Elena Smolarz

Elena Smolarz is a Postdoctoral Researcher at the Bonn Center for Dependency and Slavery Studies (BCDSS) within the University of Bonn. Her academic background includes a PhD in Islamic Studies from the Bonn International Graduate School (BIGS-OAS) and an M.A. in Islamic Studies, Eastern European History, and Comparative Religion. She specializes in the history of slavery, mobility, and cultural interactions in Central Asia and the Russian Empire. Her current research focuses on representations of freedom/dependency in archives and narratives, as well as the transformation of indigenous societies under Russian imperial influence.

Education:

• 2019–2021: Professional Teaching Skills Certificate (Digitization Focus), University of Bonn
• 2008–2014: PhD in Islamic Studies, BIGS-OAS, University of Bonn
• 1997–2004: M.A. in Islamic Studies, Eastern European History, and Comparative Religion, University of Bonn

Research Interests: Elena’s work bridges social/cultural history with historical anthropology and literary studies. She examines forced mobility, slave trade networks, and the interplay between narrative representation and historical experience. Key themes include:

• Slavery and serfdom in Eurasia
• Imperial borderlands and nomadic societies
• Victim narratives and captivity discourses
• Religious institutionalization under Russian rule

Collaborations: She participates in initiatives like the COST Action “Worlds of Related Coercions” (WORCK), The Steppe Sisters Network, and The Oxus Society. As Vice Representative of Research Area A (Semantics-Lexical Fields-Narratives), she contributes to interdisciplinary dialogue.

Awards:

• Maria von Linden Program Grant (2020–2022)
• DAAD Scholarship (1997–2002)

Grants & Roles: She secured €240,000 for her Crossroads Asia project (2012–2016) and has held academic positions since 2005, including Research Associate and Lecturer at BCDSS. She also reviews for Brill and the Konrad Adenauer Foundation.

Labs/Teams: Core member of BCDSS and affiliated with transnational networks like the European Society for Central Asian Studies.