The Myths of National Identity in Former Soviet Tajikistan

Abstract

This thesis examines the national identity of the Tajik nation from the beginning of the twentieth century to the present, with background on ninth and nineteenth centuries. The major part of the thesis concentrates on periods characterised by heightened emphasis on questions of national identity: 1) the beginning of the Soviet era, when the Tajik Soviet Socialist Republic was created; 2) post-independence, including the civil war and consequent activities related to nationalism. Two questions guide my research. Firstly, how did people on the territory of Tajikistan come to identify themselves as a Tajik nation? Secondly, what are the different backgrounds and influences that drive ideas of national identity in contemporary Tajikistan?