The State-Building of Modern Central Asia Reconsidered Based on the Microhistory of the Kirghiz Ex-ruling Class

2022 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 18K01009
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Section: 一般
• Review Section: Basic Section 03030:History of Asia and Africa-related
• Research Institution: Hokkaido University of Education (2022); Waseda University (2018-2021)
• Principal Investigator: Akiyama Tetsu 北海道教育大学, 教育学部, 准教授 (90704809)
• Project Period (FY): 2018-04-01 – 2023-03-31
• Keywords: 中央ユーラシア / 中央アジア / ソ連 / ナショナリズム / 遊牧民

Outline of Final Research Achievements

This study reconsidered the state-building process among the Kirghiz, the mountain nomads of Central Asia, by focusing on the activities of tribal chieftains from the Revolutionary to the early Soviet era. The social capital accumulated among the Kirghiz tribal chieftains in the pre-revolutionary era allowed them to survive the chaotic environment; it was the local Soviet authorities that were obliged to rely on the tribal chieftains to facilitate the Soviet building. Among the tribal chieftains, some had gained a certain kind of recognition as the “leader of Kirghiz” until the beginning of the twentieth century. In the early Soviet era, such a national recognition not so much lingered but became more widespread among the public. The results of this study were reported both in the domestic and international workshops and published as articles.

Free Research Field

中央ユーラシア近現代史

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

1920年代初頭にソヴィエト政権の下で実施された民族共和国史境界画定は、中央ユーラシア近現代史のメインイシューである「民族の創成」の重要な画期をなす。そのプロセスを巡っては、政治エリートや近代的知識人の活動を中心として、多くの研究が積み重ねられてきた。これに対し、本研究は、従来十分に光が当てられてきたとは言い難い部族首領層の動向に着目し、「伝統」と「近代」が綯い交ぜになった、混沌とした「中間領域」を、旧ソ連地域に散逸する公文書史料や民間所蔵文書といった膨大かつ多様な史資料を駆使することで再構成し、民族共和国の創設過程をより多面的に理解するための一つの参照点を提供した。