Music and Cultural Heritage in Tajikistan
Thursday, April 2, 2026
12:00 p.m. - 1:00 p.m. EDT
The Mountain Societies Initiative, led by Professor Khoja-Moolji, brings together scholars and practitioners to explore pressing questions in an under-studied context that offers broader lessons relevant to research, policy, and practice. We ask: How do topography, location, and fragile terrains shape our approaches to development? What are the impacts of AI developments, climate change, and other technological innovations on mountain societies? How can mountain regions inform our work in public humanities, memory, and cultural heritage?
Chorshanbe Goibnazarov shared findings from his new book, Music, Poetry and Identity in Badakhshan, Tajikistan: Singing and Sounding Community (2025). The book brings scholarly attention to a little-known and fragile musical tradition as it responds to the evolving pressures of secularization, globalization, and the shifting cultural landscapes of mountainous societies.
This event was hosted by the Alwaleed Center for Muslim-Christian Understanding and co-sponsored by the Berkley Center for Religion, Peace, and World Affairs.