Civil Society And Politics In Central Asia

Author : Charles E. Ziegler
Publisher : University Press of Kentucky
Page : 326 pages
File Size : 42,8 Mb
Release : 2015-02-27
Category : Political Science
ISBN : 9780813150796

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Civil Society and Politics in Central Asia by Charles E. Ziegler Pdf

The five Central Asian states of Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, and Turkmenistan constitute an area of increasing importance in global politics. The region currently serves as the main route for transporting American and NATO supplies and personnel into Afghanistan. Its Turkic Muslim peoples share ethnic and religious roots with China's Uighurs in neighboring Xinjiang, where some Uighurs have connections to the Taliban in Afghanistan and Pakistan, fueling Beijing's already acute fears of terrorism and separatism. Perhaps most importantly, the Caspian basin holds immense reserves of oil and natural gas. Countries rich in hydrocarbons—like Kazakhstan, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan—can benefit greatly from this wealth, but often they must rely on foreign companies (usually backed by foreign governments) to develop these resources. Revolts in Kyrgyzstan (in 2005 and 2010) and Uzbekistan (in 2005); Tajikistan's civil war (in the 1990s); and continued terrorist incidents (2010–2011), strikes, and suicide bombings in Kazakhstan (in 2011) have contributed to concerns about stability in the region. In Civil Society and Politics in Central Asia, a prominent group of scholars assesses both the area's manifold problems and its emerging potential, examining the often uneasy relationship between its states and the societies they govern. A meticulously in-depth study, the volume demonstrates the fascinating cultural complexity and diversity of Central Asia. Small, landlocked, and surrounded by larger powers, Central Asian nations have become adept at playing their neighbors against each other in order to maximize their own abilities to maneuver. The essays in this book look beyond the surface of Central Asian politics to discover the forces that are working for political change and continuity in this critical region of the world.

Author : M. Holt Ruffin,Daniel Waugh
Publisher : University of Washington Press
Page : 346 pages
File Size : 46,5 Mb
Release : 2011-05-01
Category : History
ISBN : 9780295800530

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Civil Society in Central Asia by M. Holt Ruffin,Daniel Waugh Pdf

Central Asia, known as the home of Tamerlane and the Silk Road, is a crossroads of great cultures and civilizations. In 1991 five nations at the heart of the region—Kazakstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan— suddenly became independent. Today they sit strategically between Russia, China, and Iran and hold some of the world’s largest deposits of oil and natural gas. Long-suppressed ethnic identities are finding new expression in language, religion, and occasional civil conflicts. Civil Society in Central Asia is a pathbreaking collection of essays by scholars and activists that illuminates the social and institutional forces shaping this important region’s future. An appendix provides a guide to projects being carried out by local and international groups.

Author : Timur Dadabaev,Murod Ismailov,Yutaka Tsujinaka
Publisher : Springer
Page : 186 pages
File Size : 51,6 Mb
Release : 2017-04-28
Category : Social Science
ISBN : 9781137522337

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Social Capital Construction and Governance in Central Asia by Timur Dadabaev,Murod Ismailov,Yutaka Tsujinaka Pdf

This cutting edge collection focuses on the nature of civil society and its role in facilitating governance in Central Asia, considering local implications related to the concept of social capital and civil society in the Uzbek context. It discusses the complexity of the notion of social capital in post-Soviet Uzbekistan, detailing the challenges and pressures facing the Uzbek people.Challenging prevailing views on post-Soviet political transitions, the book demonstrates that successful transition to democracy and rule of law cannot be accomplished unless the concerns, fears, frustrations and local understandings of the desired political system are heard, registered and carefully interpreted. Offering a comparative study of civil society and social capital in Asia, this collection is a key read not only for scholars and students in civil governance and post-soviet transitions, but also aid agencies, foreign governments, and international organisations working with civil society groups.

Author : Charles Buxton
Publisher : Unknown
Page : 0 pages
File Size : 50,9 Mb
Release : 2011
Category : Asia, Central
ISBN : 1565493001

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The Struggle for Civil Society in Central Asia by Charles Buxton Pdf

After the collapse of the Soviet Union, NGOs and civil society (CS) actors in Central Asia found themselves struggling to set up new organizations that would fight for democracy, sustainable development and social justice. It was a time of great hopes, disappointments and interrupted progress for a region largely neglected by the powerful global actors. The Struggle for Civil Society in Central Asia describes the gradual establishment of the CS sector in Central Asia despite the economic and social crises that marked the first decade of independence in the region. It shows how the neo-liberal policies of international agencies failed to spur progress in the 1990s and how national government control gradually re-asserted itself after 2000. The book also covers the effects of 9/11 on CS, the impact of colored revolutions and the challenges that civil society organizations face today.

Author : Bhavna Dave
Publisher : Unknown
Page : 404 pages
File Size : 41,6 Mb
Release : 2010
Category : Political Science
ISBN : STANFORD:36105215334090

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Politics of Modern Central Asia by Bhavna Dave Pdf

The focus for this set encompasses the region as a whole, as well as each individual country, comprising the Soviet legacy, cultural and social institutions, modern economic and political transition, and geopolitics and security.

Author : Kirill Nourzhanov,Sebastien Peyrouse
Publisher : Rowman & Littlefield
Page : 293 pages
File Size : 41,6 Mb
Release : 2021-05-25
Category : History
ISBN : 9781793650788

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Soft Power in Central Asia by Kirill Nourzhanov,Sebastien Peyrouse Pdf

Central Asia often evokes images of imperial power rivalry dating back to the 19th century. Yet as the region’s international politics becomes more complex in the age of globalization, the need for new ways of looking at its many actors is more pressing than ever. Today even the traditional great powers rely increasingly on subtle forms of influence to augment their military might and economic clout in order to achieve their objectives in Central Asia. Bearing this in mind, Soft Power in Central Asia examines the patterns of attraction and persuasion that help shape the political choices of countries in the region. Starting with an investigation of soft power projection by the US, Russia and China, it sheds light on normative transfer and public diplomacy of the European Union, Turkey and Israel, and concludes with a discussion of the Central Asian republics’ active stance in the competition for the hearts and minds. Containing original chapters contributed by leading experts in the field, the volume will appeal to scholars and professionals with interest in international relations, political science and Central Asian studies.

Author : Amanda E Wooden,Christoph H. Stefes
Publisher : Routledge
Page : 282 pages
File Size : 47,5 Mb
Release : 2009-06-08
Category : Political Science
ISBN : 9781134207459

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The Politics of Transition in Central Asia and the Caucasus by Amanda E Wooden,Christoph H. Stefes Pdf

Most books on the Caucasus and Central Asia are country-by-country studies. This book, on the other hand, fills a gap in Central Eurasian studies as one of the few comparative case study books on Central Eurasia, covering both the Caucasus and Central Asia; it considers key themes right across the two regions highlighting both political change and continuity. Comparative case study chapters, written by regional experts from a variety of methodological backgrounds, provide historical context, and evaluate Soviet political legacies and emerging policy outcomes. Key topics include: the varied types and sources of authoritarianism; political opposition and protest politics; predetermined outcomes of post-Soviet economic choices; social and stability impacts of natural resource wealth; variations in educational reform; international norm influence on gender policy and the power of human rights activists. Overall, the book provides a thorough, up-to-date overview of what is increasingly becoming a significant area of concern.

Author : Viktoria Akchurina
Publisher : Springer Nature
Page : 350 pages
File Size : 44,5 Mb
Release : 2022-10-19
Category : Political Science
ISBN : 9783031141829

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Incomplete State-Building in Central Asia by Viktoria Akchurina Pdf

This book is about transformation of the state and an incomplete state-building. It defies the transitology assumption of continuity, linearity and dichotomy of formal and informal in the transformation of the state. Contrary to the conventional approaches, it claims that any social order or its political scaffolding, the state, is always incomplete and we need to develop cognitive maps to better understand that incompleteness. It reflects on the social practices, processes and patterns that evolve as a non-linear result of three sets of factors: those that are historical, external, and elite-driven. Three Central Asian states - Uzbekistan, Tajikistan, and Kyrgyzstan - are examined here comparatively as case studies, as Central Asia represents an interesting terrain to challenge conventional understanding of the state. Specifically, the book captures a paradox at hand: how come three states, which made different political, economic, cultural, and social choices at the outset of their independence in the 1990s, have ended up as so-called “weak states” in the 2000s and onwards? This puzzle can be better understood through looking at the relationship among three main sets of factors that shape state-building processes, such as history, external actors, and local elites. This book applies an interdisciplinary approach, combining political anthropology, political economy, sociology, and political science. It helps conceptualize and understand social and political order beyond the “failed state” paradigm

Author : Janice Giffen
Publisher : Unknown
Page : 197 pages
File Size : 51,8 Mb
Release : 2005
Category : Asia, Central
ISBN : 1897748752

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The Development of Civil Society in Central Asia by Janice Giffen Pdf

This book considers the applicability and use of civil society, both as a concept and in practice, in Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan. The volume examines whether civil society organisations (CSOs) are a progressive force for change, or a safety net. Various forms of CSOs are investigated: NGOs and community based organisations, trade unions, political parties and religious groups, as well as more long-standing soviet and traditional institutions and practices. The book contains lessons and perspectives about civil society growth across time, and considers future directions.

Author : John Anderson
Publisher : Routledge
Page : 126 pages
File Size : 54,8 Mb
Release : 2013-10-11
Category : Political Science
ISBN : 9781134413300

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Kyrgyzstan by John Anderson Pdf

Born out of the collapse of the USSR, Kyrgyzstan has been notable for its struggle to develop a pluralist polity and free market, an attempt that distinguishes it from some of its more authoritarian neighbors. This volume introduces students and businessmen to this most attractive of republics, offering an overview of its history, politics, economic development, and place in the international community. In particular, it focuses on the problematic nature of political development, with democratic and pluralist impulses struggling to survive against the dominance of more traditional forms of governance.

Author : United States. Congress. House. Committee on International Relations. Subcommittee on the Middle East and Central Asia
Publisher : Unknown
Page : 66 pages
File Size : 41,8 Mb
Release : 2006
Category : Political Science
ISBN : STANFORD:36105050429955

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U.S. Policy in Central Asia by United States. Congress. House. Committee on International Relations. Subcommittee on the Middle East and Central Asia Pdf

Author : Vladimir Fedorenko
Publisher : Rethink Institute
Page : 27 pages
File Size : 49,7 Mb
Release : 2012
Category : Asia, Central
ISBN : 9781938300011

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Central Asia by Vladimir Fedorenko Pdf

"Recently there was a wave of celebration of the 20th anniversary of independence in all Central Asian states, yet their nation building process is not complete and the perception of the national identity is still distorted. By its nature national identity should bring people together and unite them around common values and goals, in Central Asian states, however; national identity, conceived on ethnic basis, is a divisive force fragmenting people along the lines of ethnicity, religion, language, birth place, and social status. After the collapse of the Soviet Union, Central Asian republics--Kazakhstan, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan, Tajikistan and Kyrgyzsta--faced the difficult task of state- and nation-building. Although every Central Asian nation had its own challenges determined by its geography, ethnic and cultural composition, availability of natural resources and other factors, all of them faced same complexity that hindered the attaining of unity in those countries. As a result of abrupt dissolution of the Soviet Union, politically unstable, economically weak and interdependent, institutionally unprepared, and socially disorientated Central Asian states were in a serious crisis. In order to forge a new national identity, the political elites in all five Central Asian states decided to implement a nation building policy based on ethnicity. Ethnic nationalism was convenient and promising strategy capable of providing a sense of stability by uniting majority groups around the common and powerful link of ethnicity. In order to increase people's attachment to these new national identities, attractive myths regarding ethnic identities were created. In all of the Central Asian countries, the strategy of creating a national myth was similar. It consisted of rewriting history in order to show a strong attachment of the majority group to the present geographical location of the country as well as of choosing a historical figure that boosted the national pride of the dominant ethnic group. Consequently, Uzbeks have been putting emphasis on being successors of the famous conqueror Tamerlane who established Timurid Empire, Kyrgyz have been promoting the image of the mythical hero Manas, and Tajiks have been rediscovering their history that was linked to the Samanid Empire ruled by Ismail Samani, Kazakhs have been promoting nomadic culture and traditions, and Turkmens have been focusing on the Turkmen spiritual leader Magtymguly Pyragy. However, an important barrier to the nation building process around single ethnicity is the fact that most Central Asian states are multiethnic and multicultural societies. Thus, while ethnic nationalism provides the majority group a sense of belonging to the nation, minority ethnic groups in Central Asia do not easily embrace this new national identity and feel excluded from the nation building process. Moreover, majority ethnic groups also realize their dominance and often treat minorities unjustly. This creates tension and conflicts among the different ethnic groups. This paper addresses the question of how Central Asian societies can move away from divisive to inclusive form of nationalism"--Summary.

Author : Vladimir Tismaneanu
Publisher : M.E. Sharpe
Page : 426 pages
File Size : 52,8 Mb
Release : 1995
Category : Business & Economics
ISBN : 1563243652

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Political Culture and Civil Society in Russia and the New States of Eurasia by Vladimir Tismaneanu Pdf

First Published in 1998. Routledge is an imprint of Taylor & Francis, an Informa company.

Author : Marlene Laruelle,Johan Engvall
Publisher : Lexington Books
Page : 289 pages
File Size : 50,8 Mb
Release : 2015-12-03
Category : History
ISBN : 9781498515177

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Kyrgyzstan beyond "Democracy Island" and "Failing State" by Marlene Laruelle,Johan Engvall Pdf

Kyrgyzstan is probably the best known of any central Asian country, the one that has elicited the most academic publications, reports by NGOs or advocacy groups, and op-eds in the media. The country opened up massively to Western influence through development aid for civil society and for economic reforms, faced two revolutions in 2005 and 2010, and experienced bloody interethnic conflict in 2010. Kyrgyzstan is therefore commonly studied as a twin case: that of having been, for more than two decades, both an “island of democracy” in Central Asia—and the only country of the region to have made the transition to a parliamentary regime—and the archetypical example of a “failing state,” one marked by endemic corruption, criminalization of the state apparatus, and collapse of public services. This volume goes beyond these two clichés and provides a research-based and unideological narrative on the country. It identifies political dynamics, their powerbrokers, and the role of international organizations; investigates the profound social transformations of both the rural and the urban worlds; and examines the broad feeling, by local actors, that Kyrgyzstan’s fragile state identity should be consolidated. This book gives the floor to the new generation of scholars whose long-term vernacular-language field research made it possible to provide new interpretative prisms for the complex evolution of Kyrgyzstan.

Author : United States. Congress. House. Committee on International Relations. Subcommittee on the Middle East and South Asia
Publisher : Unknown
Page : 64 pages
File Size : 48,6 Mb
Release : 2006
Category : Asia, Central
ISBN : PSU:000058792223

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U.S. Policy in Central Asia by United States. Congress. House. Committee on International Relations. Subcommittee on the Middle East and South Asia Pdf