Central Asian Journal of Social Sciences and History

From Boro to Wiwa: An Inquisition into the Various Resistant Movements in Niger Delta and Governmental Responses

2026-04-19T13:51:54+00:00

The Niger Delta region comprises of nine states of Nigeria which nature have endowed with natural deposit of petroleum and natural gas. The discovery of petroleum in commercial quantity in Olobiri in 1956 heralded a period of economy prosperity as the financial windfall from the trade in the “black gold” was unprecedented in the country. But the aftermath of this seeming economic prosperity have not transcended positively in the life of the citizens of Nigeria in general and those of the Niger Delta in particular. Drawing on data from the secondary sources and relying on the Relative Deprivation Theory as a template for analysis, this study assessed how structural inequalities in oil revenue distribution, environmental degradation, and political marginalisation have generated recurring cycles of resistance. It further interrogated governmental responses (ranging from military suppression and amnesty programmes to legislative reforms), and evaluated the impact and legacies of these struggles on Nigeria's political economy. The study revealed that resistances in the Niger Delta have adopted various forms, all tailored towards ensuring that the populaces are beneficiaries of the output of their environment. It found that government responses to resistance movement are not always tailored toward ameliorating the sufferings of the people, but to minimize tensions while it continues to maximize profit at the detriment of the locals. The study showed that non-violent resistance in the region is often met with stiff military responses, resulting in loss of lives and properties. It recommended that governmental policies for the Niger Delta should be people oriented and not used as a conduit to siphon resources and gratify cronies. It concluded that for peace to be achieved in the Niger Delta, government must wake up to its responsibilities of taking care of the yearnings of the people.

The Turkic Ethnic Component of 19th–20th Century Bukhara: Historical and Ethnographic Perspectives Through the Lens of O.A. Sukhareva

2026-04-17T11:38:34+00:00

The article is devoted to the study of the historical and ethnographic characteristics of the Uzbek tribes of Bukhara and their role in the socio-political and cultural life of the city in the 19th–20th centuries. The analytical framework is based on the fundamental works of O.A. Sukhareva, who employed a comprehensive approach by integrating archival documents, field ethnographic observations, statistical data, as well as the written accounts of Russian and European diplomats and travelers.

The Study of the Early Medieval History of Khorezm in English-Language Literature: Approaches and Perspectives

2026-04-15T11:23:45+00:00

The Khorezm oasis, strategically located along the Great Silk Road, was a major hub of ancient and early medieval Central Asian civilization. The Afrighid dynasty, which ruled the region from the late 3rd century until the late 10th century (995 AD), represents a crucial transitional period where indigenous Zoroastrian traditions gradually intersected with early Islamic culture. This article aims to critically analyze the dynamics, conceptual shifts, and key achievements of studying the early medieval history of Khorezm specifically the Afrighid period within English-language (Western) historiography. The research employs a chronological-problematic framework, historical-comparative approaches, and detailed historiographical analysis. It systematically evaluates the works of British, American, and Australian researchers spanning from the late 19th to the early 21st century. The scientific conclusions of these Western scholars, widely published in authoritative academic platforms such as the Encyclopaedia of Islam, Encyclopaedia Iranica, and Iranica Antiqua, are comparatively studied alongside the established paradigms of Soviet archaeology (e.g., S.P. Tolstov's Khorezm Expedition) and modern Uzbek national historiography.

Geopolitical Shifts and Civilizational Crisis in 13th-Century Central Asia: A Critical Analysis of The Mongol Invasion of The Khorezmshah Empire

2026-04-15T09:45:43+00:00

The early 13th century marked a profound geopolitical rupture in the history of Central Asia, characterized by the meteoric rise of the Mongol nomadic confederation and the catastrophic collapse of the Khwarazmian (Khorezmshah) Empire. This paper critically examines the etiology, strategic dynamics, and socio-economic aftermath of the Mongol invasion of Transoxiana (Mawarannahr) and Khurasan. Utilizing a combination of primary historiographical chronicles and contemporary historical literature, the study deconstructs the internal vulnerabilities of the Khwarazmian state specifically the destructive diarchy between Sultan Ala al-Din Muhammad and Turkan Khatun and contrasts it with the highly centralized, disciplined military apparatus established by Chinggis Khan. Furthermore, the article provides a granular analysis of the "Otrar Catastrophe" as a geopolitical catalyst, the asymmetrical siege warfare tactics deployed against Bukhara, Samarkand, and Urgench, and the ensuing demographic and infrastructural decimation of the region. Attention is also given to the localized and national resistance movements led by figures such as Temur Malik, Sultan Jalal al-Din Mingburnu, and the later subaltern revolt of Mahmud Tarabi. The findings suggest that the Mongol invasion was not merely a military conquest but a civilizational paradigm shift that permanently altered the socio-political, economic, and ecological landscape of Central Asia.

Discussion of the Issue of Women’s Place and Role in Society in Jadid Press and Works

2026-04-08T11:31:53+00:00

. This article analyzes women and women their place and role in society in the literature of the Jadid movement in Turkestan at the beginning of the XXth century. Starting with identifying Jadidism as a reformist intellectual movement that sought social change by means of literate practices such as the press and literature and the efforts to educate women and engage them into society, Although the literary history of Jadidism has generated increasing academic curiosity, we still do not have a systematic study of media through which women’s questions were treated during this period. In response, the research uses historical and textual analysis of qualitative primary sources, including newspapers and journals, and other literary works of key Jadid figures, such as Mahmudxo‘ja Behbudiy, Abdulla Avloniy, and Abdulhamid Cho‘lpon, and relevant historiographical literature.

The results indicate that the Jadid thinkers persuasively and repetitively identified women literacy, moral education and social activities with necessity of national advancement and cultural revival. Not just a critique of the ills of tradition and social stagnation but more so, a blueprint to initiate tangible change, in the forms of new-method schools and the spread of notions via periodicals, characterises their writing. And the findings show that the women discourse was integral in the Jadid reform ideology rather than ancillary to it, as a primary engine of social modernization.

Such reformist narratives of gender, the study suggests, were archetypes, reconstructing the politics of gender and education in insightfully influential ways even in the following two decades in the region. It emphasizes the role of mind and media in reforming the mindset of society. A comparative dimension with other Muslim reform movements would be equally relevant, and future research should consider the long-term legacy of Jadid ideas on women's contemporary situation in Central Asia.