In 1917 Turkmenistan was a vague collection of semi-nomadic tribes under Russian domination. This book explores the creation of a Turkmen nation, partly Soviet policy & partly the evolution of indigenous notions of identity. The author offers a scholarly analysis of Soviet nation building in Asia.

Originally published: 2004.

Introduction: Tribe, class, and nation in Turkmenistan -- Sources of identity among the Turkmen -- Assembling the nation: the creation of a Turkmen National Republic -- Ethnic preferences and ethnic conflict: the rise of a Turkmen national elite -- Helpers, not nannies: Moscow and the Turkmen communist party -- Dueling dialects: the creation of a Turkmen language -- A nation divided: class struggle and the assault on "tribalism" -- Cotton and collectivization: rural resistance in Soviet Turkmenistan -- Emancipation of the unveiled: Turkmen women under Soviet rule -- Conclusion: From Soviet republic to independent nation-state.