Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin - Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences - Central Asian Seminar

Former members of staff, guests and scholarship holders

Dr. Jarmila Ptackova

From October 2013 to March 2015 Dr. Ptackova was associate and lecturer at the Central Asian Seminar at Humboldt Universität zu Berlin.

Fields of teaching and research:

  • Implementation of the Chinese development policy in Tibet
  • Environment and lifestyle changes of nomadic communities in Eastern Tibet under the impact of modernization
  • Impact of China's environmental policy on the Tibetan grassland and its inhabitants
  • Transformation and urbanization of rural areas in Eastern Tibet
  • History of Sino-Tibetan relations

Topic of research project:
"Nature versus Economy" -Transformation and urbanization of Tibetan grassland areas in the environmental protection zone of the Three River Sources in Qinghai Province
 
Jarmila Ptackova

Prof. Mohammad Saleh Rasekh

From January to March 2015 Prof. M. Saleh Rasekh receives a scholarship from the Erasmus Mundus project. During this time at the Central Asian Seminar, he is completing his dissertation on Turkmen dialects in northern Afghanistan.
From September 2011 to July 2014 Prof. Rasekh also stayed at the Institute as Fellow of the Erasmus Mundus program.

Teaching:

  • SoSe 2013 "Fundamentals of Persian poetry"
  • WiSe 13/14 "Persian literary history"
  • SoSe 2014 "Sa'di - Gulistan"
  • WiSe 14/15 "Press in Afghanistan by the example of the journal Siraj ul-Akhbar"

Lecture:

  • 2012 "Makhdumquli-ye Faraghi" (Cologne)
  • 2013 "Makhdumquli-ye Faraghi in Afghanistan" (Cologne)
  • 201 "Vizhagiha-ye ash'or-e Makhdumquli" (Berlin)
  • 2014 "Tasawwuf dar adabiyat-e turki" (Berlin)

Topic of research project:
Turkmen dialects in northern Afghanistan.
Mohammad Saleh Rasekh

Dipl.-Geogr. Christoph Wenzel

Since March 2011, Christoph Wenzel was a research assistant at the Central Asian Seminar at Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin. Until the end of 2014 he was staff member of the Competence Network Crossroads Asia.

Topic of research project:
City as a place of refuge: Mobility and migration of young Afghans in the context of poverty, conflict and social change

 
Irina Morozova

Dr. Irina Morozova

From October 2010 until September 2014, Dr. Irina Morozova was research fellow at the Central Asia-Seminar of the Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin. In addition, she was project director for the research project "The History of Perestroika in Central Asia (social transformation in Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan and Mongolia, 1982-1991)" , which was funded by the Volkswagen Foundation.

Fields of teaching and research:

  • Comparative history
  • Comparative Asian Studies
  • History of Central and Inner Asia
  • Modern national movements and post-imperial discourse
  • Socio-cultural transformation in Central and Inner Asia under (and after) socialism
  • Elite groups' transformation in Central and Inner Asia in the twentieth century and at present
  • Socio-political role of religion (Islam and Buddhism) in modern and contemporary Central and Inner Asia

 
Irina Morozova

Dr. Andrea Chiovenda

is PhD Candidate in Anthropology at Boston University and was visiting research fellow of the Crossroads Asia competence network until August 2014. He holds a Master in Ancient History from the University of Rome as well as a Master in Security Studies from Georgetown University in Washington DC. Andrea Chiovenda worked for the Italian Ministry of Defence and as freelance journalist and analyst for the Middle East. His recent research is based on original ethnographic material gathered during 18 months of fieldwork in Afghanistan, between 2009 and 2013.


Topic of research project:
Masculinity, Cultural Idioms, and Shifting Subjectivities among Afghan Pashtuns: A Psychodynamic View on Conflicting Social Figurations

Melissa Kerr Chiovenda

is a PhD Candidate in Anthropology at the University of Connecticut, and holds a Master's Degree in Eurasian, Russian, and East European Studies from Georgetown University. Until August 2014 she was visiting research fellow of the Crossroads Asia competence network, based at the Central Asian Seminar of Humboldt Universität zu Berlin. For her dissertation fieldwork she spent 18 months in Afghanistan. Previously, she was a Peace Corps Volunteer in Uzbekistan and Kyrgyzstan, worked in Russia, and was a high school teacher in South Central Los Angeles.


Topic of research project:
100 Years of Suffering: How Words and Images are Shaping a New Hazara Consciousness

Prof. Dr. Rustem Kadyrzhanov

Prof. Kadyrzhanov has been awarded a scholarship from DAAD. He was visiting researcher at the Central Asian Seminar form July to August 2014.

Research and ongoing research projects

  • National identity in Kazakhstan
  • Problems of Cengtral Asian integration
  • Language-planning and lingual situation in Kazakhstan
  • Social transformation and ideology in Kazakhstan

Topic of research project:
Language planning and vernacular nationalism in Kazakhstan
Rustem Kadyrzhanov

Prof. Dr. Nasriddin Nazarov

Prof. Dr. Nasriddin Nazarov has been awarded a scholarship from Erasmus Mundus. He was visiting researcher at the Central Asian Seminar form September 2013 to July 2014.


Topic of research project:
Lakays: Ethno-Social and Cultural Developement Problems
Nasriddin Nazarov

Prof. Gulnara Kuzibaeva

Prof. Kuzibaeva was visiting researcher at the Central Asian Seminar and was part of the Crossroads Asia Network form November 2013 to July 2014.

Prof. Kuzibaeva is Associate Professor at the National University of Uzbekistan in Tashkent and an affiliated researcher at The Sociology Center "Sharh va Tavsiya" with an array of project management and consulting experience. Her main areas of interest include migration, demography and gender, as well as social policy analysis, with a focus on Central Asia.


Research topic:
Migration for Sex Work: The Case of Uzbekistan
Dr. Gulnara Kuzibaeva

Dr. Alok Kumar Kanungo

Until June 2014 Dr. Alok Kumar Kanungo was visiting researcher at the Central Asian Seminar at the Humboldt Universität zu Berlin.

Fields of teaching and research:

  • Indian Archaeology
  • Simple Living and Hill people of India in general and of NorthEast and East India in particular
  • Ancient Crafts and Technology
  • Museum Collections and Ethics
  • Ethnographic Research Methodology

Current research projects:

  • Origin and History of the Nagas
  • Integrating Museum collection with collector`s diaries, literature and field knowledge
  • NorthEast Indian cultural objects in different museums in Europe and UK
  • German speaking scholars on NorthEast Indian culture
Alok Kumar Kanungo

Dr. Maira Sarybay

Dr. Sarybay has been awarded a scholarship from the DAAD. She was visiting researcher at the Central Asian Seminar from October to December 2013.


Research Topic:
English in Kazakhstan: Language Policy and Education

Dr. Aitugan Mukashev

Dr. Mukashev has been awarded a scholarship from the DAAD. He was visiting researcher at the Central Asian Seminar from October to December 2013.


Research Topic:
Kymyz (fermented mare's milk)

Dr. Natalya Ustelimova

Dr. Natalya Ustelimova was visiting researcher at the Central Asian Seminar in November 2013, in cooperation with DAAD.


Research topic:
New ways of multilingualism and linguistic competence

Mirzaeva Zulkhumor Inomovna

Mirzaeva Zulkhumor Inomovna works at the Language and Literature Institute, Academy of Sciences of the Republic of Uzbekistan. She held a scholarship of the DAAD and was visiting researcher at the Central Asian Seminar from June to July 2012.
 
Askar

Bahodir Karimov

Bahodir Karimov is head of the Department of "World Literatur and Theorie" at the Faculty of Uzbek Philology at the national University of Uzbekistan. From June to July 2012 he was visiting researcher at the Central Asian Seminar funded by the DAAD.

Research Project:
The influence of works translated at the beginning of the 20th century on modern Uzbek literature
Askar

Askar Djumashev

Askar Djumashev is the department chief of the Karakalpak branch of the Uzbek Academy of Scinece (history). From July 2009 to June 2010 Askar Djumashev was visiting researcher at the Central Asian Seminar and awarded a scholarship of the Alexander von Humboldt Foundation.

Research project:
"Soviet national policy in Central Asia (1924 - 1941) - the case of Qaraqalpaqstan"
Askar

Zaynabidin Sharabidinovich Abdirashidov

In December 2006 he was a PhD candidate at the Central Asian Seminar of the Humboldt University Berlin. Until October 2007 Zaynabidin Abdirashidov held a scholarship of the Volkswagen Stiftung.

PhD project:
Ismail Gasprinskiy (1851-1914) and early 20th century Turkistan:
Communication - relations - influences
Zaynabidin

Makset Karlibaev

Makset Karlibaev is the department chief of the Karakalpak branch of the Uzbek Academy of Scinece. From May 2007 to January 2008 Makset Karlibaev held a scholarship of the Alexander von Humboldt Foundation.

Research project:
"Cult and Belief: the Role of Ziyarat in Present Day Karakalpak life"
Makset

Prof. Khurmetkhan Mukhamadi

Mai-Juli 2008 Mukhamadai was granted a scholarship of the DAAD. Partner at the INTAS-Project "Traditions of the Qonghirat"
 

Elisa T. Bertuzzo

July 2008 - October 2009 Guest Scientist at the IAA, financed by the Graduate School Muslim Cultures and Societies.
Bertuzzo's research focus' on megacities in the Islamic world.