“Fighting for the Russian Cause”: The Imperial Colonisation of Turkestan

This article considers the political vision and imperial administration projects related to tasks objectives of Russian colonisation Turkestan in second half nineteenth – early twentieth centuries. The author singles out categories colonists their discusses difficulties behind realisation settlement project. Special attention is paid methods used realise development conquered Turkestan, which combined use religious differences population (the concept “confessional state” by P. Werth) emerging expanding national discourse. Earlier studies closely examined stages numbers resettlement movement but did not consider how perceived region’s development. research describes points view officials, supervisors, inspectors processes adaptation agents. refers unpublished materials (recordkeeping, narrative, etc.) from funds Central State Archive Republic Uzbekistan, introduced into scholarly circulation for first time. They make it possible show faced Russia realising its strategies different assessments colonists’ potential, problems were subject departmental correspondence civil authorities. concludes that there was a considerable discrepancy between settler defined implementation project connected with social-economic cultural Orthodox settlers region. analysis documents makes reconstruct complex identity as basis civilizing mission Turkestan.