About the project

For centuries, Kazakhstan and Central Asia as a whole have been a crossroads of ideologies, religions, and cultures. This interaction has left an indelible mark on the region's destiny and its unique diversity. As a crucial link between West and East, North and South — a meeting point for peoples, ideas, and goods — Central Asia profoundly influenced neighboring regions and cultures, from India, Iran, and China to the Islamic Caliphates, the Ottoman Empire, and Russia.

While historiography emerged globally, scholarship has largely been filtered through concepts and frameworks rooted primarily in Western European experiences. Can terms like "nations," "ethnic groups," "feudalism," "archaic," "Middle Ages," or "modernity" truly capture the essence of Kazakhstan's past, or that of Japan or China? The echoes of colonial narratives still largely dominate how the world's story is told. History, as presented from Moscow, London, or Paris, continues to shape collective understanding, not just in Europe or the US, but often across Asia and Africa as well.

We're trying to shift this colonial lens by offering a fresh perspective on the past, viewed within the context of both internal and global events and processes. Our project brings together researchers from diverse countries, including Kazakhstan, the USA, Canada, the UK, Singapore, and China. While adhering to all generally accepted academic standards, we also strive to make our historical narratives engaging, utilizing various genres and formats. At its heart, history began as an interesting tale of the past, living on for ages through epics, legends, and kyuis. We approach this tradition with respect and understanding. History is interesting.

Qalam is available in Kazakh, Russian, and English.