PUBL.- Social Research Center, AUCA
Posted by: Social Research Center <src@mail.auca.kg>
Publications and summaries of recent events from Social Research
Center (SRC) at American University of Central Asia (AUCA)
http://www.src.auca.kg
Articles Of Src Visiting Research Fellows
Group Identities and Political Conflict in Kyrgyzstan: Findings From the Field
By Alexander Wolters
For Kyrgyzstan and Central Asia in general, scholars usually refer to
clans, regional identity groups or, recently, local groupings, as the
main participants in struggles over political resources. Alexander
Wolter's article discusses these theoretical approaches and questions
their potential to explain current developments in Kyrgyzstan. This
report also presents empirical material that underlines his
hypotheses, which are: group identities have weakened in the course of
the last 15 years. Soviet mechanisms for reproducing group identity
ceased to exist and were not replaced by new ones (1). Less group
identities, but more (formal) institutional arrangements have an
impact on the development of conflicts (2). What we see today in
Kyrgyzstan is a process of the atomization of society, and this
probably holds true for some other Central Asian republics as well (3).
Full report in English can be found by the following link:
http://src.auca.kg/images/stories/files/report_alexander_wolters_group
_identities_eng.pdf
Muslim Life in Central Asia 1943 - 1985
By Eren Tasar
The period from World War II to the rise of Gorbachev saw important
changes in the realms of Islamic practice, education, and social and
moral norms in the Soviet Central Asia. In particular, the
establishment of four geographic "spiritual administrations" to
oversee and manage Muslim religious life in the Soviet Union in 1943,
the foundation of a special state committee to oversee the affairs of
non-Orthodox faiths in 1944, and the opening of the country's only
legal madrasah in 1945 (in Bukhara, Uzbekistan) inaugurated a new
chapter in the history of Islam in the Soviet Union. Subsequent
decades saw the professionalization of a legally registered,
ecclesiastical Islamic hierarchy affiliated with the party-state, as
well as the growth of unregistered networks of Islamic teachers and
prayer leaders. On a broader societal level, the increased prosperity
of the Khrushchev and Brezhnev years (1953-1982) witnessed important
social developments such as a sharp decrease in public observance of
Islamic rituals and strictures (the prohibition of pork and alcohol
consumption, for instance) and, in urban areas, a rise in interfaith marriage.
Full report in English can be found by the following link:
http://www.src.auca.kg/images/stories/files/report_eren_tasar_final_paper.pdf
Research Projects
MONOGRAPH: Review of the History of Rise and Development of the NGO
Sector in Kyrgyzstan
In spite of an over decade of rapid development of the NGO sector in
Kyrgyzstan, no consistent analysis or study of its development
environment, main stakeholders, or the factors affecting both external
and internal development environment ever took place. As of today,
there is little research available that gives comprehensive
description of the historic context for the development of the NGO
sector in the country. This study focuses on the history of NGO
development with an attempt to reveal better knowledge of the
fundamental aspects of the non-for-profit development in Kyrgyzstan.
Full report in English can be found by the following link:
http://src.auca.kg/images/stories/files/monography1_eng.pdf
Full report in Russian can be found by the following link:
http://src.auca.kg/images/stories/files/monography1_rus.pdf
Rountables, Presentations And Lectures
PRESENTATION OF SURVEY RESULTS: Kyrgyz Universities: Some Elements of
Corruption.
Consulting Company "DialectICON" of Bishkek presented the results of
survey "Kyrgyz Universities: Some Elements of Corruption". The survey
covered five large universities in Bishkek and aimed at determining
the level, scope and causes of bribery in these universities. Detailed
information on research methodology was provided, in addition.
Full report in Russian can be found by the following link:
http://src.auca.kg/images/stories/files/Survey%20Report%20final%2021%20Nov%2
02006.pdf
LECTURE: External and Internal Migration Processes in Kyrgyzstan: What
Are the Last Year Trends?
Bermet Moldobaeva, IOM/Kyrgyzstan Officer, in her lecture, focused on
how geopolitical location impacted internal migration processes in
Kyrgyzstan. She also described how unstable political situations in
neighboring countries, military campaigns in the south of the country,
ecological disasters and widespread unemployment inside the country
determines the priorities for the regulation of migration in
Kyrgyzstan. According to Ms. Moldobaeva, regulation of migration
processes is one of the most important challenges for the national
policy-making. She examined the prevailing trends observed in
migration in Kyrgyzstan over the last year.
Full report in Russian can be found by the following link:
http://src.auca.kg/images/stories/files/public_ss_bermet_moldobaeva_rus.pdf
LECTURE: Constitutional Reform in Kyrgyzstan: What Its Rapidity Can
Cause For the Country?
In the light of new amendments made to the constitution, Gulnara
Iskakova, Constitutional Law Expert, delivered a lecture on the
background of recent processes in designing revisions to the national
constitution. It was broadly viewed that the constitutional changes
made are the new source of controversy and conflicts in maintaining
the power sharing in Kyrgyzstan. Therefore, Gulnara Iskakova
questioned the legitimacy of major constitutional amendments adopted
and commented on possible impacts of these revisions on "check and
balance" system in the country in the short and long run.
Full report in English can be found by the following link:
http://src.auca.kg/images/stories/files/Constitutional_reform_in_KR_eng.pdf
Full report in Russian can be found by the following link:
http://src.auca.kg/images/stories/files/constitutional_reforms_rus.pdf
ROUNDTABLE: "Idea of Sovereign Democracy: To What Extent It Can Become
a Foundation for a State Ideology in Some Post-Soviet Countries?"
Roundtable aimed to discuss a recently published article by Vladislav
Surkov, Assistant to the President of the Russian Federation and
Deputy Head of the Office of the President of the Russian Federation.
The roundtable was focused on whether Surkov's ideas can become a
viable version of "national idea of the Russian Federation" and if
"sovereign democracy" can be a viable alternative to the Western-style
liberal democracy in some post-Soviet countries. The roundtable
participants also debated over the relevance of Surkov's ideas for
Central Asian countries.
Full report in Russian can be found by the following link:
http://src.auca.kg/images/stories/files/Roundtable_6_03_07_Surkov.pdf
ROUNDTABLE: Islam and Politics
Local scholars in the field of Islam, representatives of religious
bodies and government institutions debated over the positions of
government agencies and some politicians towards Islam, the impact of
Islam on the formation of internal and external policies in Kyrgyzstan
as well as interrelationship of secular and religious education in the country.
Full report in Russian can be found by the following link:
http://src.auca.kg/images/stories/files/roundtable_report_islam_politics.pdf
ROUNDTABLE: Symbols and Images of Kyrgyzstan
The roundtable entitled "Symbols and Images of Kyrgyzstan" pursued
the goal to examine the contemporary images of Kyrgyzstan by
identifying existing symbols (historical, literary, political, visual,
etc.), which are created and utilized by local elites and/or other
groups. The roundtable participants debated how these symbols are
perceived and interpreted by the general public. In particular, the
roundtable participants discussed the following issues: how the Kyrgyz
people comprehend and position themselves regionally and globally in
terms of social development; how other Central Asian countries and
other post-Soviet countries view Kyrgyzstan; whether the creation of
new symbols are necessary and why; and how we can build our future
path through the invented images.
Full report in English can be found by the following link:
http://src.auca.kg/images/stories/files/symbols_and_images_eng.pdf
Full report in Russian can be found by the following link:
http://src.auca.kg/images/stories/files/roundtable_simbols_kyrgyzstan_rus.pdf
Upcoming Events
In this section we inform you about our upcoming events. Some events
do not have details, but, please be posted by visiting our website on
regular basis. If you would like to attend any of the events, please
feel free to contact our staff at src@mail.auca.kg or call by: 663309 ext 276
APRIL 13, LECTURE:
New Tax Code in Kyrgyz Republic, Ministry of Finance
APRIL 27, ROUNDTABLE:
Secular and Religious Education in Kyrgyzstan: Problems and Prospects
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