THE LIFE AND CREATIVE LEGACY OF MAHMUDKHOJA BEHBUDIY IN THE CONTEXT OF FOREIGN SCHOLARSHIP

Abstract

This article analyzes the study of the creative legacy of Mahmudkhoja Behbudiy, one of the leading figures of the Jadid movement in early twentieth-century Turkestan, within the international academic and literary context. As an enlightener, publicist, playwright, and journalist, Behbudiy played a significant role in the process of national awakening, and his ideas continue to maintain their relevance on a global scale. The article examines scholarly research on Behbudiy’s works conducted in countries such as Turkey, Russia, France, Germany, the United States, Azerbaijan, and Tajikistan, summarizing their methodological approaches and key academic conclusions. Particular attention is paid to how foreign researchers interpret Behbudiy’s Jadid ideology, journalistic activity, dramaturgy, and views on Western civilization and modernism. The article also highlights the role of translations, archival sources, and comparative studies in introducing Behbudiy’s heritage into international academic circulation. Methodological approaches such as historical-analytical, content-analysis, and comparative-analytical methods used in the research process ensured the scientific validity of the article and allowed for an objective and in-depth coverage of the place of Mahmudkhodja Behbudiy's life and work in a foreign scientific context. The findings of the study contribute to evaluating Behbudi’s legacy within a global context, interpreting it in harmony with world enlightenment thought, and revealing the international significance of the Jadid movement. This article is one of the first studies aimed at analyzing the life and creative legacy of Mahmudkhoja Behbudiy in the international academic arena. In addition, where appropriate, it also cites viewpoints that reflect the shared perspectives of Uzbek researchers and foreign scholars.