[Bilimsel Haber] HESP Regional Seminar: Nationhood and Narrative in Central Asia: History, Context, Critique (Kyrgyzstan)

[Sule Tarakcioglu]

HESP Regional Seminar for Excellence in Teaching
Nationhood and Narrative in Central Asia: History, Context, Critique


Call for Applications

The Department of Cultural Studies at Arabaev Kyrgyz State University
and the Foundation "Education Initiatives Support" invite applications
for participation in the three-year academic program, Nationhood and
Narrative in Central Asia: History, Context, Critique, beginning in the
summer of 2006.


Project Description

In recent years, the study of national identity, the regulation of
inter-ethnic relations, and the re-examination of national and regional
histories have taken on greater significance in university curricula and
teaching throughout Central Asia. However, opportunities for university
teachers critically to examine concepts of nationhood, ethnicity and
identity in their comparative and historical contexts are often limited.

The aim of the three year academic project, Nationhood and Narrative in
Central Asia: History, Context, Critique, is to support young teachers
from Central Asia in developing and implementing university courses
pertaining, broadly, to the study of nations and national histories,
narrative and identity, and ethnicity and ethnic relations. It will
examine the ways in which these concepts have been theorised in
different academic and institutional traditions, and the ways that these
shape the diversity of approaches to the study of nationhood that are
found today. By drawing on the historiography of modern Central Asia and
theoretical studies of narrative and discourse, it will ask how we come
to know about nations and their pasts, and will promote innovative
approaches to teaching about them in university curricula.

The project is structured so as to facilitate this exploration in
increasing depth through a series of summer schools and inter-session
activities over the course of three years. In the first year of the
project, topics to be explored include an examination of concepts of
nation in Soviet, Western and Jadid thought; the relationship between
local and national identities; ideas of narrative and identity, and the
teaching of national and regional histories in Central Asia. Faculty
members are researchers and university teachers from Central Asia,
Russia, Europe and North America who, from a variety of disciplinary
perspectives, have engaged these questions in their own teaching and
research.


Project activities

The project involves three annual summer schools, a seminar series
during the academic year, an annual inter-session workshop in Bishkek,
on-line discussion and mentoring.

The first summer school will take place at Lake Issyk-Kul, Kyrgyzstan,
July 17th - August 6th 2006.

All the costs related to the ReSET project, including travel expenses,
accommodation, meals and educational materials for selected applicants
will be covered by the Program.


Participating faculty and project direction

Sergei Abashin, Candidate of Science, Institute of Ethnology and
Anthropology, Russian Academy of Sciences
Evgenii Abdullaev, Candidate of Science, National University of
Uzbekistan, Tashkent
Gulnara Aitpaeva, Doctor of Science, Aigine Cultural Research Centre,
Bishkek
Nina Bagdasarova, Candidate of Science, Invisible College, Bishkek
(Project Manager)
Adrienne Edgar, PhD, Department of History, University of California,
Santa Barbara
Adeeb Khalid, PhD, Department of History, Carleton College
Serguei Oushakine, PhD, Department of Slavic Literature and Languages,
Princeton University
Madeleine Reeves, MPhil, Department of Social Anthropology, University
of Cambridge (Co-director)
Cholpon Turdalieva, Candidate of Science, Department of Cultural
Studies, Arabaev Kyrgyz State University (Co-director)
Tatiana Zhurzhenko, Candidate of Science, Department of Philosophy,
Kharkiv National University


Eligibility

.	Applicants must be academics, preferably under the age of 40,
currently teaching at institutions of higher education in Kazakhstan,
Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan or Uzbekistan
.	Applicants should be currently teaching, or planning to teach,
university course(s) in the social sciences or humanities addressing
issues of nationality, ethnicity, identity, narrative or national history.
.	The working language of the project is Russian. Applicants should have
sufficient command of Russian to read academic texts and participate in
seminar discussions. Reading ability in English is highly advantageous.
.	Only those applicants able to commit to involvement in the project for
the three-year duration will be considered.
.	Individuals are not permitted to participate in more than one ReSET
program in any one year.
.	Since one of the goals of the project is to establish a network of
academics able to develop the project ideas after completion, we
particularly welcome the participation of more than one academic from
any given department or faculty.


Application procedure

Applications for the ReSET project, "Nationhood and Narrative in Central
Asia: History, Context, Critique" must be completed in either Russian or
English and sent electronically to arrive no later than Monday 5th June
2006 to nationhood.narrative at googlemail.com.  Applications received
after the deadline will not be considered.

Decisions on selected participants will be made by June 19th 2006
	

The application package should contain the following material:

1.	Completed application form (attached)
2.	CV, including current position, educational record, list of courses
taught, publications, research interests and language abilities
3.	Statement of purpose (max. 1000 words) indicating the relevance of
the project to your own teaching and research and what you hope to
achieve from participation in the project
4.	Brief syllabus for one of the courses you are currently teaching
5.	Letter of endorsement from the head of your department or
institution (with full contact details), assessing your status within
the faculty and indicating their willingness for you to participate in
the program. If several people are applying from one department, it is
advantageous to include a copy of the departmental curriculum, with an
indication of the ways in which participation in the project would
benefit the department's development.


Contact details

Please direct all correspondence concerning the project to the following
address:

Nina Bagdasarova
Nationhood and Narrative Project
11, Suvanberdieva Street
720005 Bishkek
Kyrgyz Republic

Tel: (+ 996 312) 511-666 or 510-047


For further information and correspondence regarding the project, please
contact Nina Bagdasarova or Madeleine Reeves in Russian or English.
Administrative questions should be addressed to the project assistant,
Zarina Derbisheva.

nineczka at mail.ru (Nina Bagdasarova)
madeleinereeves at gmail.com (Madeleine Reeves)
office at sfe.kyrnet.kg (Zarina Derbisheva)

HESP Regional Seminar for Excellence in Teaching
Nationhood and Narrative in Central Asia:
History, Context, Critique



Application Form

Name and Surname	
Date of Birth	
Gender	
Citizenship	
University/institute	
Faculty and Department	
Academic position	
Work address	
Work telephone (including country and area codes)	
Home address	
Home telephone (including country and area codes)	
Email address	


Do you need a visa to enter Kyrgyzstan?  If YES, please enter full
passport details for visa invitation purposes	

Are you able to participate in the first project summer school, from
July 17th - August 6th 2006?	

Are you able to participate in the project until its completion in 2009?


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