To Moscow, Not Mecca: The Soviet Campaign Against Islam in Central Asia, 1917-1941 [Hardcover]

Shoshana Keller (Author)

Book Description

ISBN-10: 0275972380 | ISBN-13: 978-0275972387 | Publication Date: August 30, 2001

The clash between Communism and Islam in the Soviet Union pitted two socio-political systems against one another, each proclaiming ultimate truth. This study examines the first decades of the struggle in Central Asia (1917-1941), where an ancient religious tradition faced an aggressive form of secular modernity. The Soviets attempted to break down Muslim culture and remold it on Marxist-Leninist lines. Central Asians played complex roles in this effort, both defending and attacking Islam, but mostly trying to survive. Despite Stalin's totalitarian aims, the Soviet regime in Central Asia was often weak even into the 1930s, and by 1941 the opposing systems had reached a standoff. The Communist Party pursued the destruction of Islam in stages, which reflected the development of Soviet political strength. The party developed propaganda that both attacked Islam and extolled the new Soviet culture. However, the entire process was plagued by inefficiency, ignorance, and disobedience. By 1941, the Communists had inflicted tremendous damage, but customs such as circumcision, brideprice, and polygyny had merely gone underground. Central Asians had not exchanged the fundamental identity of "Muslim" for "Marxist-Leninist." Keller utilizes documents from Moscow and Tashkent, including the now-closed former Communist Party Archive of Uzbekistan.

Editorial Reviews

Review

“This well-presented, erudite study examines the struggle in Central Asia between the atheistic Soviet communist regime and Islam's ancient religious and political traditions. Upper-division undergraduates and above.”–Choice

“[A] major contribution to the field of modern Central Asian studies, and also to the modern history of the Islamic world.”–The American Historical Review

“Keller's use of primary documents and astute scholarship shines through in this splendid work designed for professionals and advanced researchers.”–Political Science Quarterly

“Keller's book is one of the first to explore the Soviet treatment of Islam in Central Asia in this period, the revolutionary first decades of Soviet rule....Keller's conclusions about the survival of Islam and traditional Central Asian identities are particularly perspicacious. Keller's book is an important contribution to the literature.”–Religious Studies Review

“...addresses the Soviet campaigns to suppress Islamic institutions in Central Asia in the period before the Second World War.”–Journal of Asian Studies

“This substantial scholarly work traces the evolution of Tsarist Russian and Soviet policy toward Islam in Central Asia, especially the republic if Uzbekistan...Anyone who wants to understand the impact of Tsarist and Soviet policy on the place of Islam in Central Asian society should read this book.”–Middle East Journal

“These are broad issues that students of early Soviet Central Asia will have to grapple with as more works follow this pioneering study and benefit from the valuable contribution it makes to our understanding of a crucial period of modern Central Asian history.”–The Russian Review

About the Author

SHOSHANA KELLER is an Associate Professor of Russian/Soviet History at Hamilton College. Her research and training center on the multinational character of the Soviet Union and integrating Russian history into that of the Eurasian continent as a whole.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 304 pages
• Publisher: Praeger Publishers (August 30, 2001)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0275972380
• ISBN-13: 978-0275972387
• Product Dimensions: 9.3 x 6.2 x 1.1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.2 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,392,767 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Most Helpful Customer Reviews

3 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Excellent Source on Islam in Central Asia, January 11, 2003

By 

Haroon Moghul (United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: To Moscow, Not Mecca: The Soviet Campaign Against Islam in Central Asia, 1917-1941 (Hardcover)

This region of the world is going to be exceedingly important in the next few decades; new nations, huge reserves of oil, oppressive governments (like the Middle East, supported and armed by the United States), and rising Islamic awareness, which is often forced into fanaticism by governments unable to distinguish between extremism and simple religious revivalism. Thus, Keller's book is an excellent source on the Islamic identity of Central Asia, offering the far more complicated picture that I had not known previous. For those in academia, or simply interested in serious study, the book is well worth it.