UYAMA, Tomohiko

Professor

Research Institute for Languages and Cultures of Asia and Africa,
Tokyo University of Foreign Studies
3-11-1 Asahi-cho, Fuchu-shi,
Tokyo, 183-8534, Japan

Email: uyama[at]slav.hokudai.ac.jp

Personal Homepage:

Research interests: Modern history and politics of Central Asia, Comparative imperial history, Comparative politics

The Past and Present of Central Eurasia as a Key to Understanding the World

I have been doing research in three main areas. The first is the modern history of Central Asia: I have been analyzing the activities of Kazakh intellectuals under Russian imperial rule and during the revolutionary period, reading Arabic-script Kazakh sources and Russian-language archival materials. I have also addressed issues of Orientalism, Soviet theories of ethnic history, and current historical perceptions. Second, I have been studying politics of Central Asian states, analyzing the formation of authoritarian regimes, regional conflicts, and Islamic movements since the collapse of the Soviet Union. I also study the politics of Russia and the Caucasian states. The third area of my research is post-Soviet or, more broadly, Eurasian international politics, with a focus on relations between major and smaller powers. Occasionally, I make recommendations regarding Japan’s Central Asian diplomacy. In order to apply my research to understanding not only the region but also the world, I have collaborated with scholars specializing in various regions on projects in comparative imperial and colonial history, comparative politics, and the contemporary history of great powers.

Recent Interests:

Based on my experience of studying in Moscow during the late Soviet era and my research on Russian imperial history, I am trying to analyze the Russian war against Ukraine and its implications for Eurasia and the world order deeply and multifacetedly. I am also trying to review Slavic-Eurasian studies as a whole, including the promotion of Ukrainian studies, and to reconsider the meaning of imperialism and great powers for today’s world, including Asia and Africa. I also believe that the current situation with the war reaffirms the importance of deepening historical research on the activities of non-Russians who sought national autonomy and independence during the Russian imperial and revolutionary periods.

Research Projects:

Related Sites:

Go back to Research Staff page