Imagined democracy? Nation-building and elections in Central Asia

2015 ◽  
Vol 43 (3) ◽  
pp. 495-513 ◽  
Author(s):  
Donnacha Ó Beacháin ◽  
Rob Kevlihan
Keyword(s):  
Central Asia ◽  
Nation Building ◽  
Nation State ◽  
Weak States ◽  
Short Term ◽  
Nation States ◽  
Central Asian ◽  
Central Asian Countries ◽  
Soviet Central Asia ◽  
Nation State Formation

Is an imagined democracy more important than actual democracy for nation-building purposes? After 20 years of independence, Central Asian countries present a mixed bag of strong and weak states, consolidated and fragmented nations. The equation of nation and state and the construction of genuine nation states remains an elusive goal in all of post-Soviet Central Asia. This paper examines the role that electoral politics has played in nation-state formation. We argue that electoral processes have been central to attempted nation-state building processes as part of efforts to legitimize authoritarian regimes; paradoxically in those few countries where (for brief periods) partial democratization actually occurred, elections contributed, at least in the short term, to nation-state fragmentation.

scholarly journals Poverty Alleviation and Microfinance in post-Soviet Central Asia

2013 ◽  
Author(s):  
Heiko Fritz
Keyword(s):  
Natural Resources ◽  
Central Asia ◽  
Future Development ◽  
Poverty Alleviation ◽  
Asian Countries ◽  
The Public ◽  
Central Asian ◽  
Recent Developments ◽  
Central Asian Countries ◽  
Soviet Central Asia

Microfinance has played an important role in poverty alleviation throughout the developing world. Though some Central Asian countries are blessed with abundant natural resources, uneven income distribution and poverty are prevalent. Microfinance, however, has not been much in the public discussion in the region. The aim of this paper is to take stock of microfinance in Central Asia; to review recent developments in the context of the global development in the sector; to assess the regulatory and supervisory environment; and to identify untapped potential with respect to the future development of the industry.

scholarly journals Security threats and challenges in the post-soviet Central Asia: religion-based extremism on case study of ISIS

2016 ◽  
Author(s):  
Fatima Kukeyeva ◽  
Leila Delovarova ◽  
Tolganay Ormysheva ◽  
Yermek Chukubayev
Keyword(s):  
Central Asia ◽  
Political Systems ◽  
Asian Countries ◽  
Economic Dimension ◽  
Central Asian ◽  
Security Challenges ◽  
Central Asian Countries ◽  
Soviet Central Asia ◽  
Governmental Cooperation ◽  
Role Of Religion

Nowadays the post-Soviet Central Asian countries face a broad range of security challenges and threats.  Some of them are systemic in nature, while others occur sporadically. Many challenges and threats are coming from the outside the region, but the countries’ internal situation and background including historical, economic, social and political aspects. The reaction in the countries on religious-based radicalism and movements like ISIS is an ambiguous.   The range and level of the threats and challenges depends on various reasons and different in all Central Asian countries. But the case of ISIS is very unprecedented and needs to be under the special analysis through the political and socio-economic dimension in all states. The different ways of development chosen by Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan and different background including borders, political systems, the role of religion and social stability defines the reflection to the threat in different way. Tajilistan and Uzbekistan are in high risk zone. The existing regional and extra regional organizations as CSTO and SCO are important in terms of security strengthening in Central Asia. Analyzing the general social, economic and religion climate picture in terms of absorbing or reflecting religious based extremism and ISIS the real power to stop it can be both effective inter-governmental cooperation and coordination with strong civil society support.   Keywords: security, Central Asia, extremism, ISIS;

scholarly journals Some Common Patterns of Islamic Revival in Post-Soviet Central Asia and Challenges to Develop Human Rights and Inclusive Society

Religions ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 11 (11) ◽  
pp. 548
Author(s):  
Galym Zhussipbek ◽  
Dilshod Achilov ◽  
Zhanar Nagayeva
Keyword(s):  
Human Rights ◽  
Central Asia ◽  
Soviet Period ◽  
Asian Countries ◽  
Islamic Revival ◽  
Central Asian ◽  
Central Asian Countries ◽  
State Actors ◽  
Soviet Central Asia ◽  
Inclusive Society

This paper argues that the following common patterns help explain the ongoing Islamic revival in Central Asia: (a) “de-modern” and “ethnicized” Islam as an enduring legacy of the Soviet period; (b) penetration of Salafism; (c) securitization of “non-official” Islam by state and non-state actors and (d) the rise of conservative Islam which goes hand in hand with retraditionalization. These factors, in their turn, pose serious challenges to developing inclusive society and human rights in Central Asian countries. This paper argues that the Islamic revival in Central Asian countries has come to the point when it can be analyzed under the prism, whether it impedes the development of inclusive society and human rights or not.

scholarly journals China’s interests in Central Asian economies

Human Affairs ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 30 (2) ◽  
pp. 239-252
Author(s):  
Lea Melnikovová
Keyword(s):  
Central Asia ◽  
Economic Consequences ◽  
Asian Countries ◽  
Substantial Impact ◽  
Chinese Investment ◽  
Central Asian ◽  
Belt And Road ◽  
Key Issues ◽  
Central Asian Countries ◽  
Soviet Central Asia

AbstractIn Post-Soviet Central Asia, China is emerging as one of the most influential players as a result of an overall increase in its global role. The Central Asian region forms a crucial part of the Belt and Road Initiative thanks to its strategic location and natural wealth. Relations between China and Central Asian countries have been developing very dynamically over the past two decades and China has had a substantial impact on the five economies. Although the Chinese approach is quite cautious regarding politics and security, there is much greater interest in the economic side, most significantly in energy and infrastructure. The purpose of this study is to explore the key issues behind China’s economic presence in the region and to determine subsequent challenges for Central Asian countries. The methodology consists of an analysis of Chinese investment characteristics in order to understand the economic consequences of the superpower’s involvement in Central Asia.

scholarly journals The COVID-19 Pandemic as a Challenge for Post-Soviet Central Asia Countries

2020 ◽  
Vol 11 (1) ◽  
pp. 114-128
Author(s):  
A. M. Akhunov
Keyword(s):  
Central Asia ◽  
Kyrgyz Republic ◽  
Asian Countries ◽  
State Of Emergency ◽  
Political Processes ◽  
Central Asian ◽  
Central Asian Countries ◽  
Soviet Central Asia ◽  
Spread Of Infection ◽  
The Impact

The coronavirus pandemic has a significant impact on socio-economic and political processes in Central Asia. The political specifics of the countries in the region affected the methods and approaches taken by the authorities of Kazakhstan, the Kyrgyz Republic, Uzbekistan, Tajikistan, and Turkmenistan to prevent the spread of infection. The article compares these approaches: from declaring a state of emergency and ordering a curfew to suppressing information about the spread of the epidemic. The impact of the pandemic on the relations of the Central Asian countries with Russia and the prospects for the development of Eurasian integration projects is also considered.

New European Union strategy for Central Asia

2020 ◽  
pp. 72-79
Author(s):  
S. Gavrilova
Keyword(s):  
European Union ◽  
Central Asia ◽  
Economic Cooperation ◽  
The European Union ◽  
Asian Countries ◽  
Energy Potential ◽  
High Importance ◽  
Central Asian ◽  
New Strategy ◽  
Central Asian Countries

For several decades, the European Union has been steadily increasing its presence in Central Asian countries. The EU's interests in the region are due to a number of reasons, including the desire to expand its influence in the Central Asian countries, the high importance of the region as a transit corridor between Europe and China, the prospects for economic cooperation, and the importance of the region's energy potential. In May 2019 The European Union has presented a new Strategy for Central Asia, designed to intensify cooperation in a number of areas of interaction. The new strategy is aimed at both implementing these interests and expanding cooperation in a number of other areas.

KAZAKHSTAN’S POSITION IN THE ECONOMIC COOPERATION WITH OTHER COUNTRIES OF CENTRAL ASIA

2021 ◽  
Vol 22 (2) ◽  
pp. 110-121
Author(s):  
Karlygash MUKHTAROVA ◽  
Yermukhambet KONUSPAYEV ◽  
Klara MAKASHEVA ◽  
Karim SHAKIROV
Keyword(s):  
Central Asia ◽  
Economic Model ◽  
Raw Materials ◽  
Economic Cooperation ◽  
Asian Countries ◽  
Regional Economic ◽  
Economic Relations ◽  
Central Asian ◽  
Central Asian Countries ◽  
Economic Ties

Improving the forms and mechanisms of regional economic integration, deepening the mutual understanding on the formation of an economically and politically secure integrated space, expanding trade and economic relations, elaborating joint actions to maintain regional peace and stability, creating a single information space are among the key areas that have become the basis of cooperation among the Central Asian region (CAR) states. The authors reveal the positive aspects of cooperation among the CAR countries—Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan, Turkmenistan, and Tajikistan. First and foremost, these include common historical roots, linguistic and cultural similarity, convenient geographical location and established economic ties, which allow the states of Central Asia (CA) to establish a deeper and more active understanding of each other, to solve economic and political problems related to finding and realizing domestic investment potential and expanding regional trade and economic ties. The joint establishment of international transport corridors and infrastructure will help reduce the transport costs for Central Asian countries that supply export products to external markets, which is an important area of ​​cooperation in Central Asia. In addition, the economic problems that exist among the regional countries largely determine the nature of relations between them. Future solution of problems determines the subsequent viability of the Central Asian Regional Economic Cooperation (CAREC) and the regional development prospects. Based on the use of economic research tools, the authors examine the problems caused by the COVID-19 pandemic and their impact on the state of trade and economic relations between the regional states. Post-crisis plans for economic recovery in the Central Asian countries will be developed and implemented in the context of the need to solve the present-day problems associated with the gradual lifting of quarantine measures. In this regard, the quickest possible transition of economies to an upward growth trajectory should launch the expansion of trade and economic cooperation and ties among the Central Asian countries. The authors emphasize the fact that another important problem within CAREC is the fact that CAR economies are dominated by raw materials, which does not solve the problems of reducing social inequality and improving the welfare of the regional population. For this reason, Kazakhstan, like other Central Asian countries, is currently in search of a new economic model. The transformation is crucial because the country needs to overcome its excessive long-term dependence on the export of oil and raw materials. The new economic model should be focused on further industrialization and diversification of the economy, on the search for new innovative approaches and development strategies.

scholarly journals EXPORT POSITIONS OF RUSSIA IN CENTRAL ASIA: REALITIES AND PROBLEMS

2021 ◽  
pp. 48-52
Author(s):  
M. M. Butakova ◽  
O. N. Sokolova
Keyword(s):  
Central Asia ◽  
Negative Impact ◽  
Russian Regions ◽  
Asian Countries ◽  
Economic Relations ◽  
Central Asian ◽  
Market Capacity ◽  
Central Asian Countries ◽  
The Russian Federation ◽  
State Of Affairs

The article is devoted to researching and assessing the state of affairs, identifying problems and prospects for Russia’s presence in the markets of Central Asian countries. The relevance of the problem is connected with the goals of maintaining the export positions of the Russian Federation in this market and with the goals of increasing the volume of non-resource non-energy exports. The authors investigated the dynamics and structure of world and Russian exports to the countries of Central Asia, highlighted the dominant commodity groups of Russian exports for each importing country. As a result of the study of the territorial aspect and the related specifics of trade and economic relations, it was concluded that a deeper study of export opportunities and prospects of Russian regions bordering on countries-importers of Russian products in Central Asia was made. The article outlines the problems of increasing competition in the markets of Central Asia and the negative impact on the prospects of Russian exports of falling incomes of the population and reducing market capacity due to the pandemic, the need to take a set of measures to maintain Russia’s competitive position in this market. As a result the studies of the problems of the development of Russian exports the authors came to the conclusion that it is mutually beneficial and promising, to increase the supply Russian products to the countries of Central Asia the need to find ways to increase its efficiency, and strengthen state support for non-resource non-energy exports.

scholarly journals Main Trends and Priority Directions in the Use of Communicative Technologies in Work with Students From the Countries of Central Asia (on the Results of Sociological Research)

2021 ◽  
Vol 27 (1) ◽  
pp. 201-207
Author(s):  
A. S. Yufereva ◽  
◽  
Iu. S. Kukharenko ◽  
Keyword(s):  
Central Asia ◽  
Social Institutions ◽  
Communication Technologies ◽  
Sociological Research ◽  
Cultural Environment ◽  
Asian Countries ◽  
State Institutions ◽  
Central Asian ◽  
Central Asian Countries

This article provides a systematization and specification of the established communication technologies used by Yekaterinburg universities, public and state institutions in order to adapt students to the academic and cultural environment. The study involved a group of methods, as a result of which the features of the use of communication technologies by universities, public and social institutions when interacting with students from Central Asian countries, as well as their subsequent adaptation to the educational, social, and cultural environment in general, were revealed.

Kazakstan and the Rest of Central Asia: Fifteen Shades of Difference

1998 ◽  
Vol 26 (3) ◽  
pp. 573-579 ◽  
Author(s):  
Michael Rywkin
Keyword(s):  
Central Asia ◽  
Past History ◽  
The Other ◽  
Geographic Position ◽  
Central Asian ◽  
Soviet Central Asia ◽  
Central Asian Republics

Kazakstan is both part of former Soviet Central Asia and yet stands apart in many respects. Its geographic position, past history and present development are unique for the area. It is significant that Soviet-era writings treated Kazakstan distinctly from the other four Central Asian republics. This essay is devoted to these differences.

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