to the Islamic world. Throughout its history Central Asia has been a crossroad of cultures and civilizations, and a connecting link between East Asia, South Asia, Near East, and Eastern Europe. It was affected by numerous migrations and invasions of various nomadic peoples up to the 18th century. As a result of continuous movements of populations of different ethnic and racial origin, a very complicated ethnic map of modern Central Asia emerged. During the last century, the interethnic relations in the region were further affected by the imperial policies of the Soviet Union and China, and by the rise of nationalism in Central Asian republics.
The course will discuss all these changes and will provide an historical background for the understanding of interethnic relations in contemporary Central Asia.
Required Texts: No single textbook will be used. A study of all literature given in the bibliography (to be distributed in class) is required; part of it will be provided as handouts.
Exams: Geographical Quiz, Midterm, Final Examination.
Papers: Graduate students have to write a paper. A comprehensive bibliography for the paper must be compiled by the students and submitted by midterm.
Days and Time: Tuesday and Thursday, 2:30-3:45.
Goodbody Hall 157 | 1011 East 3rd St. | Bloomington, IN 47405-7005 | Phone: (812) 855-2233 | Fax: (812) 855-7500 | ceus@indiana.edu