12.00 -12.15 • Workshop opening
- Prof. Mark Bassin, CBEES, Södertörn University
- Ninna Mörner, Editor of the scholarly journal Baltic Worlds
12.15 - 13.45 • Panel 1 - Political and social transformation in Kazakhstan
Moderator: Yulia Gradskova, Södertörn University
Speakers:
- Didar Kassymova (Candidate of historical sciences, adjunct assistant professor of KIMEP University, leading researcher of C.C. Valikhanov Institute of History and Ethnology) - Role of Kazakhstan in the foreign policy of the USSR during the D.A. Kunayev times
- Nygmet Ibadildin (PhD, assistant professor, chair of the IR and RS department, KIMEP University) - Government and politics in Central Asia and Kazakhstan
- Gulnara Dadabayeva (Doctor of Historical Sciences, professor, KIMEP University) - Chinese Educational Diplomacy in Kazakhstan
Questions and discussion
13.45 -14.00 • Break
14.00 – 15.30 • Panel 2 - New Global Challenges and Regional Politics in Central Asia
Moderator: Edward Lemon (Oxus Society for Central Asian Affairs)
Speakers:
- Islomkhon Gafarov (Institute for Advanced International Studies Centre for Afghanistan and South Asian Studies, Senior Research Fellow) - Foreign Policy of Uzbekistan in Central Asia: Shift from Realism to Constructivism?
- Parviz Mullojonov (Independent Scholar) - Frozen transition: post-Soviet political-economic models in Central Asia and prospects for its reforming in the conditions of geopolitical and economic change.
- Swetlana Torno (Max Planck Institute for the Study of Religious and Ethnic Diversity) - Recent migration dynamics between Tajikistan and Russia: The role of Tajik older adults.
Questions and discussion
15.30-16.00 • Final Discussion
Participants:
- Akram Umarov (Institute of World Economy and Diplomacy)
- Edward Lemon (Oxus Society for Central Asian Affairs)
Participants’ abstracts
Islomkhon Gafarov, Institute for Advanced International Studies Centre for Afghanistan and South Asian Studies,Senior Research Fellow
Foreign Policy of Uzbekistan in Central Asia: Shift from Realism to Constructivism?,
The presentation is devoted to how Uzbekistan’s constructivist foreign policy contributed to fundamental changes in the Central Asian region. The main purpose of the article is to examine the transition from realpolitik to a constructivist approach in Uzbekistan, as well as in Central Asia in general. The author seeks to outline potential scenarios for future developments in the changing political landscape in the region. In the work, he reveals the significance of the school of constructivism, comparing it with other theories of international relations. According to him, this theory is the most suitable for explaining the current political status quo in the region. The key concepts in the article are identity, perception, ideology, culture and national interest.
In addition, the presentation provides a comprehensive analysis of the realistic foreign policies previously pursued by the Central Asian states. It also emphasizes the smooth transition to constructive diplomacy after the change of elites in the regional context. The author brings a constructivist approach to the Afghan perspective, highlighting its connection not only to security issues, but also to the ongoing economic development of the region. In conclusion, appropriate recommendations are given taking into account the orientation of Uzbekistan, which is located in the heart of Central Asia and has a direct impact on all geopolitical and socio-economic processes in the region.
Nygmet Ibadildin, PhD, assistant professor, chair of the IR and RS department, KIMEP University
Government and politics in Central Asia and Kazakhstan
This work explores the government and politics of Central Asia (CA) and Kazakhstan (KZ), focusing on governance structures, state-society relations, demography, regional development, geopolitical interests, economic policies, and regional alliances. Additionally, it delves into the concept of autocracy and its legitimation within the Kazakhstani context, examining characteristics, power concentration, and the absence of checks and balances inherent in autocratic systems. We analyze the various methods employed for legitimizing autocracy, including elections, alliances with elites and external actors, historical narratives, appeals to nationalism versus civil principles, religious endorsements, claims of economic development, and the portrayal of stability and security. It also discusses the interplay between propaganda and repressive measures in maintaining autocratic regimes.
Didar Kassymova, leading researcher, Ch.Ch. Valikhanov Institute of history and ethnology, didarkassymova87@gmail.com, didar@kimep.kz
Kazakhstan in the Soviet foreign policy: soft power
Kazakhstan as one of the union Soviet republics was employed by the USSR regime to fulfill a number of objectives: 1) to sell the developing countries the model of successful socialist transformation for peoples from the colonial periphery and encourage their leaders to follow the USSR- led global coalition; 2) promote the image of benevolent patron for newly liberated from colonial control peoples; 3) demonstrate visible economic, political and cultural achievements of Central Asia republics through the Kazakhstan’s case.
For Kazakhstan participation in the Soviet foreign policy agenda had a number of positive moments that became a valuable asset and experience after gaining independence in 1991.
The paper would explore the cases of the Kazakhstan’s representation in the Soviet Union cultural organized events in France, Austria and Denmark through the soft power theory implications.
Parviz Millojonov, independent scholar
Frozen transition: post-Soviet political-economic models in Central Asia and prospects for its reforming in the conditions of geopolitical and economic changes
The idea is to explore the specifics of the transition of post-Soviet countries towards a market economy, the main characteristics of the so-referred "post-Soviet politico-economic models" and prospects for their future reforming in Central Asia. The research questions are the following: to what degree the current political and economic models and power-sharing patterns could be sustainable in the current conditions of a rapidly changing geopolitical situation in the region, under the growing influence of the Russian-Ukrainian war? Whether economic and social challenges would force eventually local governments to proceed with economic reforms to adjust the existing models to the new challenges? And if yes, what would be the potential scale and format of the reforms?
Swetlana Torno, Max Planck Institute for the Study of Religious and Ethnic Diversity
Recent migration dynamics between Tajikistan and Russia: The role of Tajik older adults
Contrary to much initial assumptions, Russia’s full-scale invasion in Ukraine in February 2022 did not lead to a pronounced shift of Central Asian labour migrants’ destinations and the overall migration to Russia decreased only moderately (World Bank 2023). The number of Tajik migrants arriving in Russia even rose from 84,000 to 88,000 in the first six months of 2023 compared to the same period in 2022 (ibid). Moreover, since the amendments in Russia’s Law on Citizenship in 2019, a record number of Tajik nationals have been receiving Russian citizenship, i.e. more than 63 thousand in 2020, 103 thousand in 2021, and 173 thousand in 2022 (Bobokhojiev 2022; Nadirov & Mirzobekova 2023). Russia has for long served as the main destination country for migrant workers from Tajikistan, whose remittances annually constitute between 30 and 50 percent of the country’s GDP (World Bank 2022, 2023). And while Tajik migrants to Russia are usually men oscillating between the two states for decades to provide for the livelihood of left-behind family members, there are ever more families deciding to permanently relocate to Russia and Tajik citizens seeking a Russian passport. Older adults from Tajikistan have come to play a key role in the procurement of Russian citizenship to the generation of their children and grandchildren. Drawing from ethnographic fieldwork in Tajikistan since 2022 and an individual case study, this paper will shed light on Tajik migrants’ transgenerational citizenship practices and reflect them on them in light of Russia’s rapidly evolving migration management.
Cited sources:
Bobokhojiev, Muso (2022) In 2021, around 300 citizens of Tajikistan received Russian passport daily. Asia Plus, 22.04.2022. https://asiaplustj.info/ru/news/tajikistan/society/20220407/v-2021- godu-ezhednevno-okolo-300-grazhdan-tadzhikistana-poluchali-rossiiskii-pasport, accessed on 27.02.2024. Nadivor, Bakhmaner and Ramziia Mirzobekova (2023) Why a Tajik needs a Russian passport? Asia Plus, 22.02.2023. https://asiaplustj.info/ru/news/tajikistan/politics/20230222/zachemtadzhiku-rossiiskii-pasport, accessed on 27.02.2024. World Bank (2022) Migration and Development Brief 36 (May 2022). World Bank (2023) Migration and Development Brief 39 (December 2023)
