[Bilimsel Haber] Project on Islam in Eurasia - Harvard University

[Onur Inal]

[Russkaia versiia / Russian version available:
http://islam-eurasia.fas.harvard.edu/ie_r_overview.html] 
 
Dear Colleagues:
 
I would like to draw your attention to a new project which seeks a better
understanding of Islam in Eurasia -- especially Central Asia, the Caucasus,
and Muslim regions of Russia -- and we invite your involvement in this
initiative.  At the end of this message, see also some of our general
information resources about Central Asia/ Eurasia.
 
The Project on Islam in Eurasia was established in the fall of 2008,
motivated by the conviction that the great bulk of the attention devoted to
Islam in the former Soviet Union -- both by scholars and policy makers --
has thus far been guided by the narrow question of whether the
radicalization of Islam will present a challenge to the security of the
region.  We believe firmly that the importance of Islam in this region is
not limited to the supposed danger that it poses for existing regimes or
secular values.  Indeed, Islam is integral to the culture and society of
this region, and the dramatic changes affecting the social role of Islam
following the demise of Soviet rule offer rich material for analysis and
will have tremendous importance for the future of the societies of the
region.
 
The themes of particular interest for the Project include:
 
* The ways that Muslims are seeking to define a role for Islamic belief and
practice in their societies where many traditional forms of observance were
discouraged, disparaged, or persecuted during Soviet times.
* The diversity of religious orientations, including efforts alternatively
to revive local traditions such as those associated with Sufism, to
reinterpret Islam and make it more consonant with "modernity", and to
"purify" Islam, often drawing inspiration from forms of Islamic observance
prevalent in the Arab world or Pakistan.
* The institutions of education, spiritual and community leadership, and
propagation of faith, which represent these developing orientations.
* The expression of differing conceptions of traditional, modern or Islamic
identity through community practices (funerals, weddings, and other
celebrations and gatherings), as well as forms of dress (head coverings,
modest attire, imported styles, etc.).
* The ways that individuals are referring to Islam to answer their very
personal questions and to address problems such as inter-generational
tensions or the abuse of alcohol.
* The ways that political figures and governments appeal to Islam as a part
of national heritage or as a basis for social reforms (such as the official
acceptance of polygamy), and the response in local communities to such
political appeals.
* The impacts, on the community level, of efforts by governments and outside
actors (proselytizers, foreign governments) to promote their preferred form
of religion, and the ways that these efforts resonate with different local
groups.
* The differing visions of the role of women in education, the public
sphere, child-rearing, and religious ritual.
* The continuing influence of Soviet culture on forms of observance and
social attitudes, such as the emphasis on collectivism and social justice or
the conviction that women have a role to play in the public realm.
 
We invite those who share our interest in Islam's diversity and social
dynamics to join the network that we are building in connection with the
Project.  Involvement in the Project means sharing in the exchange of
information (especially through the Islam-Eurasia-L list; see below), and
may involve participation in other activities of the Project such as
conferences and public seminars.
 
The Project is funded by a three-year grant from the Carnegie Corporation of
New York.  The planned activities and outcomes of the Project include:
 
* Research on these themes in a number of locations across Eurasia, carried
out by a team of researchers - mainly scholars based in the region.
* A conference on "The Changing Social Role of Islam in Post-Soviet Eurasia"
in March 2009, that will gather a number of the scholars who have been most
focused on these issues, with the purpose of making an assessment of the
current state of scholarship and identifying key issues that deserve further
investigation.  Other conferences will be held during subsequent years of
the Project.
* Two book-length publications, one based on the conference in March 2009,
and the other based on the results of the Project's three years of research.
* A number of policy briefs, aimed at informing policy- and opinion-makers
about the important implications of a better understanding of Islam's
changing role in the region.
* Presentations, roundtable discussions, and press contacts aimed at
promoting a better public understanding of these social processes and their
implications, to be held both in the West and within the region.
 
To learn more about the project and become involved:
 
* Visit the Project's website at http://islam-eurasia.fas.harvard.edu 
* Join the Project's mailing list for occasional announcements about events,
publications, etc. at http://islam-eurasia.fas.harvard.edu/ie_maillist.html
(or by email at
islam-eurasia at fas.harvard.edu)
* Participate in the network of information exchange through the
Islam-Eurasia-L listserv
http://islam-eurasia.fas.harvard.edu/ie_listserv.html 
 
We welcome and appreciate your involvement in this new project.
 
Best Regards,
 
John Schoeberlein
Director of the Project on Islam in Eurasia and of the Program on Central
Asia and the Caucasus at Harvard University