Soviet policy in Central Asia was motivated by the goals of socialist modernization and overcoming the colonial legacy of tsarist Russia. Drawing on all of the readings we have done in this unit, discuss what these goals meant to policy-makers and analyze several policy examples that illustrate them. Along the way, try to discuss the tensions between modernization and anti-colonialism in practice and consider whether the Soviet approach to these goals underwent any significant changes between the 1920s and the 1980s. Finally, assess the extent to which the Soviet Union achieved these goals in Central Asia.
Note: Your thesis statement may address any aspect of this question, but try to pull together all the parts of it in the body of the essay. Also, since this essay asks you to synthesize the better part of four weeks’ work, it should be long (1200-2400 words). It is worth three times as much as the second essay.
Using the assigned readings, choose one of the following Central Asians and analyze their life and career. What did this individual do? How did he or she achieve prominence or authority? To what extent did this person have to break with tradition to achieve career success? What does his or her story illustrate about the opportunities available to Central Asians and the role of the Soviet state in fostering a new elite in the Central Asian republics? Possible individuals: Jahon Obidova, Nuritdin Mukhitdinov, Bobojan Gafurov, Mukhabbat Sharipov.