This paper examines Central Asia's largely overlooked role in Soviet cultural diplomacy during the late Stalinist era (1947-1950). It focuses on the Soviet Union's participation in the 1947 Asian Relations Conference in Delhi, where Central Asian delegates presented their republics as successful post-colonial models. The paper analyzes the travel accounts of two prominent Central Asian writers, Mirzo Tursun-zade and Oybek, who visited India and Pakistan as cultural diplomats. Their writings utilized historical, cultural, and religious symbolism to connect Moscow with Asia, localizing Soviet internationalism and positioning Central Asia as a mediator between the Soviet Union and South Asia. The study reveals how Central Asian intellectuals shaped post-war cultural and international relations by reinterpreting Soviet internationalism through their Asian experiences.
Publisher
Humanities and Social Sciences Communications
Published On
Dec 15, 2023
Authors
Boram Shin
Tags
Central Asia
Soviet cultural diplomacy
Stalinist era
Asian Relations Conference
cultural mediators
post-colonial models
international relations
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