Central Asian Studies Unit
The Central Asian Studies Unit (CASU) was established in 2002 with the aim of exploring the intellectual heritage of the Central Asian Muslims and promoting scholarship on the history, culture and traditions of the Muslims in the region, including those of the IsmailisAdherents of a branch of Shi’i Islam that considers Ismail, the eldest son of the Shi’i Imam Jaʿfar al-Ṣādiq (d. 765), as his successor. residing in the mountainous regions of Central Asia.
The traditions of the Muslim communities are also explored in conjunction with contemporary issues, such as migration and climate change, which have had a tremendous impact on the evolution of the traditional practices of the Central Asian communities in the region. CASU advances its objectives through research, publication and collaboration with scholars and academic institutions in Central Asia, Russia and other areas where the Central Asians have settled.
