Alternation of Social Life of Transoxiana under Russification Policy (1864-1917)

Social life of Transoxiansat the end of its declining process in the 19 AD/13 AH experienced another raid of alien tribes. Employing a descriptive research method, the present paper attempts to narrate the Muslims’ social life in Transoxiana. It particularly investigates the period in which this land had been colonized by Russians. Transformations in the ethnic and demographic composition made Russians in charge of seven million Muslims who were being dominated through adopting Russification policy. Considering such circumstances, the main issue addressed in this paper is the changes that occurred in the social life of the Muslims as a result of adopting such a policy. The findings of the study reveal that for practicing Russification—aimed at assimilating Transoxiana to Russian society and culture—the Russians established a new form of colonized society by becoming governors and citizens of the Muslim society. The results of study deepened the initial question and led to this idea that the Russian colonizers by changing ethnic composition of the society and penetrating into its religious authority and civil laws, as well as building Russian cities, established a new form of colonized cities