ANTH 2020 Cultures of Central Asia
The purpose of this course is to introduce students to the study of Central Asia from anthropological and historical perspectives. Located between China, Russia, the Middle East, and India, Central Asia has a rich past and is heir to multiple and overlapping cultural layers. After surveying the impact of nomadic empires, the Silk Road, Islam, Russian/Soviet rule, and post-Soviet globalization on the history of the region, we will move on to examine post-independence attempts at nation-building, urban landscapes, reemerging patronage, commercial and labor networks, relations between minority and majority groups, the impact of the post-Soviet return of religion, ongoing reconstructions of gender relations, family life, public and private celebrations, and popular culture (film, television, and music). The course?s focus is on the five post-Soviet ?stans?, though links with neighboring areas in Chinese Xinjiang, Russia, Mongolia and Afghanistan will also receive some attention.