Department of Near Eastern Studies

Dr. Farda Asadov graduated from Baku State University in 1979 with an honors Diploma of MA in Arab Studies. He defended his PH.D. thesis on the economic dimension of the military system of the Arab caliphate under the Abbasid dynasty at the Institute of Oriental Studies in Saint-Petersburg in 1987. In 1978–80 he worked as an Arabic language interpreter in Iraq. Acting as interpreter he visited a number of other Arab countries in later years.

 

Academic researches by Dr. Asadov dealt with issues of the economy of medieval Muslim society and the cultural interaction of Muslim Arabs and non-Muslim communities in the eastern part of Arab caliphate at the time of early Abbasid caliphs. He was awarded a visiting scholar fellowship zt the Oxford Center for Islamic Studies in 1998 and also a UNESCO Silk Road fellowship in 1999 to work on cultural interaction between the Muslim Arabs and Turks of Central Asia. He is author of a monograph and a number of research articles published in Azerbaijan, Russia, Kazakhstan, Sweden, Turkey, Israel, and the UK.

 

In the recent few years Dr. Asadov worked in the civil society sector, mostly associated with Open Society Foundations. In 1998 he joined Open Society Institute – Assistance Foundation (Azerbaijan) as a Board member, and in 2001 he was appointed to the position of Executive Director of OSIAF – Azerbaijan. OSI-AF has supported a number of programs aimed at strengthening civil society and freedoms in the country.

 

After resigning from OSIAF in 2011 Dr. Asadov became the Vice-Rector for International Affairs at Khazar University in Baku, Azerbaijan. In his academic capacity he has continued to direct Arab Studies at the Institute of Oriental Studies of the National Academy of Sciences of the Republic of Azerbaijan since 1986.

 

Dr. Asadov is a member of the Central Eurasian Studies Society (hosted at Miami University), the Academic Council of the UNESCO International Institute for Central Asian Studies in Samarkand (IICAS), the Editorial Board of the Bulletin of IICAS, and the Central Eurasia Advisory Board of Open Society Foundations.

 

As a Fulbright Exchange scholar at Princeton University Dr. Asadov will be researching the relationship between Arabs and Khazar Turks in the maintenance of international trade along the Silk Roads during the VII–X centuries. Khazar-Arab interrelations will be studied within the broader range of Arab caliphate policy towards the Turks of Central Asia. This research will also assess the impact of the lucrative international trade on government institutions and internal political standing of the Khazar Khaganate.

 

“Incomes of the Caliphate from Sawad in VII-X.” Narodi Aziyi i Afriki (Moscow), N 1, 1986. (in Russian).

 

“Mavarid al-Khilafa min as-Sawad (Incomes of the Caliphate from Sawad).” Humanities Research Center Publications of the University of Qatar. Vol. VI, 1993. (in Arabic).

 

“Evidences of Arabic sources on incomes of the Caliphate from Iraq.” In: Srednevekovi Vostok, Baku, 1990 (in Russian).

 

“Evolution of Arabs’ perception of Turks in pre-Seljuk period.” In: Islam and matters of civilization transactions. Moscow, 1992. ( in Russian).

 

“Social status of Turkish guards under the Abbasides in IX-X.” In: Historical and Cultural Contacts of the Peoples of Althai linguistic unity. XXIX Session of PIAC. Moscow, 1987. (In Russian).

 

“Strength of Turkish Guards Regiment under the Abbasides in IX-X.” In: Problemi zarubezhnogo Vostoka: Istoriya i sovremennost. Baku, 1988. (In Russian).

 

“On credibility of the Arabic sources evidences on the strength of Abbaside troops in IX-X.”  Bartoldovskiye Chteniya. 1987. (In Russian).

 

“Salary rates of warriors in Abbaside Caliphate.” Izvestia AN Azerb. SSR. Ser. IFP. 1986, no. 1. (In Russian).

 

“Islam and Society: Back to Middle ages or Forth to XXI century.” Al-Nida (Baku) no. 2, 1995. (In collaboration with E.Aghayeva) (In Russian).

 

“Allah prohibited usury, but blessed profit.” Panorama (Baku), April 1996. (In Russian).

 

“Hilal as-Sabi. Tuhfat al umara fi tarih al-wusara. An extract on Caliph’s court budget.” Izvestia AN Azerbaijana. Ser. IFP. 1998, N 1. (In Russian).

 

“Islamic Opposition in New Independent States of Central Asia and Caucasus: Favorable Conditions and Limiting Factors.” III Era. International Analytic Journal no. 4, 2000. (Baku). (In Russian).

 

“Historical Continuity of Jerusalem: Integrity of Time and Space, Historic and Pre-Historic.” In: Jerusalem in Eyes of Arts, Baku, 2000. (In Azeri-Turkish).

 

“New environment and new goals of oriental studies at he time of globalization” Elm nos. 41–42, 43–44, Baku, 2000. (In Russian).

 

“Oil Caravans of XXI century on the Great Silk Road: What the future has in store for Azerbaijan and Kazakhstan.” Central Asia and the Caucasus (Sweden) no. 6, 2000. (In Russian and English).

 

“Government Regulations of Staple Commodity Prices in Pre-Ottoman Egypt.” XIII Тürk Таrihi Кonqresi. III. cilt.  Ankara: Тürk Tarihi Kurumu Basımevi, 2002, pp. 1635–42 (In English).

 

Review of The Caspian Region at a Crossroad: Challenges of a New Frontier of Energy and Development. Edited by Hooshang Amirahmadi. NY: St. Martin’s Press, 2000, 311 pp. Journal of Islamic Studies, vol. XIII, no 1 (2002), pp. 78–82. (In English).

 

“Turkish Dynasty of Sulids in South Caspian Land in VII-IX centuries (VII. – IX. Yüzyıllarda Güney Hazar Bolgesinde Hukumranlık Süren Türk Suli Hanedanı.).” Türkler. Yeni Türkiye Yayınları, Ankara, 2002, c. 4. s. 311–16 (In Turkish).

 

“The Strength and Budget Expenses of Turkish Guards under the Abbasides in VIII-X centuries.” The Turks. Ankara: Yeni Türkiye Publications, 2002, v. 2, pp. 48–54. (In English).

 

“VIII.-X. Yüzyıllarda Abbasi Ordusundaki Türk Muhafızların Sayısı ve Onlar İçin Yapilan Harcamalar.” Türkler. Ankara: Yeni Türkiye Yayınları, 2002, c. 4. s. 375–80 (In Turkish).

 

“Democracy and civil society building in independent Azerbaijan: Irrevocability of changes or temporary diversion?” In: Democracy and Pluralism in Muslim Eurasia. L, NY: Frank Cass, 2004. (In English).

 

“Three Ismail as-Samani’s campaigns to the land of Turks?” Bulletin of UNESCO International Institute for Central Asian Studies vol. 7 (2008), pp. 36–49. (In English and Russian).

 

Reprinted: “Три похода Исмаила ас-Самани против тюрок.» - Иран-намэ. Научный востоковедный журнал, № 3 (19), Алматы, 2011, pp. 209–223.

 

“The Rus' on the Caspian Sea and on the Great Silk Road in the middle of 9th - beginning of10th century.” Strabo Route as a Part of the Great Silk Road (Proceedings of the International conference Baku, November 28-29, 2008), Samarkand-Tashkent 2009.

 

“The public oversight of oil projects in Azerbaijan, 2004–2007.” International Social Science Journal (UNESCO) vol. 57, issue 1 (2009), pp. 93–106: (In English).

 

“Рождалась ли Европа в военном противостоянии с мусульманской цивилизацией?” – Azərbaycan Elmlər Akademiyasının Z.M.Bünyadov adına Şərqşünaslıq İnstitutu, “Elmi Araşdırmalar”, İX buraxılış, 2011. (Did Europe emerge in confrontation with Islamic civilization. - “Academic proceedings”, Azerbaijan Academy of Sciences, Institute of Oriental Studies after Z.M.Bunyadov. Issue IX, 2011.) – (In Russian).

 

Сведения арабских авторов Ибн Хордадбеха и ал-Масуди о транскаспийских торговых операциях хазар и русов в IX- X вв. - Azərbaycan Elmlər Akademiyasının Z.M.Bünyadov adına Şərqşünaslıq İnstitutu, “Elmi Araşdırmalar”, X buraxılış, 2011. (Evidences of Arab geographers Ibn Khordadbeh and al-Masudi about transcaspian trade operations in IX-X centuries. - “Academic proceedings”, Azerbaijan Academy of Sciences, Institute of Oriental Studies after Z.M.Bunyadov. Issue X, 2011.) – (In Russian).

 

Delivered to Publisher.

“Pious peoples relief with revelation of Grief”. The treatise compiled by Taqi ad-Din al-Maqrisi, the student and successor of renowned Ibn Khaldun (XV century), translated from Arabic into Russian with commentary (co-authored with E.Aghayeva).

 

Papers presented at International conferences.

Kuala Lumpur, 1999. “Caspian Oil Region: Economic and Political Determinants of Development in 21 century” International Conference on “Islamic economics in 21^st century.” Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, 6–9 August, 1999.

 

Tel Aviv. “Democracy and civil society development in Azerbaijan.” International conference on democracy and pluralism in Moslem republics of the former USSR. Tel Aviv, November 7–10, 1999.

 

Moscow, 2002. “Religion Based Charitable Activity: Islam in the Caucasus and Central Asia.” European Foundation Center, Grantmakers East Group, Seventh Annual Meeting, Moscow October 17–18, 2002.

 

Plymouth 2006: “Civil Society capacity development in Azerbaijan: Civic oversight of Baku-Tbilisi-Jayhan pipeline construction project.” International Conference on “Equity in Education”, University of Plymouth, Great Britain, July 26–29, 2006

 

Baku 2007: “Political power in Near East: responses to global challenges.” Near and Middle East: Yesterday today and tomorrow. International conference, Baku, May 2007.

 

Baku 2008: “Trade routes of Rus-Vikings across the Caspian and on Great Silk Road in IX-X centuries.” UNESCO conference, “The Strabo Route.” Baku, November 6–7, 2008.

 

Samarkand 2009: “Long walls: The borderline of the world of Turkic nomads in Central Asia in the 8^th–9^th centuries.” UNESCO International Institute of Central Asia Studies, French Institute of Central Asian Studies, Institute of History of Academy of Sciences of the Republic of Uzbekistan “Civilizations and Cultures of Central Asia in Unity and Diversity.” Samarkand, September 7–8, 2009.

 

Samarkand 2011: “Khazaria and Khorasan in VIII–IX centuries: Political and trade relationships.” UNESCO International Institute of Central Asia Studies, Institute of History of Academy of Sciences of the Republic of Uzbekistan “Culture of the Central Asian people along the Great Silk Road.” Samarkand, October 4–5, 2011.

 

Baku 2011: “Did Scandinavians come to sail in the Caspian in VIII–early IX centuries?” Azerbaijan University of Languages, Oslo University. International Conference, “Thor Heyerdahl and Azerbaijan.” Baku, October 26–29, 2011.

 

Baku 2012: “Evidences of Arab Sources in the Soviet Scholarship polemics about duration of Khazars’ domination in the South Caucasus.” International academic symposium dedicated to the 90th anniversary of Ziya Musa oglu Bunyadov. National Academy of Sciences (NAS) of Azerbaijan, Institute of Oriental Studies of the NAS. Baku, May 7–9, 2012.