Poslední úprava: Mgr. Jiřina Tomečková (26.09.2023)
The course introduces the students into the nationalism through creation history and (mis)using of the history for the state- and nation-building with focus on Central Eurasian Area (Central Asia/Caucasus) with the cases related to wider area (Middle East, Post Soviet Area, Central/Eastern Europe). Apart from some overview of theoretical concepts, the case studies of various historical myths will be examined.
Cíl předmětu - angličtina
Poslední úprava: Mgr. Jiřina Tomečková (26.09.2023)
Learning outcomes of the course:
Specific knowledge
Willingness and ability to employ research and develop analytical as well as argumentation skills are indispensable features for those willing to succeed in the course. In addition to learning basic facts on the topic of the course, this rather seminar-style course is intended to contribute to developing methodological and analytical skills among the students. Students are also encouraged to familiarize themselves with the basics of the history of the Caucasus and Central Asia.
Transferable skills
Capacity for logical inference, distinguish between history and historical myth. Students are encouraged to explore and apply the historical myths used by historiography, politicians or historians in their own home countries/regions in their in-class presentation, discussions as well as the final exam.
In the process of learning, students are expected to sharpen their skills in conducting the discussion, delivering a presentation and drafting a piece in argumentative writing. To achieve these skills, students should behave in a cooperative, mutually supportive fashion.
Values
After the completion of the course, students will have a clear understanding of scholars/analysts’ academic responsibility towards society.
Podmínky zakončení předmětu - angličtina
Poslední úprava: Bc. Sára Lochmanová (05.10.2023)
Basic criteria of evaluation:
In-class participation (1 absence in the course is accepted unless agreed with the lecturer due to some serious reasons). Missing more classes without serious reasons and agreement with the course leader may cause decreasing the evaluation.
Reading assignment check (10%)
1-2 in-class presentations (depends on the number of students in the course) based on the additional readings and self-research which develop the class topic and stimulates the discussion (40%). Alternatively, the course work based on the topics of the presentation
Final Interview (50%). The interview will be conducted in oral form (personally or online) and will be based on the topics discussed within the course and the reading assignment. The interview will underline mainly the ability to think about the historiographical concepts and apply them into different contexts (Central Eurasian/Post-Soviet/European/student's homeland etc.).
The achievement at least half the percentage from each part is essential to pass the course.
The final result will consist of summation of above mentioned three parts according to a folowing criteria:
Each class will start with the questions dealing with the mandatory readings. Randomly selected student should be ready to answer appropriately the question related to the readings. The questions will not be aimed to a replication of the facts from the text, however the answer should make clear that the student read the text and can pick up its main idea.
Presentations (40%)
Students are supposed to write a short (ca 1-2 page) handout of their presentations’ main points – in accordance with the outlined structure (see below) - and distribute it among their colleagues and the lecturer before their presentations start. (Note that handouts are not thought to be essays).
· Failure to hand in a handout before the start of one’s presentation may lead to either disqualification of one’s presentation or a lower grade for it.
· Presentation topics are to be chosen by students until the 2nd week of the course at the latest. Otherwise students will be given a free topic based on the agreement with the lecturer.
Presentations are expected to have a duration of 15-20 min. Presentations significantly above (more than 25 min) or below (less than 10 min) the time limit can be accepted only in exceptional cases.
Only those presentations given in class can be accepted. No written texts can substitute for missed presentations.
Topics of already taken presentations cannot be changed unless previously approved (7 days in advance) by the lecturer.
Dates of giving taken presentations cannot be changed unless previously approved – in exceptional cases.
A student who has already taken a presentation topic but cannot give it in class due to any reasons is encouraged to inform the lecturer as soon as possible and, eventually, agree with a colleague of him/her to timely replace him/her on the day of presentation.
Failure to deliver an already chosen presentation automatically leads to one’s disqualification in the course unless being timely replaced by a colleague (see point 9).
Students are encouraged to inform the lecturer about their failure to give presentations well in advance, though doing so will not exempt them from the above rules.
Students are strongly encouraged to start carrying out research on their respective topics of presentations well in advance.
Information on the structure and evaluation of presentations
Successful presentations should follow the rules below:
Be as concise and clear as possible;
In the introduction, explain the main theses (what the text/topic is going to unveil) and underline the connection of the text/topic with other reading assignments for the particular class (how does your presentation extend the main readings).
Do not replicate neither the text you read, just main thesis, ideas and conclusions of the text should be point out;
Explicate events rather than bring a pure chronological order of text/topic;
The handout should provide with some key fact and findings of the text/topic, the presentation should extend the handout;
Draw up a clear conclusion emphasizing most important points of your presentation;
Presentation-givers are expected to prepare 3 topic-related questions for class and be ready to answer them if necessary
Presentations will be evaluated according to the following criteria:
Format (introduction/conclusion, methodology, interconnections of individual parts of the presentation, compliance with time requirements etc., see below);
Contents (quality of research and prepared questions);
Argumentation skills;
Final Interview (40%)
The interview consists of open discussion between lecturer and student. The discussion can analyze one of more topics from the course program. The student should be able to argue its own view of the topic and make conclusions based on reading assignments, presentation handouts and/or in-class discussion. The interview does not focus on the detailed knowledge of the facts, however, key empirical knowledge is essential for argumentation and discussion
Literatura - angličtina
Poslední úprava: Mgr. Jiřina Tomečková (26.09.2023)
John Coakley, „Mobilizing the Past: Nationalist Images of History,“ Nationalism and Ethnic Policies, 10(4), (2005), Pp. 531-560 (Taylor & Francis Database)
Daniel Woolf, "Of Nations, Nationalism, and National Identity: Reflections on the Historiographic Organization of the Past", in: Q. Edward Wang & Franz Fillafer (eds.), The Many Faces of Clio Cross-Cultural Approaches to Historiography, New York: Berghahn Books (2006), pp. 71-103.
Stephan Berger, Constructing the Nations through History. In: Stephan Berger and Christoph Conrad (eds.): The Past as History. National Identity and Historical Consciousness in Modern Europe. Palgrave Macmillan (2015), pp. 1-27.
Eric Hobsbawm, Inventing Traditions. In: Eric Hobsbawm and Terence Ranger. The Invention of Traditions, Cambridge University Press, 1983, pp. 1-15.
Galiev, Anuar, Mythologization of History and Invention of Traditions in Kazakhstan. Oriente Moderno, 96(1), 2016, pp. 46-63.
Benedict Anderson, Imagined Communities. Verso, 2006, p. 67-82.
Victor A. Shnirelman, „Politics of Ethnogenesis in the USSR and after,“ Bulletin of the National Museum of Ethnology 30(1), (2005), pp: 93–119,
Gregor R. Suny, Constructing Primordialism: Old Histories for New Nations. Journal of Modern History, Vol 73, Issue 4 (December 2001), pp. 862-896.
Victor A. Shnirelman, “Fostered primordialism: the identity and ancestry of the North Caucasian Turks in the Soviet and post-Soviet milieu.” In Tadayuki Hayashi (ed.) The Construction and Deconstruction of National Histories in Slavic Eurasia. Slavic Research Center, Hokkaido University (2003), pp. 53–86
Smith, Graham – Law, Vivien – Wilson, Andrew – Bohr, Annette – Allworth Edward, “Nation-building in the Post-Soviet Borderlands,” Cambridge University Press, 2011, chapter 3
Yilmaz, Harun (2015). A Family Quarrel: Azerbaijani Historians against Soviet Iranologists, Iranian Studies, 48:5, 769-783.
Marlene Laruelle, “The Concept of Ethnogenesis in Central Asia. Political Context and Institutional Mediators (1940-50),“ Kritika: Explorations in Russian and Eurasian History, 9 (1), (Winter 2008),pp. 169-188.
Sergei Abashin, “Ethnogenesis and Historiography: Historical Narratives for Central Asia in the 1940s and 1950s”. In: Roland Cvetkovski and Alexis Hofmeister (eds.) An empire of others: Creating ethnographic knowledge in imperial Russia and the USSR. Central European University Press, 2014., 2014, pp. 145-68.
Marlene Laruelle, „The Return of the Aryan Myth: Tajikistan in Search of a Secularized Ideology,“ Nationalities Papers, 35(1), 2007, pp. 51-70 (Taylor & Francis Database).
Batiashvili, Natia (2012). The “Myth” of the Self: The Georgian National Narratives and Quest for Georgianess. In: Memory and Political Change (Aleida Assmann, Shortt, Linda, eds.), Palgrave, Basingtone, pp. 186-200.
Martha B. Olcott, The Basmachi or Freemen's Revolt in Turkestan 1918-1924, Soviet Studies, Vol. 33, I ssue 3 (July 1981), pp. 352-369
Slavomir Horák, „The Battle of Göktepe in the Turkmen post-Soviet historical discourse,“ Central Asian Survey. October 14, 2014.
Aurélie Campana, „Collective Memory and Violence: The Use of Myths in the Chechen Separatist Ideology, 1991–1994,“ Journal of Muslim Minority Affairs, 29(1), (2009), pp. 43-56. (Taylor & Francis Database)
Erica Marat, “Imagined Past, Uncertain Future The Creation of National Ideologies in Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan,” Problems of Post-Communism, Vol. 55, No. 1 (January-February 2008), p. 12-24.
Bouma, A.: Turkmenistan: Epics in Place of Historiography. Jahrbücher für Geschichte Osteuropas. Vol. 59 (2011), Issue 4, p. 559-585.
March, A.: The Use and Abuse of History: ‘National Ideology’ as Transcendental Object in Islam Karimov's ‘Ideology of National Independence’. Central Asian Survey, Vol. 21, Issue 4, 2002, p. 371-384 (Taylor&Francis Database)
Smith, Graham – Law, Vivien – Wilson, Andrew – Bohr, Annette – Allworth Edward, “Nation-building in the Post-Soviet Borderlands,” Cambridge University Press, 2011, chapters 8-9
Ayşegül Aydingün, Creating, recreating and redefining ethnic identity: Ahiska/Meskhetian Turks in Soviet and post-Soviet contexts, Central Asian Survey, Vol. 21 (2002), Issue 2, pp. 185-197.
Emil Souleimanov, Understanding Ethnopolitical Conflict, (Basingstoke: Palgrave Macmillan, 2013), pp. 51-70; 101-104.
Takayuki Yoshimura, „Some Arguments on the Nagorno-Karabakh History“. Central Eurasian Studies Occassional Papers, Vol. 18 (2007), pp. 52-60.
Ceylen Tokluoglu, "The Political Discourse of the Azerbaijani Elite on the Nagorno-Karabakh Conflict (1991–2009)." Europe-Asia Studies Vol. 63 (2011), Issue 7, pp. 1223-1252.
Metody výuky - angličtina
Poslední úprava: doc. PhDr. Slavomír Horák, Ph.D. (19.09.2023)
The course combines in-class discussion on the topic based on essential literature and the presentation of students on the topics agreed with the course leader.
Sylabus - angličtina
Poslední úprava: doc. PhDr. Slavomír Horák, Ph.D. (20.09.2023)
Course Content
№
Topic
(Program)
Reading Materials
1
Introduction
(October 3)
The program of the course, online and personal participation, presentations
2
National Past, Historiography, and Historians (October 10)
Key Topics:
Nationalism and Historiography.
- Varieties of Nationalism
- Creation of National Myths
Who are history makers?
- Role of historians and politicians in the history and myth-making process.
Readings:
John Coakley, "Mobilizing the Past: Nationalist Images of History,“ Nationalism and Ethnic Policies, 10(4), (2005), Pp. 531-560 (Taylor & Francis Database)
Marlene Laruelle, "National narrative, ethnology, and academia in post-Soviet Uzbekistan. Journal of Eurasian Studies, 1 (2010), pp. 102-110.
Daniel Woolf, "Of Nations, Nationalism, and National Identity: Reflections on the Historiographic Organization of the Past", in: Q. Edward Wang & Franz Fillafer (eds.), The Many Faces of Clio Cross-Cultural Approaches to Historiography, New York: Berghahn Books (2006), pp. 71-103.
The alternative to Woolf:
Stephan Berger, Constructing the Nations through History. In: Stephan Berger and Christoph Conrad (eds.): The Past as History. National Identity and Historical Consciousness in Modern Europe. Palgrave Macmillan (2015), pp. 1-27.
Background reading on nationalism:
Eric Hobsbawm, Inventing Traditions. In: Eric Hobsbawm and Terence Ranger. The Invention of Traditions, Cambridge University Press, 1983, pp. 1-15.
Galiev, Anuar, Mythologization of History and Invention of Traditions in Kazakhstan. Oriente Moderno, 96(1), 2016, pp. 46-63.
Benedict Anderson, Imagined Communities. Verso, 2006, p. 67-82.
3
Primordialism, Identity, Ethnicity, Ethnogenesis in the post-Soviet area
(October 17)
Key topics:
Primordialism constructions. Ethnicity and Ethnogenesis in post-Soviet Area
Readings:
Victor A. Shnirelman, „Politics of Ethnogenesis in the USSR and after,“ Bulletin of the National Museum of Ethnology 30(1), (2005), pp: 93–119,
Gregor R. Suny, Constructing Primordialism: Old Histories for New Nations. Journal of Modern History, Vol 73, Issue 4 (December 2001), pp. 862-896.
4
Construction of National Narratives in the Soviet times
(October 24)
Key topics:
Soviet national constructivism. Marrism (theory of language turned to be ethnogenesis). Marxist Historiography
Readings:
Marlene Laruelle, “The Concept of Ethnogenesis in Central Asia. Political Context and Institutional Mediators (1940-50),“ Kritika: Explorations in Russian and Eurasian History, 9 (1), (Winter 2008), pp. 169-188.
Sergei Abashin, “Ethnogenesis and Historiography: Historical Narratives for Central Asia in the 1940s and 1950s”. In: Roland Cvetkovski and Alexis Hofmeister (eds.) An empire of others: Creating ethnographic knowledge in imperial Russia and the USSR. Central European University Press, 2014., 2014, pp. 145-68.
Presentation: Marrism as a basic of the Soviet historiography
5
Colonialism, post-colonialism and decolonialism in Central Asian and Caucasus historiography
(October 31)
Key topics:
Central Asia and Caucasus. Colonies as usual? The application of colonial, post-colonial and de-colonial discourse in the former Russian/Soviet area
Khalid, Adeeb. "Introduction: Locating the (post-) colonial in Soviet history." Central Asian Survey, Vol. 26, No. 4, 2007, p. 465-473.
6
The Myth of Creation of the Nations
(November 7)
Key topics:
Ethnic and Civic nations concepts. Primordialism in Soviet and post-Soviet times in Central Asia and the Caucasus
Readings:
Victor A. Shnirelman, “Fostered primordialism: the identity and ancestry of the North Caucasian Turks in the Soviet and post-Soviet milieu.” In Tadayuki Hayashi (ed.) The Construction and Deconstruction of National Histories in Slavic Eurasia. Slavic Research Center, Hokkaido University (2003), pp. 53–86
Smith, Graham – Law, Vivien – Wilson, Andrew – Bohr, Annette – Allworth Edward, “Nation-building in the Post-Soviet Borderlands,” Cambridge University Press, 2011, chapter 3.
7
The Myth of the Golden Age
(November 14)
Key topics: Why should the nation feel its greatness? National myth of the Golden Age. The connection of the Golden Age with contemporary times
Readings:
Marlene Laruelle, „The Return of the Aryan Myth: Tajikistan in Search of a Secularized Ideology,“ Nationalities Papers, 35(1), 2007, pp. 51-70 (Taylor & Francis Database).
Batiashvili, Natia (2012). The “Myth” of the Self: The Georgian National Narratives and Quest for Georgianess. In: Memory and Political Change (Aleida Assmann, Shortt, Linda, eds.), Palgrave, Basingtone, pp. 186-200
Presentation:
Manas epos as a state- and nation-building element in Kyrgyzstan (Sára)
8
The Myth of Resistance: The Basmachi Movement and Anti-Colonial Struggle
(November 21)
Key topics:
The fight for independence, anti-colonial struggle in the past and today
Readings (at least 2 texts):
Martha B. Olcott, “The Basmachi or Freemen's Revolt in Turkestan 1918-1924“, Soviet Studies, Vol. 33, I ssue 3 (July 1981), pp. 352-369
Slavomir Horák, “The Battle of Göktepe in the Turkmen post-Soviet historical discourse,“Central Asian Survey. October 14, 2014.
Aminat Chokobaeva, “Born for Misery and Woe. National Memory and the 1916 Great Revolt in Kyrgyzstan.” In: Maria Omelicheva, Nationalisms and Identity Construction in Central Asia: Dimensions, Dynamics, and Directions. Rowman and Littlefield, 2014, pp. 37-51.
9
The Historiography of the Colonial Empire
(November 28)
Key topic:
Looking from the colonizer view?
How Russia looked and looks at its former territories in the Caucasus and Central Asia?
Yilmaz, Harun. “A Family Quarrel: Azerbaijani Historians against Soviet Iranologists”, Iranian Studies, Vol. 48, No. 5, 2015, p. 769-783.
Oybek, Makhmudov, “The ‘Virtual Reality’ of colonial Turkestan: how Russian officers viewed and represented the participation of the local population in the 1916 revolt”. In: Aminat Chokobaeva, Cloé Drieu and Alexander Morrison, The Central Asian Revolt of 1916. A Collapsing Empire in the Age of War and Revolution. Manchester University Press, 2016, p. 95-125 (chapter 4).
Presentation topics suggestions:
Russian Tsarist and British Colonial discourses
Turkish discourse of Central Asia and Azerbaijan/Caucasus
10
National Historiography, Élite Ideology, and Nation-Building in the Northern Caucasus
(December 5)
Guest seminar
Key topics:
Current regimes place in the history and history in the current regimes
Readings:
Aurélie Campana, „Collective Memory and Violence: The Use of Myths in the Chechen Separatist Ideology, 1991–1994,“ Journal of Muslim Minority Affairs, 29(1), (2009), pp. 43-56. (Taylor & Francis Database).
Why language matters within nation- and state-building?
Readings (at least two chapters):
Smith, Graham – Law, Vivien – Wilson, Andrew – Bohr, Annette – Allworth Edward, “Nation-building in the Post-Soviet Borderlands,” Cambridge University Press, 2011, chapter 8 (Georgia).
Birgin N. Schlyter, The Status of Uzbek as “National language”. In: Birgin N. Schlyter (ed.), Historiography and Nation-Building among Turkic Republic. Swedish Research Institute, Istanbul, 2014, p. 129-144.
Victoria Clement, “Learning to Become Turkmen. Literacy, Language and Power, 1914-2014. University of Pittsburgh Press, 2018, p. 136-159 (chapter 6).
12
The Myth of de facto states and nations: The case of Karabakh
(December 19)
Key Topics:
Non- recognized states and their right to create their own histories
Readings:
Emil Souleimanov, Understanding Ethnopolitical Conflict, (Basingstoke: Palgrave Macmillan, 2013), pp. 51-70; 101-104.
Ceylen Tokluoglu, "The Political Discourse of the Azerbaijani Elite on the Nagorno-Karabakh Conflict (1991–2009)." Europe-Asia Studies Vol. 63 (2011), Issue 7, pp. 1223-1252.
Gamaghelyan, Philip - Sergey Rumyantsev. “Armenia and Azerbaijan: The Nagorny Karabakh Conflict and the Reinterpretation of Narratives in History Textbooks.” In (Oksana Karpenko and Jana Javakhishvili, eds.) Myths and Conflict in the South Caucasus: Instrumentalisation of Historical Narratives (London: International Alert, 2013), pp. 166-188.
