Law and Custom in Central Asia: An Interview with Judith Beyer
Prof. Dr. Judith Beyer specializes in political and legal anthropology. She conducted long-term ethnographic fieldwork in Kyrgyzstan where she studied the practices of retraditionalization – how the concept of traditions…
Panjikent, the Central Asian Pompeii. An Interview with Pavel Lurje
Interview with Pavel Lurje Head of the Sector of Central Asia, Caucasus and Crimea, Senior Research Fellow of the Oriental Department of the State Hermitage Museum, head of the Panjikent Expedition.Dr.…
The Image of the Snow Leopard in the Archaeological Records of Kazakhstan and its Instrumentalization in Modern-Day Political Agendas
This article examines the connection between how archaeological remains were excavated in the past to how such remains are dealt with in present day Kazakhstan. Special attention is given to…
Nomads and Soviet Rule: Central Asia under Lenin and Stalin. An Interview with an Author
In his book, Nomads and Soviet Rule: Central Asia under Lenin and Stalin (I.B. Tauris, 2018), Alun Thomas examines the experiences of Kazakh and Kyrgyz nomads in the NEP (New…
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The Mystery of Kyrk-Kyz: From 40 Women-Warriors to the Warriors of Light
A mysterious castle in Uzbekistan’s Surhandarya bears the name of Kyrk-Kyz, meaning “40 girls.” Was this a sanctuary of legendary women-warriors, or was it home to a group of Sufi…
Humans of the Polygon: Travel Notes from the Land of Abai. Karaul, Znamenka (Kokentau), Sarzhal
“We are scared for the future of our kids.”A family in KaraulThe lake created in 1963 on the Polygon as a result of an explosion that used 20 tons of…
Trilingual Education in Kazakhstan: What to Expect
While the only existing studies consider trilingualism in Kazakhstan in general, this research aims to identify possible risks and prospects for the implementation of the program of trilingualism at regional…
26 Routes in 2 Years: The New Transport Map of Central Asia
Austen Dowell is a Research Associate with the ERA Institute, focusing on analyzing regional affairs as part of the Central Asia Watch project. He has studied in Central Asia as…
Who Is “Tashkent City” For? Nation-Branding and Public Dialogue in Uzbekistan
“If they give me a proper place somewhere nearby, I will move. Otherwise, I will not go anywhere!” – Muhabbat Umarova, a woman in her 70s who is a resident…
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Building Secure Communities in a Post-Liberal Age: A View from Kyrgyzstan
How to build sustainable peace, forge livelihoods, and create a basis for development? These questions have been of central interest to scholars in the fields of development, peace and conflict…
Morgan Liu: On “Uzbekness” and Social Justice
Morgan Y. Liu is a cultural anthropologist studying Muslims in the former Soviet Union, Islamic ideas of social justice, and the impact of oil extraction on Central Asian societies. He…
“Azan on the Moon”: Anthropology of Infrastructure
Till Mostowlansky is intrigued by the anthropological study of routes, roads and pathways, and the anthropology of infrastructure more generally. This research interest frames his latest monograph, Azan on the Moon: Entangling…