Historiography of the Social Situation in Turkestan at the Beginning of the 20th Century

This article examines the historiography of the social conditions in Turkestan within the broader framework of Central Asian historical studies. The study highlights the complexity and multi-layered nature of historiographical interpretations shaped by significant political transformations, particularly the Russian imperial conquest in the late nineteenth century and subsequent incorporation into the Soviet system. The findings demonstrate that historiography of Russian Empire was largely driven by Eurocentric and colonial ideologies, portraying the region as backward and legitimizing imperial expansion under the notion of a “civilizing mission.” Soviet historiography, while contributing to empirical research and institutional development, was heavily influenced by Marxist-Leninist ideology, reducing complex social processes to class struggle and economic determinism. In contrast, Jadid intellectuals introduced an internal reformist perspective, emphasizing education and modernization as key factors of social progress. Western scholars provided more balanced and multi-dimensional analyses, focusing on colonialism, identity, gender, and social structures. The study further reveals that contemporary Uzbek historiography has shifted towards a more critical and nationally grounded interpretation, reassessing colonial and Soviet narratives while emphasizing objectivity and source-based analysis.