The Cultural Space of Central Asia as an Object of Interdisciplinary Research
The scientific seminar, held on October 10, 2025, as part of the 5th Eurasian School of Cultural Diplomacy, "Turco-Slavic: History, Methodology, and Linguodidactics," became a significant event for the academic community, bringing together researchers in the humanities working in linguistics, literary studies, and cultural studies.
The seminar was moderated by Nursulu Shaimerdenova, Executive Director of the Research Institute of Turkic and Altaic Studies at Al-Farabi Kazakh National University, Doctor of Philology, and Professor. She emphasized that Professor Eleonora Shafranskaya's research is a crucial contribution to the development of intercultural and comparative literary studies, forming an academic foundation for a dialogue of civilizations in the Eurasian space.
The lecture was delivered by Eleonora Fedorovna Shafranskaya, Doctor of Philology and Professor at the Patrice Lumumba Peoples' Friendship University of Russia, a renowned expert in comparative linguistics, cultural linguistics, and the poetics of Turkic-Slavic relations. In her presentation, Professor E.F. Shafranskaya presented a conceptual analysis of the topic "Central Asia in Art, Literature, and Language," where she identified the region as a unique space of cultural stratification and noted that Central Asia, as a locus of cultural memory, connects ancient civilizational traditions and contemporary forms of cultural expression. E.F. Shafranskaya drew attention to the fact that Central Asia in the humanities represents not only a geographical but also a semiotic category, embodying the idea of a dialogue between cultures, languages, and aesthetic systems. Of particular importance, according to the professor, is the study of the mutual influence of Turkic and Slavic cultural paradigms, which is evident in literature, visual arts, and national linguistic concepts. During the seminar, Eleonora Fedorovna also shared unique and invaluable knowledge about artists who made significant contributions to the development of Central Asian art.
E.F. Shafranskaya presented her monograph, "The Turkestan Text in Russian Culture: N. Karazin's Colonial Prose," to the seminar audience. It examines Karazin's role in creating the image of Turkestan in Russian literature. She noted that analyzing the region's literary texts and cultural codes allows us to identify universals and ethnospecific features of worldviews reflected in vocabulary, imagery, and motifs. Central Asia, she argued, is a space where the syncretism of art, oral tradition, and written culture forms the foundation of modern humanities thinking.
Young researchers from Al-Farabi Kazakh National University, Dinara Azretaliyevna Khudaiberdina and Ainur Sarsenovna Nurakhynova, participated in the discussion. During the discussion, Kundyz Serikkyzy Kobegenova, Master of Philology and Deputy Director for Librarianship at the KazNU Library, presented her research on the works of P. Ya. Zaltsman. The discussion covered a wide range of issues, from the representation of Central Asia in Russian and world literature to the analysis of linguistic models of cultural identity. The speakers emphasized the importance of intergenerational dialogue in science—the interaction between established scholars and young researchers, which ensures the continuity of traditions and the development of new theoretical and methodological approaches.
Professor E.F. Shafranskaya's seminar was a striking example of cultural diplomacy, demonstrating that humanities knowledge can serve as a tool for integration and mutual understanding among peoples. The professor's presentation provided a new perspective on the role of Central Asia as the cultural and linguistic core of Eurasia, where Eastern and Western traditions meet, creating a complex and multilayered worldview.
Mussabekova U.E.,
Dr. Sc. (Philol.), Acting Assoc. Prof.,
Department of Language and General Education for Foreigners,
Pre-University Education Faculty,
Al-Farabi Kazakh National University.
