Post‐Soviet central Asia and post‐colonial Francophone Africa

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Datos Bibliográficos

ID10280143
AutoresMoshe Gammer (autor de correspondencia)
Año2000
Volumen36
Número2
Páginas124-149
Fecha de publicación2000-04-01
Peer ReviewedSí
Open AccessNo
TipoARTICLE
RevistaMiddle Eastern Studies (JOURNAL)
Identificadores de la revistaISSN: 0026-3206 • E-ISSN: 1743-7881
EditorialTaylor & Francis (PUBLISHER • GB)
DOI10.1080/00263200008701311
OpenAlexW2036265820
IdiomaEN
Citas recibidas4
Referencias citadas15

An established axiom among historians states that, to put it sharply, 'there are neither similarities, nor parallels in history'. Ergo: no comparisons between different phenomena are legitimate, since any similarities can only be general, vague and superficial. Nevertheless, a comparison between historical situations, as long as it is not simplistic and mechanical and if taken cum grano salis, might be an additional useful tool for a better grasp of a deeper insight into historical realities. This article attempts to add such a tool to understanding the post-Soviet Central Asian states by comparing their relationship with the Russian Federation to that of the post-colonial states of Francophone Africa with France. It does not attempt to compare the states and societies of the two groups. The differences between, and indeed within each of the two groups are too numerous and obvious. Nor does it attempt to enter the argument on whether the case of Russia and the Soviet Union is at all one of 'Colonialism' and 'Imperialism' as defined with regard to the maritime, West European Powers. Finally, this article does not overlook the variances in time between the two phenomena, both those related to chronology three decades separate between the two - and to the global environment. One can think of several obvious differences: the geographical setting the French colonies were overseas, Central Asia is adjacent to Russia; the fact that, in comparison to the great ethnic, religious and cultural diversity of Francophone Africa, Central Asia is relatively homogeneous; the specifics of the colonization, colonial administration and decolonization; and the great variation between the two Imperial Powers, their political and administrative cultures and style. Furthermore, in the case of Russia there are basic differences between the Imperial (Tsarist) and the Soviet periods. One may even say that one deals with two different Powers and claim, therefore, that Central Asia was colonized twice within several decades; to this one should add the widespread thesis, almost an axiom, in all parts of the ex-USSR, that regards the Soviet Union as the colonial Power and

Ancient history · Archaeology · Central asia · Colonialism · Development economics · Economics · Ethnology · French · Geography · Political science · African history and culture studies · Historical Geopolitical and Social Dynamics · Historical Studies and Socio-cultural Analysis · History · Law