Politicizing Islam in Central Asia: From the Russian Revolution to the Afghan and Syrian Jihads

Focusing on Islamist movements in Central Asia, Kathleen Collins analyzes their development from the Soviet era to the present in Tajikistan, Uzbekistan, and Kyrgyzstan. Through comprehensive ethnographic and historical research, she examines the factors influencing these movements and their varying success. Collins argues that state repression of Islam has paradoxically fueled Islamist mobilization, highlighting the complex interplay between state actions and the rise of religious movements over the past century.