The Social Status of Muslim Women in Turkestan before and after Russian Colonization

Abstract

The article provides a historical review of some facts to reveal, in general terms, the place of Muslim women in Turkestan, including their roles in family and society during the pre-colonial period. As a result of the conquest of Central Asia by the Russian Empire and the establishment of the Governorate-General of Turkestan, the Russian administration began to consider the issues of Muslim women as an important aspect of its colonial policy. The Russian colonial authorities were attentive to this issue in order to strengthen their position in the region and weaken the influence of Islam among the local (mostly sedentary) population. Representatives of the colonial administration tried to influence Muslim women through intermediaries in the form of educated Russian, Tatar, and Jewish women. By comparing two periods at the start and end of the Russian imperial era, it is possible to see the image of a Muslim woman at various stages of history.