Falling Off the Pedestal: Victim-blaming and Nationalism in Kazakhstan
Over the past few years, there has been a marked increase in the volume of content on the topic of how to be a “true Kazakh woman.” Among the most…
Social Mobilization in the Absence of Infrastructure and Services on the Urban Margins: Toward “Societal Infrastructures”
How do communities deal with the decay, failure or complete absence of infrastructure? In the fourth decade after the collapse of the Soviet and other Socialist states, this question is…
Mosque Diplomacy in Central Asia: Geopolitics Beginning with the Mihrab
In Islamic states or in countries with predominantly Muslim populations, mosques are one of the forms of nation-building. They serve as a means to visually demonstrate the attitude of the…
Feminism and Central Asia – What Went Wrong?
Feminism is not adequately perceived in Central Asian societies. Some consider it as a threat to the existing traditions of the patriarchal foundation, when a woman (responsible for too many…
On the Uzbek media development: An interview with Nikita Makarenko
Main photo: President Shavkat Mirziyoev with bloggers, August 2019Media in Uzbekistan represents an interesting object of study. After President Shavkat Mirziyoyev came to power, the media, which under the previous…
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Tajik Fashion and the Challenges of Achieving an International Breakthrough
Just recently, Tajikistan, with its rich aesthetic traditions, has seemingly made a breakthrough in the fashion arena with some great designers like Khurshed Sattorov (born in 1981), Nafisa Imronova (1991)…
WILDNESS. About Bride Kidnapping in Kyrgyzstan
In the former Soviet republic of Kyrgyzstan, thousands of young girls and women are kidnapped every year to be forced into marriage. Although the practice was outlawed in 2013, bride…
Nazarbayev Generation. Kazakhstan’s Youth, National Identity Transformations and their Political Consequences
Half of Kazakhstan’s population was born after Nazarbayev took power three decades ago: those aged under 29 comprise 9 million Kazakhstani citizens, or 51 percent of the population.They have no…
Secondary Schools and Inequality: Navigating the Fragmented Landscape of Educational Choices in Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan
Author Aigoul Abdoubaetova researches the growing gap in educational opportunities in Kyrgyzstan. She is Programme Manager of the MA in Politics and Security at the OSCE Academy in Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan,…
Vulnerability and Resilience of Young People in Kyrgyzstan to Radicalization, Violence and Extremism: Analysis Across Five Domains
Youth occupies a special place in radicalization processesThis is even reflected in the names of some terrorist groups: Taliban means “students” and Al-Shabab means “young men” (4). In Central Asia,…
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Eurasia on the Move. Interdisciplinary Approaches to a Dynamic Migration Region
Eurasia on the Move. Interdisciplinary approaches to a Dynamic Migration region, published by Nazarbayev University and GW’s Central Asia Program, discusses many aspects of migration flows in Eurasia. As Caress…
Not in Employment, Education, or Training. Understanding the Rising NEET Phenomenon in Kazakhstan’s South
In Kazakhstan, every fifth citizen belongs to the younger generation. Since young people are a fundamental asset to Kazakhstani society, it is critical for them to be equipped with the…
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…