The Khojas of Southern Kazakhstan: History and Identity

Abstract

The article is about Khoja lineages in southern Kazakhstan. I analyze various aspects of identity transformations of the Khoja group in the region in pre-Soviet, Soviet and post-Soviet periods. The aim of this paper is to contribute to the study of the politics of identity and difference. Studying the Muslim religious elite of Central Asia appears important from various perspectives: tracing the transformation of this group over the last 100 years; revealing the role of political and economic factors in changing their identity; investigating trans-ethnic communications of this group; and examining its particular marriage strategies. I attempt to study not only Khoja’s identity expression but also the interplay of multiple identities in the process of interaction among various groups.