On September 9, 2026, the Ch. Ch. Valikhanov Institute of History and Ethnology hosted a meeting with Ian Campbell, a well-known American scholar of Kazakhstan’s history. The event was held both in person and online via Zoom

The meeting opened with a presentation titled “The Construction of the New Ishim Line” by Ziyabek Kabuldinov, Director General of the Institute, Doctor of Historical Sciences, Professor, and Academician of the National Academy of Sciences of the Republic of Kazakhstan.

Ian Campbell delivered a presentation on the emergence and development of Kazakhstan studies in the United States. He discussed the changes that have taken place in the field since 1991, current areas of research, and future prospects.

Ian Campbell is an associate professor at the University of California, Davis. His research focuses on the history of the Russian Empire in the nineteenth and early twentieth centuries, as well as the history of Central Asia and the Caucasus.

The history of Kazakhstan holds a special place in his research. He is widely known for his monograph Knowledge and the Ends of Empire: Kazak Intermediaries and Russian Rule on the Steppe, 1731–1917, based on archival materials from St. Petersburg, Moscow, and Almaty. The book examines how the Russian administration’s understanding of the Kazakh Steppe was formed. It also explores the roles and activities of Kazakh educators, administrators, and intermediaries, including Chokan Valikhanov and Ibray Altynsarin.

The presentations were followed by a question-and-answer session. The scholars discussed the history of Kazakhstan and Central Asia, the use of archival sources, modern approaches to historical research, and opportunities for future academic cooperation.