From colonial to national narrative: Alikhan Bokeikhan’s views on the Kazakh past and present (1889–1910)
Zholdybalin R.
2026Routledge
Central Asian Survey
2026
Scholars studying national movements in the late Russian Empire acknowledge Alikhan Bokeikhan as a leader of the Kazakh national intelligentsia, or the Alash movement. Historians also praise Bokeikhan as a scholar of the socio-economic life of modern Kazakh nomads. However, they do not appreciate his historical works enough, especially those from the earlier period of his career, before Bokeikhan became a nationalist speaker. This study examines Bokeikhan’s early works, revealing his initial acceptance of colonial narratives, which earned him some cultural capital through scholarly expertise, and his eventual adoption of anti-colonial rhetoric. By analysing Bokeikhan’s writings, the paper seeks to contribute to a deeper understanding of the intellectual roots of Kazakh nationalism and the development of Kazakh national identity. While he shares a primordial notion of Kazakh nomads, he also challenges traditional institutions of the past that he views as the root of the social problems of the present; at the same time, he uses the glorified past as a reference to the decadent present. These narratives appear as a lab for his political transition away from imperial loyalism to nation-building, with the works around the Revolution of 1905 highlighting the sharp shift in discourse.
Alash movement , anti-colonialism , history of Kazakhstan , Kazakh intelligentsia , Kazakhstan , nationalism
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Research Institute for Jochi Ulus Studies, Astana, Kazakhstan
Research Institute for Jochi Ulus Studies
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Книга Публикация научной статьи Волощук 2026 Book Publication of a scientific article 2026