Some Problems of Research Concerning the National Delimitation of Soviet Central Asia in 1924

This entry is Reinhard Eisner's article, Some Problems of Research Concerning the National Delimitation of Soviet Central Asia in 1924. It examines the challenges of the 1924 national delimitation process in Soviet Central Asia, focusing on its historical, political, and cultural ramifications

On the Territorial Redivision of Soviet Central Asia in 1924

"Zur territorialen Neuaufteilung Sowjetisch-Zentralasiens 1924" is a work that examines the territorial restructuring of Soviet Central Asia in 1924. The document discusses the creation of new administrative borders, which were drawn by the Soviet government to divide the region into separate republics, including Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan, Turkmenistan, and Tajikistan. This restructuring was a key moment in the shaping of the modern political landscape of Central Asia

Reinventing images of Variamkunnan: Politics of memory and patriotism in contemporary India

Variyamkunnath Kunhamed Haji, sometimes called Variyamkunnan (1883–1922) was a prominent 20th-century anti-colonial leader from the Malabar region of south India. He was known for establishing a parallel government against the British colonial system, which received widespread global attention. Although all of his remnants and records were eliminated by the British administration, a rare image of him was recently found by researchers from a French magazine archive, sparking heavy controversy in the region. Against the backdrop of the existing ascendancy of Hindu nationalism in India, right wing groups challenged the iconic persona of Variyamkunnan as a freedom fighter. At the same time, in many recent instances, the very practice of invoking memory against exclusionary practices of ethnic nationalist politics has become a normal part of Muslim citizenship politics in India. This process of resistance has been fostered by different methods, including various kinds of performances, war songs, and even academic projects. Against the backdrop of the above controversy and subsequent debates, this article argues that the ‘iconising’ of anti-colonial leaders, the rejuvenation of war songs, and art performances that invoke memory/history should be analysed as a major tool of contemporary Muslim citizenship politics in India

Postcolonial Embarrassment at the United Nations: Cameroon's Anglophone Conflict in the UN–Arria Formula Meeting

This article offers a nuanced understanding of the internationalized efforts to end violence in the Anglophone crisis in Cameroon during the 2019 Arria Formula Meeting. Since 2017, the conflict between Anglophone separatists and the Cameroonian central state has led to a deteriorating security situation. This article argues the meeting presents a critical shift in the international reactions to the violence in the Anglophone provinces. To explain the dynamic interactions in the meeting, this article focuses on the strategic use of face-saving practices and “postcolonial embarrassment” to understand the space for actors to maneuver in the Global South. Using an interpretivist actor-centered form of process tracing, this article delves into the interactions during the informal meeting to give a nuanced understanding of the patterns, logics, and mechanisms that led to a changed international stance towards the Anglophone crisis in Cameroon. In doing so, this article reflects on the negotiations of interventions, the political space in global power configurations within the Arria Formula Meetings, and the temporalities of postcolonial conflicts

Hassan Heshmat

Dieses Buch erscheint in Verbindung mit der Ausstellung Hassan Heshmat. Künstler aus dem Volk zwischen kulturellem Erbe und Erneuerung, 4. Juli bis 1. August 2025, Der Divan – Das Arabische Kulturzentrum Die vollständige arabische Version finden Sie im hinteren Teil des Buches. Bitte blättern Sie von rechts nach links. الكتاب. يُرجى التصفح من اليمين إلى اليسار تجدون النسخة العربية الكاملة في الجزء الخلفي م

Countering physical violence with rhetorical violence: Contextual analysis of a sermon by the Nigerian cleric, Shaykh Ja’far Mahmud Adam (d. 2007)

Shaykh Ja’far Mahmud Adam was a famous Muslim cleric whose missionary career has left an indelible mark on Nigerian Muslim society. An intrepid scholar who at times employed uncompromising language, his assassination in 2007 further enhanced his iconicity. Across Nigeria and even beyond, he remains a key scholarly reference. This paper discusses one of his sermons, known as the OPC sermon1, which has enjoyed wide circulation. One of the most strident speeches that Ja’far delivered amid a bloody turmoil that sprouted in southern Nigeria in 2000, the OPC sermon may be considered his harshest public talk. However, rather than further fuelling tension, it proved to be a peace-advocating intervention that eventually contributed to containing and preventing what could have become a large-scale conflict between major ethnic and religious communities. While my discussion focuses primarily on a clip of the sermon, other sources that my discussion considers include Human Rights Watch reports, public accounts, and comments related to the turmoil. The OPC sermon has so far received no academic attention. I contend that, stripped of its context, the sermon may be interpreted as a public expression that contributes to tension. I further argue that Ja’far’s OPC sermon prevented both reprisal attacks against innocent Nigerians and increased violence

The Tajik phenomenon

"Das tadschikische Phänomen" by Lutz Rzehak is a scholarly work that explores the unique cultural, social, and political dynamics of Tajikistan. The book delves into various aspects of Tajik society, including its history, identity, and the challenges the country faced during the post-Soviet era. Rzehak's research offers a comprehensive analysis of Tajikistan's transformation, focusing on the interplay between traditional values and modern influences in the shaping of the nation

Against the Fetishisation of Plural Time: Rethinking Ways of Doing a Social History of Time

oai:repositorium.zmo.de:zmo_mods_00002357From the viewpoint of social history, is time itself a plural entity or are there multiple forms of engagement in and with it? Pivoted around this question, Sinha attempts to rethink the current theory and practice of history writing by pointing the pitfalls of the growing fetishisation of plurality and the ‘plural time’ framework. Engaging a range of studies in History, Anthropology, and Sociology, Sinha provides a critical assessment of some of the leading frameworks on time studies, questions their foundational premises, highlights their limitations, and proposes an alternative framework that is attuned to privileging the approach of social history. The purposes of the latter, the book argues, is best served when time’s irreversible character is not diluted under the weight of plurality. Plurality in time is an outcome of practices and their historicisation; plurality of time can become an empty statement. Rather than defining what time is, the book casts that inquiry into the historical mould to explore how time, as a contestatory resource, becomes part of social relationships and what it does to them when scripts of power align themselves with the control of time

Who Was Ibrahim Bek?

"Who Was Ibrahim Bek?" is an article that explores the life and legacy of Ibrahim Bek, a significant historical figure in Central Asia. The document examines his role as a leader in the resistance against Soviet forces, particularly in the context of the early 20th century when Central Asia was undergoing major political and social upheaval. It provides insights into his military leadership, his resistance efforts, and his impact on the region’s struggle for autonomy during the Soviet period