Kazakhs and Kazakh Steppe in the mirror of Kalmyk Historiography of a Dusty Campaign
Казахи и Казахская Степь в зеркале калмыцкой историографии Пыльного похода
Uzhkenov E.M. Shotanova G.А.
1 June 2025Cherkas Global University Press
Bylye Gody
2025#20Issue 2620 - 631 pp.
The dusty campaign of 1771 in Kalmyk historiography is illuminated as the mass migration of the Volga Kalmyks in Dzungaria. This event is one of the most dramatic episodes in the history of the Kalmyk people, who left an indelible mark in their collective memory and cultural identity. This event was accompanied by numerous Kazakh-Kalmyk clashes, which should be interpreted not as a manifestation of ethnic enmity, but as a result of an objective clash of interests of two nomadic peoples. Modern Kalmyk historians strive for a deeper and more objective analysis of the events of 1771. They use new sources, conduct comparative research and take into account the achievements of world historical science. Kalmyk historiography, analyzing these events, focuses on the need for a deeper study of the interaction of nomadic peoples with sedentary cultures, as well as the identification of gaps in existing research. In general, Kalmyk historiography practically does not explore the history of Kazakhs as one of the parties to the participants in such a central historical event as a «Dusty campaign» and focuses on the internal causes of the beginning of tragic migration. Kazakhs and the territory of the Kazakh steppe are often considered as a certain historical background, the influence of which is quite conditional. Such a perception of the «Kazakh factor» does not allow the objective reconstruction of the history of those events that leads to a simplification of joint history. This article can serve as the basis for solving a historical problem: setting the problem of studying the relationship of the event and territory, that is, a dusty campaign and the Kazakh steppe. The results can be used to develop new approaches to the analysis of historical processes, which contributes to a more objective understanding of the role of the Kalmyk people in the context of Russian statehood and its integration into modern society. Copyright
Dusty campaign , Kalmyk historiography , Kalmyks , Kazakhs , migration , nomadic , politics of the Russian Empire
Text of the article Перейти на текст статьи
Institute of Oriental Studies named after R.B. Suleimenov, Almaty, Kazakhstan
Ch. Valikhanov Institute of History and Ethnology, Almaty, Kazakhstan
Institute of Oriental Studies named after R.B. Suleimenov
Ch. Valikhanov Institute of History and Ethnology
10 лет помогаем публиковать статьи Международный издатель
Книга Публикация научной статьи Волощук 2026 Book Publication of a scientific article 2026