Religious Extremism in Kazakhstan: From Criminal Networks to Jihad

Central Asia Fellowship Papers No. 15, February 2016

By Serik Beissembayev

Serik Beissembayev is a sociologist at the “Strategy” Center for Social and Political Studies (Almaty, Kazakhstan). He received his M.A. in sociology from Al-Farabi Kazakh National University. In 2014-2015 he was a fellow of the Bolashak International Scholarship of the President of the Republic of Kazakhstan and of the Soros Foundation Kazakhstan Public Policy Initiative. He has extensive experience in planning and concept development of sociological investigations. He is an author of several analytical publications on social and political issues in Kazakhstan, and he currently conducts research on Kazakh nationalism.