Authors

Discussion

The presentation is dealing with biographies of women from the Soviet Uzbekistan involved into hosting, communicating with and lecturing women from African and Asian countries. The Soviet center designated Tashkent to serve as the international showcase of the Soviet  emancipation of “woman of Orient,” however, the historical role and individual biographies of women involved in the work of friendship, solidarity and internationalism continue to be underexplored. Focusing on biographies of Hujuma Shukurova, head of the women’s section of Uzbek friendship society, and several other women involved into hosting international delegations and participation in the international women’s congresses and seminars, the presentation is aimed to discuss their contradictory position in East-South internationalism and in Central Asian society. The presentation also aims to evaluate discrepancies between prominent Central Asian women's public image and individual life experiences. Finally, focusing on Uzbek women and their contribution to the global women's rights campaign the presentation is aimed for decentering Soviet gender history and provincializing Moscow's role in internationalism.  The study is based on the materials of periodical publications and archival sources from Moscow and Tashkent.