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2025-05-10
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CENTRAL ASIAN STUDIES IN FRANCE
Jahongir Ostonov
Al Biruni Institute of Oriental studies Junior research fellow Collège de France
Abstract
The history of Central Asian studies in France actually goes back to the 18th century. In this regard, Joseph Degin’s L'histoire des Huns, des Turcs, des Mogols et autres Tartares (history of the Huns, Turks, Mongols and other Tartars), who taught at the Collège de France, can be said from the earliest studies of the history of the region (Ostonov 2023). Thus a scientific interest in the region has begun. Collège de France can be seen as the first institution to begin the study of the history of the region. However, it was not until 1911 that the department, which specifically researched and studied Central Asia, was established. The department was headed by the Chinese studies scholar, Paul Pelliot. The department, then named Langues, histoire et archéologie de l'asie centrale, operated until 1945. From 1965, it was renamed and Louis Hambis was appointed leader. This time the department was named Langues, histoire et archéologie de l'asie centrale. This activity lasted until 1977 (Römer 2023 : 627-660). These two departments relied primarily on Chinese sources in their studies on Central Asian history. Paul Pelliot, for example, acted as a Chinese scholar and conducted scientific research on the history of the region based on Chinese sources. This was naturally dominated by the Chinese point of view. The studies at the college did not stop ever. The college focused on the region again around 2013. From this year, another department began to work under the name Histoire et cultures de l'asie centrale préislamique. Franz Grenet leads it. Unlike its predecessors, then the department is trying to explore Central Asia from within, relying on its local sources. In addition, the factors that created the conditions for this, we can cite archaeological missions in the region, historical sources found throughout the 20th century and works of art (Grenet 2014).
References
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