Colonialism, Self-Orientalism, and Securitization of Islam in Central Asia

This talk challenges the common view that the securitization of Islam began after 9/11. Instead, it argues that the roots of this process run much deeper, tracing it back to European imperialism — and specifically, Russian colonialism in Central Asia. Drawing on genealogical analysis, Malika Abdulbakieva shows how Russian imperial and then Soviet authorities framed Islam as a potential threat to state control, laying an early foundation for today’s security-focused approaches. This long-term perspective is helpful to better understand how colonial legacies continue to shape the way Islam is governed and perceived in the region today.

The speaker is Malika Abdulbakieva, PhD student at the school of Social and Political Sciences at the University of Glasgow.

Join the lecture via MS Teams: meeting ID: 389 347 796 765, password:  iC3JK6Ao.