Religion and the Burden of the Homo Sovieticus: An Archival-Based Study of Soviet Policy on Religion in Kyrgyzstan, 1917-1991

Abstract

Based on materials from the Kyrgyz and Russian State Archives, this Thesis examines the Soviet policy on religion in Kyrgyzstan. Through a hybrid political theory specifically developed for this study, this research provides a chronological description and analysis of the Soviet policy on religion and attempts to explain the supposed inconsistencies of the Soviet Union’s approach to religious groups. A case study of Soviet Kyrgyzstan was chosen to verify the validity of the theory via an elucidation of the cyclical and contradictory nature of state-confessional relations. This research also traces the historical presence of various religious groups on the territory of Kyrgyzstan that are currently labeled a ‘alien’ faith traditions that threaten the harmony of Kyrgyzstani society. The thesis seeks to not only verify the new theory and reveal unknown facts but also deconstruct the existing myths about newly emerged religious diversity in Kyrgyzstan by demonstrating the historical presence of diverse religious communities there. Consequently, the thesis intends to set up a benchmark that will facilitate the analysis of further development of the state policy on religion in contemporary Kyrgyzstan.