The lecture, entitled “International Scholarly Approaches to the Study of the History of the Emirate of Bukhara,” examined the region’s political development, the colonial policies of the Russian Empire, Islam and the intellectual environment, systems of governance, and the evolution of statehood through the lens of international historiography.
The academic significance of the lecture lies in Dr Pickett’s longstanding research into the history of Bukhara, grounded in archival documents, manuscripts and historical sources. His book, “Polymaths of Islam,” explores Bukhara’s standing as a centre of Islamic scholarship, networks of religious scholars, and the interplay between intellectual knowledge and political authority. His 2026 publication, “Russian Subject, Muslim Monarch,” offers fresh scholarly perspectives on Bukhara’s sovereignty under the Russian Empire, its diplomatic correspondence and traditions of state administration.
During the lecture, the scholar provided an in-depth analysis of Bukhara’s place in the history of Central Asia, the relationship between colonialism and statehood, the political consequences of nineteenth-century epidemics, and the religious and intellectual networks that shaped the region.
Dr Pickett’s participation provided a valuable academic opportunity to examine the region’s historical heritage in dialogue with international scholarship, develop a critical approach to historical sources, and gain deeper insight into the complex dimensions of the Emirate of Bukhara’s history.
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