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Abstract

The period of the second half of the 19th – early 20th centuries, which coincides in the world history with the era of Colonialism, is referred to as the "semi-colonial" period in the history of Uzbekistan. Scholars researching this period in the history of the peoples of Central Asia must adopt a specialized and critical approach, given the complex political and ideological influences of the time. In historiographical literature, sources from the colonial or semi-colonial period are classified in various ways. Based on my research into the religious history of this era, I propose a general classification into two categories: primary sources (original historical materials) and secondary sources (historical interpretations and analyses).

Primary sources include:

• Historically significant works by local authors who lived during the period in question;

• Memoirs, diaries, and travel accounts written by visitors to Central Asia at the time;

• Archival documents and contemporary periodicals.

Secondary sources include:

• Historical and academic publications from the Soviet era;

• Works produced after the dissolution of the USSR, during the independence of Central Asian states;

• Foreign scholarly studies and literature.

When utilizing these sources to produce objective, scholarly research on the period, several important factors must be considered:

• The influence of the political regime on the creation and interpretation of historical materials;

• The author's personal perspective, including subjective interpretations and ideological biases;

• The impact of time on the source itself, including changes made through copying, editing, or reprinting, which may affect authenticity and originality.

Thus, the source studies and historiography of the Central Asian khanates during the second half of the 19th - early 20th centuries exhibit many distinctive features. This article aims to provide a general overview of these features, grounded in sound academic methodology.