Lecture by Professor Azim Malikov on “Holy Groups” of the Zarafshan Valley Speaker: Professor Azim Malikov (Senior Research Fellow, Institute of History, Academy of Sciences of the Republic of Uzbekistan / Visiting Professor, Slavic-Eurasian Research Center, Hokkaido University)

Date and Time: 27 January, 2018, 14:00-16:15 (lecture: 14:05-15:05; comment: 15:15-15:35)

Venue: Room 304, Institute for Advanced Studies on Asia (Tobunken),University of Tokyo (Hongo, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo)

Lecture Title: “Holy Groups” of the Zarafshan Valley in the Second Half of the 19th – Early 20th Century: Social Transformations (abstract below)

Commentator: Dr. Yayoi Kawahara (JSPS Research Fellow RPD; Chuo University)

Contact Person: Kazuo Morimoto (morikazu[at]ioc.u-tokyo.ac.jp)

Abstract:
The objective of my paper is to study the “holy lineages” (sayyid, khoja, eshon) of the Zarafshan valley, which included Bukharan oasis of Bukharan Emirate and Samarkand province of Turkestan general-governorate in the second half of 19th – early 20th century. I plan to address the following issues: 1. Impact of the Russia’s policy on the political, cultural orientations of the “holy lineages”; 2. To analyze the materials on participation of representatives of the “holy lineages” in the local authorities’ activities; 3. To examine the materials on social transformations of the “holy lineages.” In my paper, I will highlight some features of the social transformation of “holy lineages” in the Samarkand region in comparison with Bukharan oasis. The main research method is the complex analysis of the data from archives (Central State Archive of Uzbekistan), of ethnographic material and also scientific publications.

The event is open to the public.Co-sponsored by the Research Project “Studies on the Persianate World,” Institute for Advanced Studies on Asia, University of Tokyo (Tobunken Seminar); Slavic Eurasian Research Center, Hokkaido University; and Association for the Study of Persianate Societies, Japan Office (Gilas Lecture).