Author ORCID Identifier
Abstract
This article explores development of religious education among Kazakh populations within Turkestan Governor-Generalship from 1867 to the early twentieth century, placing it within wider context of imperial administration, Islamic intellectual heritage, and reformist initiatives. It contends that Islamic learning institutions were not merely shaped by colonial influence but operated as flexible and enduring systems deeply rooted in local social structures. Rather than suppressing these institutions, Russian imperial authorities adopted a policy of controlled integration, bringing them under administrative oversight while simultaneously promoting alternative educational models. This dynamic gave rise to diverse and negotiated educational landscape rather than a uniformly imposed system. The study also analyzes a role of Jadid reform, which introduced innovative teaching methods and broadened curricula, thereby fostering educational diversity and contributing to the rise of Kazakh intellectuals. By extending discussion into the Soviet and post-Soviet eras, it highlights recurring patterns of repression, adaptation, and revival, highlighting the lasting resilience and transformative capacity of Islamic educational traditions in shaping contemporary educational identity in Kazakhstan.
Recommended Citation
Smanova, Mavluda
(2026)
"Islamic Education and Imperial Governance: Kazakh Institutions in Turkestan (1867–Present),"
Occasional Papers on Religion in Eastern Europe: Vol. 46
:
Iss.
4
, Article 9.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.55221/2693-2229.2812
Available at:
https://digitalcommons.georgefox.edu/ree/vol46/iss4/9