Borderlands of industrial modernity: Explorations into the history of technology in central Asia, 1850–2000

Central Asia is among the world regions that are least explored in terms of their history of technology. This essay reviews a wide array of academic literature that can serve as a base for historical research on technology and material culture in the region. It furthermore explores some of the most promising conceptual avenues for such an endeavor. The metaphor of a borderland, it argues, can be used beyond its geographical meaning to conceptualize the region’s technological landscape. This landscape has been shaped by the coexistence of traditional artisanal practices and material cultures, the industrial and architectural legacies of Soviet rule as well as the region’s recent reemergence as a hub between Russia, China, Europe, and the Middle East. Based on case studies from different disciplines, this essay therefore discusses technology’s role in creating borderlands or territoriality, statehood, production, and everyday life in Central Asia.