Koreans in Kazakhstan

Richard W. Lindstrom (rwl2@MIDWAY.UCHICAGO.EDU)
Tue, 26 Apr 1994 09:26:31 CDT

Hi all,
While in Kazakhstan this winter I met a historian at the
Kustanai state university. He is studying the sense of community
among Korean, German and other ethnic groups within Kazakhstan, and
the recent growth of nationalism (ethnic consciousness) among them.
He is also interested in similar problems involving Korean
communities in the US.
At the moment, scholars in Kazkhstan are starved for any sort
of international connections. Funding for research is virtually
non-existant, libraries are scarce and out of date. There are,
however, endless opportunities for research (historical,
anthropological, sociological) in a country that has a varied
ethnic composition and is undergoing extreme changes.
If anyone is interested in corresponding with the professor I
met (he is the chairman of the history department), please let me
know. I have some short research proposals that he gave me which I
can pass on, as well his address.
His specific requests were for:
1. Contacts with departments and specialists in history of
Kazakhstan, USSR, and East Asia (especially Korea). Exchange of
journals, literature etc.
2. Cooperative work with ethnologists (anthropologists and
sociologists) on problems of ethnic processes among Koreans in
Kazakhstan (utilizing quetionnaires distributed in Kustanai
oblast') and in the USA, and also on interethnic relations in
Kazakhstan (including joint research and publication, literature
exchange etc.).

Let me know if you want more information. Also, if you have
any other questions or comments about working in Kazakhstan or
Western Siberia I'd be happy to talk about it. I am an
archaeologist/physical anthropologist who often feels awfully
lonely out there.

Richard Lindstrom
rwl2@midway.uchicago.edu

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