Politics, Religion, and Conflict Online in Central Asia
Noah Tucker (Registan.net, and CAP associate)Sarah Kendzior (Al Jazeera and CAP associate) Courtney Ranson (Media research consultant) The Internet and social media are slowly beginning to revolutionize the Islamic marketplace of ideas for Central Asians. Similar to processes identified by scholars like Peter Mandaville in other contexts, Central Asia’s access to digital Islam has been delayed by… Continue reading Politics, Religion, and Conflict Online in Central Asia
Old’ and ‘New’ Political Islam
with Emmanuel Karagiannis, King's College, LondonDr. Emmanuel Karagiannis is a Senior Lecturer at the Department of Defence Studies, King’s College London. He was educated in Great Britain (London South Bank University, Reading University, Hull University) and the United States (University of Pennsylvania). He has travelled extensively throughout the Caucasus, Central Asia, and the Middle East… Continue reading Old’ and ‘New’ Political Islam
Regulating Religion in Central Asia
A Roundtable Discussion with Catherine Cosman, U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom Dillorom Abdulloeva, Human Rights Lawyer and Co-Founder and President of Tashabbus Mirakmal Niyazmatov, Lawyer and Co-Founder of Tashabbus Central Asian governments have incorporated their majority religions in efforts to define post-Soviet national identities. At the same time, however, they want to control growing levels of religious… Continue reading Regulating Religion in Central Asia
Islam in Eurasia
Eurasia is often a forgotten space on the radar of the public opinion and the policy community looking at the Islamic world. However, Eurasia offers diversity of Islamic traditions, including both Sunni and Shiite. Islam in Eurasia has been at the crossroads of many influences, interacting with Christianity, European secularism and Soviet atheism, as well… Continue reading Islam in Eurasia
From Empires of Faith to Nationalizations of Islam & the Globalization of Jihad in Central Asia
with Nazif Shahrani, Indiana University This seminar will discuss the versatility, uses and abuses of Islam as religion by the faithful and its various deployments by the political elites for establishing empires of faith, resisting colonialism, attempting to build nation-states and waging global jihad in the late 20th and early 21st centuries in Central Asia. More specifically… Continue reading From Empires of Faith to Nationalizations of Islam & the Globalization of Jihad in Central Asia
Regulation of Blogger’s Activity in Uzbekistan: Implications for Freedom of Religion and Belief
with Mirakmal Niyazmatov, Lawyer and Co-Founder of TashabbusIn September 2014, Uzbek government introduced amendments to the Law "On Informatization." The amendments imposed vague restrictions on blogging. Uzbek bloggers are now prohibited from disseminating information inciting national, racial, ethnic or religious hatred, as well as denigrating the honor and dignity of citizens. Furthermore, the amendments oblige bloggers to… Continue reading Regulation of Blogger’s Activity in Uzbekistan: Implications for Freedom of Religion and Belief
Shrine, State and Sacred Lineage in Modern Kazakhstan
with Ulan Bigozhin, Indiana UniversityMany scholars have argued that shrine veneration and respect for sacred lineages are essential parts of Islam in post-Soviet Central Asia because of their long history in the region; in other words, shrines and sacred lineages are important now because they were important in the past. In contrast Ulan’s research reveals contemporary… Continue reading Shrine, State and Sacred Lineage in Modern Kazakhstan
