Nomadic Nobles: Pastoralism and Privilege in the Russian Empire
Sultangalieva G. Tuleshova U. Werth P.W.
2022Cambridge University Press
Slavic Review
2022#81Issue 177 - 96 pp.
Probing the manner in which Kazakhs attained noble status in the Russian empire, this article explores a neglected aspect of the countrys social history. Recognizing that nobility is typically associated with landowning in a feudal order, we explore how this status also found application in the steppe. Based on diverse sources and comparison with other ethnic elites, we regard Kazakh ennoblement not only as a way of recognizing a traditional nomadic aristocracy, but also as a method of creating a new native elite beneficial to Russias colonial project. We likewise propose that the distinctive character of nomads pastoral lifeways differentiated the Kazakh nobility from their Russian counterparts and prevented them from making full use of noble privileges. The article thus explores the nature of Russias social order by interrogating its margins and contemplates both the possibilities and limits of social inclusion for Russias ethnically and culturally diverse population. Copyright
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History, Al-Farabi Kazakh National University, Almaty, Kazakhstan
History, University of Nevada in Las Vegas, United States
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