The role of Jadid theater in the development of youth spirituality

https://doi.org/10.35912/jomabs.v2i3.3063
Published: Jun 16, 2025

Abstract:

Purpose: This study aims to analyze the role of Jadid theater in nurturing the spirituality and moral awareness of youth in late 19th to early 20th century Central Asia. Employing a qualitative historical approach, the research is grounded in document and literature analysis of primary and secondary sources such as archival records, published plays, newspapers, and intellectual correspondences from the era.

Research methodology: This study employs a qualitative historical approach through document and literature analysis, utilizing primary and secondary sources such as historical records, plays, newspapers, and writings from late 19th to early 20th-century Jadid intellectuals. It applies descriptive analysis to interpret the content, structure, and ideological elements of theatrical works by figures like Behbudi, Niyozi, and Fitrat within their historical and socio-cultural context.

Results: The development of modern theater in Central Asia during the Jadid period was marked by the transformation of traditional storytelling into a structured platform for education, national awakening, and moral instruction. Through works by figures like Behbudi, Niyozi, Avloniy, and Fitrat, theater served as a vehicle to address social issues, promote literacy, and inspire youth spirituality. Despite censorship and limited resources, amateur and later professional troupes sustained the theatrical movement, which eventually included female participation and left a lasting cultural legacy.

Limitations: This study is limited to a historical and document-based analysis of Jadid theater, primarily focusing on the period between the late 19th and early 20th centuries. It does not include empirical data such as interviews with theater practitioners or audience reception studies that could offer additional perspectives on the contemporary legacy of Jadid dramaturgy

Contribution: This study contributes to understanding how Jadid theater served as a strategic platform for youth spiritual development and national awakening in Central Asia.

Keywords:
1. Central Asia
2. Jadidism
3. Spirituality
4. Theater
Authors:
Samadova Sarvinoz Samad Qizi
Bukhara State Pedagogical Institute, Bukhara, Uzbekistan
View PDF
How to Cite
Qizi, S. S. S. (2025). The role of Jadid theater in the development of youth spirituality. Journal of Multidisciplinary Academic Business Studies, 2(3), 479–484. https://doi.org/10.35912/jomabs.v2i3.3063
Download Citation
  1. Endnote/Zotero/Mendeley (RIS)
  2. BibTeX

Downloads

Download data is not yet available.
Issue & Section
Vol. 2 No. 3 (2025): May
Articles
Creative Commons License

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.

References

    Abdullaeva, M., Gafurova, S., & Khandamian, V. (2022). Central Asian Jadids’ Efforts to Serve the Nation by Bringing Enlightenment to the Country. International Journal of Social Science Research and Review, 5(7), 224-232. doi:https://doi.org/10.47814/ijssrr.v5i7.468

    Alijonova, N. (2019). The Place of Theatrical Art in the Development of the Spiritual Potential of Youth. European Journal of Research and Reflection in Educational Sciences, 7(11), 115-117.

    Badan, P. (2016). Socio-Cultural Reform Movement In Central Asia. Journal of Central Asian Studies, 23(1), 1-16.

    Gilbert, K. L., Baker, E. A., Bain, K., Flood, J., & Wolbers, J. (2023). Say Something, Do Something: Evaluating a Forum Theater Production to Activate Youth Violence Prevention Strategies in Schools. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 21(1), 1-13. doi:https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph21010039

    Kaldybekovich, B. K., Hazret, T., & Raikhan, S. (2013). Jadidism as an Educational System and a Political Movement in Turkestan (Central Asia). International education studies, 6(1), 85-94.

    Kholbutaevich, S. Z., & Shamsiyevich, Z. A. (2024). The Jadidism Movement in Central Asia Regarding Development Trends. ResearchJet Journal of Analysis and Inventions, 5(2), 8-16.

    Kizi, S. S. S. (2025a). The Issue of Education and Upbringing in the Spiritual Heritage of the Jadids of Turkestan. Cognizance Journal of Multidisciplinary Studies, 5(1), 408-415. doi:https://doi.org/10.47760/cognizance.2025.v05i01.031

    Kizi, S. S. S. (2025b). The Significance of the Jadids’ Scientific Heritage in Developing the Spirituality of Youth in New Uzbekistan. Intelektualitas Jurnal Penelitian Lintas Keilmuan, 1(4), 1-6. doi:https://doi.org/10.47134/intelektualitas.v1i4.3642

    Muzaffarovna, N. (2020). The Socio-Historical Genesis of the Educational Philosophy Formulated in Turkestan, and its Implications. International Journal of Psychosocial Rehabilitation, 24(4), 3208-3214. doi:DOI: 10.37200/IJPR/V24I4/PR201431

    Nurmatov, Z., Abdrassilov, T., & Soon, H. (2022). An Analysis on the Formation of Jadidism in Central Asia in the Late 19th and Early 20th Century (1870-1917). Religion in Socio-Cultural Contexts of the Past and Present, 78(2), 149-166. doi:https://doi.org/10.48010/2022.2/1999-5911.11

    Peters, S. (2017). The Impact of Participating in a Verbatim Theatre Process. Social Alternatives, 36(2), 32-39.

    Popov, A., & Karásek, M. (2021). Dramatising Cultural Diversity: Youth Theatre as a Performance of Local Memory and Identity in a Multiethnic Environment. Slovak Ethnology, 69(3), 381-398. doi:http://dx.doi.org/10.2478/se-2021-0022

    Rakhmankulova, Z., Choriev, S., Yusupova, D., & Muminov, O. (2020). The Historiography of the Relations Between Central Asian Khanates and Ottoman Empire in the 19 th and at the Beginning of the 20th Centuries. International Journal of Scientific and Technology Research, 9(2), 311-318.

    Raxmanova, M., Raximov, A., Qulmurodova, S., Jumanov, S., Pardayeva, G., Qarshiyev, J., . . . Nabiyeva, D. (2024). The Importance of Mahmudxoja Behbudi's Works and" Nashriyoti Behbudiya" in the Spiritual and Moral Education of Young People, the Reforms in the Educational System of the Past. Library of Progress-Library Science, Information Technology & Computer, 44(3), 14075-14082. doi:https://doi.org/10.48165/bapas.2024.44.2.1

    Sabriddin, A., & Bobomuratovna, M. S. (2022). Some Reflections on the Historical Significance of the Activities of Mahmudhoja Behbudi. Procedia of Social Sciences and Humanities, 2, 20-24. doi:https://doi.org/10.21070/pssh.v2i.106

    Sobirovich, T. B. (2023). Basic Criteria for Building the Third Renaissance in Uzbekistan. Asian Journal of Applied Science and Technology (AJAST), 7(1), 149-157. doi:https://doi.org/10.38177/ajast.2023.7114

    Yusufjonovna, I. A. (2025). Jadid Literature: Historical Formation, Core Ideas and Literary Characteristics. Web of Teachers: Inderscience Research, 3(3), 241-247.

    Zayniddinovna, T. N. (2022). Lexico-Semantic Word Production as a Way of Forming Theater Terminology of the English Language. American Journal of Social and Humanitarian Research, 3(10), 144-150. doi:https://doi.org/10.31150/ajshr.v3i10.1559

  1. Abdullaeva, M., Gafurova, S., & Khandamian, V. (2022). Central Asian Jadids’ Efforts to Serve the Nation by Bringing Enlightenment to the Country. International Journal of Social Science Research and Review, 5(7), 224-232. doi:https://doi.org/10.47814/ijssrr.v5i7.468
  2. Alijonova, N. (2019). The Place of Theatrical Art in the Development of the Spiritual Potential of Youth. European Journal of Research and Reflection in Educational Sciences, 7(11), 115-117.
  3. Badan, P. (2016). Socio-Cultural Reform Movement In Central Asia. Journal of Central Asian Studies, 23(1), 1-16.
  4. Gilbert, K. L., Baker, E. A., Bain, K., Flood, J., & Wolbers, J. (2023). Say Something, Do Something: Evaluating a Forum Theater Production to Activate Youth Violence Prevention Strategies in Schools. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 21(1), 1-13. doi:https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph21010039
  5. Kaldybekovich, B. K., Hazret, T., & Raikhan, S. (2013). Jadidism as an Educational System and a Political Movement in Turkestan (Central Asia). International education studies, 6(1), 85-94.
  6. Kholbutaevich, S. Z., & Shamsiyevich, Z. A. (2024). The Jadidism Movement in Central Asia Regarding Development Trends. ResearchJet Journal of Analysis and Inventions, 5(2), 8-16.
  7. Kizi, S. S. S. (2025a). The Issue of Education and Upbringing in the Spiritual Heritage of the Jadids of Turkestan. Cognizance Journal of Multidisciplinary Studies, 5(1), 408-415. doi:https://doi.org/10.47760/cognizance.2025.v05i01.031
  8. Kizi, S. S. S. (2025b). The Significance of the Jadids’ Scientific Heritage in Developing the Spirituality of Youth in New Uzbekistan. Intelektualitas Jurnal Penelitian Lintas Keilmuan, 1(4), 1-6. doi:https://doi.org/10.47134/intelektualitas.v1i4.3642
  9. Muzaffarovna, N. (2020). The Socio-Historical Genesis of the Educational Philosophy Formulated in Turkestan, and its Implications. International Journal of Psychosocial Rehabilitation, 24(4), 3208-3214. doi:DOI: 10.37200/IJPR/V24I4/PR201431
  10. Nurmatov, Z., Abdrassilov, T., & Soon, H. (2022). An Analysis on the Formation of Jadidism in Central Asia in the Late 19th and Early 20th Century (1870-1917). Religion in Socio-Cultural Contexts of the Past and Present, 78(2), 149-166. doi:https://doi.org/10.48010/2022.2/1999-5911.11
  11. Peters, S. (2017). The Impact of Participating in a Verbatim Theatre Process. Social Alternatives, 36(2), 32-39.
  12. Popov, A., & Karásek, M. (2021). Dramatising Cultural Diversity: Youth Theatre as a Performance of Local Memory and Identity in a Multiethnic Environment. Slovak Ethnology, 69(3), 381-398. doi:http://dx.doi.org/10.2478/se-2021-0022
  13. Rakhmankulova, Z., Choriev, S., Yusupova, D., & Muminov, O. (2020). The Historiography of the Relations Between Central Asian Khanates and Ottoman Empire in the 19 th and at the Beginning of the 20th Centuries. International Journal of Scientific and Technology Research, 9(2), 311-318.
  14. Raxmanova, M., Raximov, A., Qulmurodova, S., Jumanov, S., Pardayeva, G., Qarshiyev, J., . . . Nabiyeva, D. (2024). The Importance of Mahmudxoja Behbudi's Works and" Nashriyoti Behbudiya" in the Spiritual and Moral Education of Young People, the Reforms in the Educational System of the Past. Library of Progress-Library Science, Information Technology & Computer, 44(3), 14075-14082. doi:https://doi.org/10.48165/bapas.2024.44.2.1
  15. Sabriddin, A., & Bobomuratovna, M. S. (2022). Some Reflections on the Historical Significance of the Activities of Mahmudhoja Behbudi. Procedia of Social Sciences and Humanities, 2, 20-24. doi:https://doi.org/10.21070/pssh.v2i.106
  16. Sobirovich, T. B. (2023). Basic Criteria for Building the Third Renaissance in Uzbekistan. Asian Journal of Applied Science and Technology (AJAST), 7(1), 149-157. doi:https://doi.org/10.38177/ajast.2023.7114
  17. Yusufjonovna, I. A. (2025). Jadid Literature: Historical Formation, Core Ideas and Literary Characteristics. Web of Teachers: Inderscience Research, 3(3), 241-247.
  18. Zayniddinovna, T. N. (2022). Lexico-Semantic Word Production as a Way of Forming Theater Terminology of the English Language. American Journal of Social and Humanitarian Research, 3(10), 144-150. doi:https://doi.org/10.31150/ajshr.v3i10.1559