The Politics of Memory: The Legacy of the Soviet-Afghan War in Central Asian States

Abstract

This article explores the legacy of the Soviet-Afghan War in the Central Asian republics, focusing on how the war is remembered and integrated into the political and cultural narratives of post-Soviet states like Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan, and Kyrgyzstan. The Soviet Union's military involvement in Afghanistan has been a deeply controversial and often neglected subject in the region's historiography. The paper investigates the differing interpretations of the war in post-Soviet Central Asia, examining how the Soviet government’s official narratives have been contested by local memory, with specific attention to veterans' groups, political elites, and civil society’s role in shaping the public perception of the war’s significance. The research utilizes oral history interviews, local media sources, and government documents to understand how the war’s legacy continues to impact contemporary politics in these states. The article argues that while the Soviet-Afghan War is often framed as a humiliating chapter in Soviet history, in Central Asia, it remains a tool for the consolidation of political authority and a reflection of national identity. The paper concludes by exploring the ways in which the war's memory is manipulated by various political groups to strengthen state narratives and justify the region’s current geopolitical positioning.