A cultural heritage for national liberation? The Soviet-Somali historical expedition, Soviet African studies, and the Cold War in the Horn of Africa

Bibliographic Data

ID5700765
AuthorsNatalia Telepneva (0000-0001-7851-3066, University of Warwick, corresponding author)
Year2020
Volume26
Issue12
Pages1185-1202
Publication date2020-12-01
Peer ReviewedYes
Open AccessNo
TypeARTICLE
VenueInternational Journal of Heritage Studies (JOURNAL)
Journal identifiersISSN: 1352-7258 • E-ISSN: 1470-3610
PublisherInforma UK Limited (PUBLISHER • GB)
DOI10.1080/13527258.2019.1664620
OpenAlexW2973368821
LanguageEN
Citations received3
References cited24

This paper discusses the conception, execution, and outcomes of the first Soviet-Somali histori-cal expedition, in 1971. In due course, the Soviet-Somali Expedition set out to create a ‘usable past’ for Somali nationalism, rooted in the history of Mohammad Abdullah Hassan, a reli-gious and military leader who had fought against the British in Somaliland between 1900 and 1920. The paper investigates how Soviet ideas about the preservation of historical heritage were grounded in Central Asian modes of practice and how these became internalised by Soviet Africanists in their attempts to help reinforce foundational myths in newly independent African states. The paper argues that the Soviet model for the preservation of cultural heritage, as envisioned by Soviet Africanists, aimed to reinforce Siad Barre’s national project for Somalia. Their efforts were ultimately unsuccessful, however, because of Cold War constraints and mis-understandings of local realities

African studies · Ancient history · Cold war · Ethnology · French horn · History of Africa · Mythology · Nationalism · Political science · Politics · Sociology · Somali · Archaeological Research and Protection · Classics · Gender Studies · Historical Studies and Socio-cultural Analysis · History · Law · Vietnamese History and Culture Studies

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