(openDemocracy) Over a year ago, a series of articles by feminist scholars from Central Asia exposed the deep inequalities in knowledge production in Central Asian area studies.
Academic discourse on the region has long been dominated by Western scholars who produce knowledge for Western audiences, while routinely ignoring rich contributions by their Central Asian counterparts. Local scholars have often lacked the resources and skills to publish in Western outlets – but even when publicising their work, they have been denied recognition. “[W]e, the Central Asians, are the source material, the ‘field,’ the very fuel that feeds the production of knowledge about us, but not for us,” Syinat Sultanalieva summed up.
Last month, two major initiatives responded to the need to create a more equitable field for Western and Central Asian scholars. […]
Read More © openDemocracy
Co-author: Zhibek Aisarina
