This is my first inquiry as new subscriber of H-Ethnic so excuse
my freshman's style.I am reviewing some of the theories of
ethnicity for which I need assistance on sources.
The ethnic or national question is the most complex of all
questions of theory which has for a long time stimulated a great
deal of debate and discussion among academics and activists.In
part this is due to the fact that the world is composed of such a
myriad of ethnic and national groups.However, it is also due to
the prevalence and eruption of ethnic and national animosities of
unthinkable magnitude. The recent widespread ethnic tensions and
conflicts,including genocide and cleansing,which has followed the
end of colonial rule and the cold war raises the ethnic and
national question to a new level which I think calls for a re
assesmemt of work done by scholars on the subject in the past.
A re assessment of the theoretical work of ethnographers in the
former Soviet Union on ethnic processes and the national question
is especially valuable for two reasons.First, the Soviet Union
covered one of the most ethnically diverse areas of the world .
As such it was a laboratory for the study of
ethnography.Secondly, and perhaps more significant the Soviet
Union openly claimed from its inception to be committed to the
policy of solving ethnic and national problems. Further Soviet
ethnographers were particularly critical of what they contended
as a lack of a proper and developed theory of ethnicity in
Western scholarship.Therefore, it was argued,Western scholars
dealt with ethnicity rather superficially.
I think it is important and timely to take another careful look
at the Soviet theories of ethnography in order to see if they can
be useful to the understanding of ethnicity especially in Africa
which is my concern. Essentially I am proposing to
comprehensively re examine the Soviet "ethnos" theory which is
closely associated with Yulian V Bromley,his colleagues and
students at the former USSR Academy of Sciences: B.V Andrianov,S.
Arutonov, N.N. Cheboksarov, L.P. Dashuk, A.Davidson, R.N
Ismagilova, V.I Kozlov.I had personal exchanges with most of
these scholars when I was their visitor at the Academy in 1987.I
was also tracing in vain the works of I.S Kon and S.M
Shirokogorov.Unfortunately,my contacts with them were disturbed
by the events that followed the break up of the USSR and my
access to information on materials that may be in print on this
subject is inadequate.
I would be very grateful if I can get a start with a
comprehensive historiographical survey-type literature which can
provide some leads to other more recent works.Does anyone know
what has happened to these academicians so that I can look for
them.
Many Thanks
Chipasha Luchembe
University of Botswana
luchembe@noka.ub.bw
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Dr Chipasha C. Luchembe
Department of History
University Of Botswana
Private Bag 0022
Gaborone
Botsawna, Africa.
Fax 09267 352251 or 356591
Tel 3552261 (Office) or 327214 (Home)
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