Cinema Club Film Screening: The Needle
Directed by Rashid Nugmanov (Kazakhstan, 1988) In the bleak filmscape of glasnost, The Needle stood out as a black sheep of a movie. The most playful and offbeat of the Soviet films of the period, it contrasted sharply to the mainstream, which was overwhelmed with revisionism of the Stalinist past and nihilistic social criticism. A… Continue reading Cinema Club Film Screening: The Needle
Hydrocarbons, Governance and Social Accountability in Russia and Central Asia
1:00-2:00pm Keynote Speaker Marc-Antoine Perouse de Montclos (French Institute of Geopolitics, University Paris 8, France) Oil and Social Accountability in Russia 2:00-3:30pm Session 1. Hydrocarbons and Governance in Eurasia Sergei Gretsky (Foreign Service Institute) Kazakhstan Seeks to Avoid Resource Curse Peter Rutland (Wesleyan University) Can Russia Escape The Oil Curse? 3:30-4:00pm Coffee break 4:00-5:30pm Session… Continue reading Hydrocarbons, Governance and Social Accountability in Russia and Central Asia
Prospects for Regional Integration in Central Asia
12:00-12:30pm Lunch 12:30pm Opening remarks. DCM Yerkin Akhinzhanov, Kazakhstan Embassy in the United States Fatema Z. Sumar, Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for South and Central Asia Affairs at the U.S. Department of State 1:00-2:30pm. Session I. Regional Integration Projects, Divergences and Challenges Moderator: Margarita Assenova (Jamestown Foundation) Sumona Guha (Policy Planning Staff, U.S. Department… Continue reading Prospects for Regional Integration 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
Cinema Club Film Screening: Pure Coolness
Directed by Ernest Abdyjaparov (Kyrgyzstan, 2007) Asema gets engaged to Murat and the two go to Murat's hometown, where the traditional Kyrgyzstani culture remains. One day, Asema learns of a plan to kidnap his bride for a shepherd called Sagyn. The film comically depicts the "marriage by abduction" that continues to happen in the countryside of… Continue reading Cinema Club Film Screening: Pure Coolness
Between Co-operation and Insulation: Afghanistan’s Relations with the Central Asian Republics
with Dr. Christian Bleuer, Afghanistan Analysts NetworkChristian Bleuer will give a presentation based on recent field research and his Afghanistan Analysts Network report "Between Co-operation and Insulation: Afghanistan’s Relations with the Central Asian Republics." The main focus will be on the real and imagined trans-national security threats in this region that cross the Afghan border in… Continue reading Between Co-operation and Insulation: Afghanistan’s Relations with the Central Asian Republics
First Turkmen Culture Club
Turkmenistan's rich culture is less well-known than those great empires who contributed to it, but Turkmenistan has produced its own fascinating - though under-appreciated - art, music, literature, and cinema. The Turkmen Culture Club welcomes you to explore and experience the creole of deep, desert-isolated nomadic heritage, the ‘Lost Enlightenment’ of Islamic Central Asia, and… Continue reading First Turkmen Culture Club
Re-imagining “post-Soviet” Central Asia: The role of the GCC and articulating geopolitical identities through capital cities.
With Natalie Koch,Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs, Syracuse UniversityIn the newly independent states of Central Asia, geopolitical practices and affinities cannot be understood in isolation from their Soviet heritage. However, after nearly 25 years since the collapse of the USSR, this near-automatic explanation of contemporary politics in terms of Soviet legacies is no longer… Continue reading Re-imagining “post-Soviet” Central Asia: The role of the GCC and articulating geopolitical identities through capital cities.
Police in Afghanistan: Continuing the Mission and Defining the Future
with Major General Masood Ahmad Azizi, MoI Deputy Minister for Strategy and Policy Police are the long-term security solution to targeting the enablers of insurgency and criminals Securing the public's trust by the police is essential to defeating insurgents Securing and retaining the public's trust requires continued police professionalization
Enclaves in the post-Communist Central Asia: Do good fences make good neighbors?
with Rashid Gabdulhakov, Visiting Fellow, Central Asia Program, GWU The collapse of a state as large and diverse as the USSR inevitably led to disputes over natural and industrial resources, but also over borders. In the Ferghana Valley, divided between Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan, several territorial units are located in other states. They are referred to as… Continue reading Enclaves in the post-Communist Central Asia: Do good fences make good neighbors?
Kazakh security policy and its position as a vanguard for East-West cooperation
with Dr. Marcel de Haas, Professor, Nazarbayev University This presentation first describes the foundations of Kazakh security policy, i.e. the key security-related documents, especially the Law on National Security, the Military Doctrine and the Foreign Policy Concept, and the policy aspects derived from them. Next, the different actors in the regional and global security arena –… Continue reading Kazakh security policy and its position as a vanguard for East-West cooperation
Cinema Club Film Screening: Days Gone By (O’tgan kunlar/Minuvshie dni)
Directed by Yuldash Azgamov (Uzbekistan, 1969) In partnership with the Uzbekistan Embassy in Washington, DC Central Asia Program and the Uzbekistan Embassy are happy to invite you to attend the screening of Days gone by (O'tgan kunlar / Minuvshie dni) by Yuldash Azgamov. Azgamov is widely regarded as one of the founders of the Uzbek… Continue reading Cinema Club Film Screening: Days Gone By (O’tgan kunlar/Minuvshie dni)
The Curious Rise and Development of Central Asian Nationalisms
with Dr. Russell Zanca, Northeastern Illinois University This presentation examines scholarly notions about post-Soviet Central Asia’s future close to the the time of the Soviet dissolution. Given the rather different outcome for Central Asian states over the past quarter century, the author claims that Central Asian states have articulated curious nationalisms that concurrently militate against… Continue reading The Curious Rise and Development of Central Asian Nationalisms
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
VISIONS OF UZBEKISTAN
"Visions of Uzbekistan" is an exhibition sponsored in partnership with the Embassy of Uzbekistan which will run from January 8, 2015 - February 7, 2015.Uzbekistan is located at the heart of Central Asia, neighboring world civilizations such as China, Persia, and India, and connecting to the Turkic world and to Europe via Russia. The territory of modern Uzbekistan hosted the prestigious ancient civilizations of Bactria, Sogdiana, Parthia and Khorezm and was traversed by caravans carrying precious… Continue reading VISIONS OF UZBEKISTAN
Assessing the Capabilities of Central Asian Armies
11:00-12:30pm Panel I. Roundtable. Assessing Security Threats to Central Asia Chair: Sebastien Peyrouse (IERES, GWU) Clark Adams (Department of Defense) Alexander Cooley (Barnard College, Columbia University) Roger Kangas (Near East South Asia Center for Strategic Studies, National Defense University) Marlene Laruelle (IERES, GWU) Scott Smith (United States Institute of Peace) 12:30-1:30pm Lunch 1:30-3:00pm Panel II.… Continue reading Assessing the Capabilities of Central Asian Armies
Cinema Club Film Screening: Hasan Arbakesh
Directed by Boris Kimiagarov (Tajikistan, 1965)Hasan is young and handsome, he is strong and knows what he needs in life and love, in addition to that, inspires him. But then changes come to his life and to the lives of his nation — new power starts to dictate their rules.
Eurasia’s Future and the role of the United States
Join us to honor the memory of author and scholar Alexandros Petersen (1984-2014), killed in Kabul on January 17. With Margarita Assenova (Jamestown Foundation), Stephen J.Blank (American Foreign Policy Council), Samuel Charap (International Institute for Strategic Studies), Ariel Cohen (Heritage Foundation), and Matthew Rojansky (Kennan Institute) On January 17, 2014, an attack on a restaurant was launched in Kabul, murdering 21… Continue reading Eurasia’s Future and the role of the United States
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
The Fourth Central Asia Fellowship Seminar
11:00am Opening Remarks Marlene Laruelle (Central Asia Program, IERES, GWU) and Chantal De Jonge Oudraat (Women in International Security, WIIS) 11:15am Natalia Zakharchenko (Kyrgyzstan) Quotes on Quotas: Political Representation of Women in Kyrgyzstan Discussant: Christina Fink (George Washington University) 11:45 Marina Kayumova (Uzbekistan) Emigration of “Crème de la crème” in Uzbekistan. Long-term consequences from a gender perspective Discussant:… Continue reading The Fourth Central Asia Fellowship Seminar
The First Bolashak Seminar
9:00am Opening Remarks.Marlene Laruelle (Central Asia Program, IERES, GWU) 9:15-10:00 Panel 1. Societal transformations in Kazakhstan Serik Beissembayev (Social Found “Centre for Social and Political Studies Strategy”) Symbolic Boundaries of Ethnic Identity as an Issue for Nationbuilding in Kazakhstan Zhaslan Nurbaev (Kazakh University of the Humanities and Law, Astana) Regional Opinions on the Threat of Religious… Continue reading The First Bolashak Seminar
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
Cinema Club Film Screening: Land of the Fathers
Directed by Shaken Aimanov (Kazakhstan, 1966) An old man decides to look for his dead son and bring his corpse back to bury him in the land of his ancestors; his son, a Kazak soldier, was killed in action somewhere in Russia. Along with his grand-son, they go across the country and discover the harsh… Continue reading Cinema Club Film Screening: Land of the Fathers
Religion, State and Secularism in Eurasia… and Beyond
This seminar will explore state-sponsored secularism in the Eurasian continent, and how the authorities use the concept of the separation of state and religion to consolidate authoritarian policies. It looks at Russia, Central Asia and China, comparing them with the Middle-East. In the name of state secularism, Islamic communities are prohibited from interfering in politics,… Continue reading Religion, State and Secularism in Eurasia… and Beyond
