CASG Meeting: Encountering Central Asia

At last month's CASG meeting, held on 13 May, members shared their initial encounters in Central Asia, with the view to opening up a discussion on the lived realities and everyday politics in Central Asia. Dr Aptin Khanbaghi , Senior Researcher at AKU-ISMC shared his experiences of a recent visit to Tajikistan, discussing his observations of the local people, foreigners, landscape, food, built environment and gender relations. In particular he noted the degree to which shared language – as a social code – transforms experiences of visiting Central Asia, allowing higher levels of interaction and greater access to informal and unofficial presentations of the reality of daily life.

Others also contributed their perceptions daily life in Central Asia, including for example, the centrality and density of kin networks, high levels of hospitality and openness, experiences of hostility, suspicion or exploitation of foreigners/tourists, perceptions of certain cultural qualities (gentleness) and attitudes, the sense of pride in local heritage, different perceptions of gender relations, and identity markers that characterise inter-ethnic relations. Discussions included the relative lack of infrastructure and resources as well as the issue of scale for ‘outsiders’ visiting Central Asia – particularly in relation to socio-economic scales and relative wealth. It seemed in many of the initial impressions there was an ongoing tension between tendencies to reify Central Asian cultures and attempts to more deeply understand their socio-cultural realities.

AKF Co-sponsors Conference on “Good Governance in Central Asia”

A conference on “Good Governance in Central Asia” was held on 29-30 May, 2009 in Dushanbe, Tajikistan. The conference was jointly organised by Central Asia Project of the University of Giessen and Aga Khan Foundation. Representatives from Majlisi namoyandagon of Majlisi Oli of the Republic of Tajikistan, Strategic Research Centre under the President of Republic of Tajikistan, Academy of Sciences of Tajikistan, Institute of Economic Research, international donors and organisations and local non-governmental organisations were among the participants. Speakers of the conference also included prominent scholars from Germany, Russia, Kyrgyzstan, Kazakhstan, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan.

The two day conference consisted of three panels – ‘Concept of Good Governance’, Good Governance and Socio-Economic Development’ and Good Governance and the Political System. The discussion of the conference highlighted broader definitions of ‘Good Governance’, the experience of Germany and other countries in its establishment, and how to adopt such practice taking into consideration the mentality, culture and history of Central Asian Countries.

The conference brought together not only participants from different countries, but also scholars, researches and practitioners from various fields including politicians, sociologists, economists, historians and members from various NGO’s and Civil Society Organisations both within and outside the country.

While explaining the field of governance, the discussion also touched upon common issues faced by different countries related to the understanding of civil society, fighting against corruption and other current problems. The importance of regional cooperation between European countries, as shared by the German presenters, was proposed as a way for a better development for the Central Asian countries. Suggestions were also made to have a continuity of this discussion on themes such as “Enabling Environment for Investment’.

For further information contact the Husnoro Dodikhudoeva, AKF Tajikistan, husnoro.dodikhudoeva@akdn.org

Music from Central Asia

Link TV offers stunning documentaries on music from Central Asia, part of a project of the Aga Khan Music Initiative in Central Asia (Aga Khan Trust for Culture) and the Smithsonian Institution Centre for Folklife and Cultural Heritage.

See for example mountain music from Krygyzstan, a documentary on Badakhshan Ensemble from the Pamir Mountains in Tajikistan, the Shashmaqam style of court music, and on the Afghan rubab player Homayun Sakhi, among many others. Well worth a watch!

Thank you very much to Zayra for alerting us to this.

Challenges for the Study of post-Soviet Islam - Professor John Schoeberlein

On 7 May Professor John Schoeberlein, Director of the Program on Central Asia and the Caucasus at the Davis Center for Russian and Eurasian Studies, Harvard University presented at the Institute for Ismaili Studies, on the Conceptual Challenges for the Study of post-Soviet Islam. The discourses surrounding Islam in Central Asia, and the way it is percieved and constructed by scholars, governments and the mass media were discussed. It was noted that the majority of literature on Islam in Central Asia relates to whether it is dangerous/radical or not.

We welcome other comments and impressions from those who attended Dr Schoeberlein's presentation.

For more information on Professor Schoeberlein please the Program on Central Asia and the Caucasus website. This website also hosts the Central Asian Studies Worldwide network, a rich source of information on research projects, resources, tools and academics involved in research on Central Asia.

A Discussion of Youth, Education and Empowerment in Central Asia

Dr Abbas’s presentation entitled Youth Empowerment in Central Asia: Deciphering the data from Tajikistan, at the 22 April meeting, discussed the challenges and possibilities for youth empowerment from the perspective of formal education and employment in Tajikistan, and continued with the theme of 'empowerment’ and its possible meanings and practices in Central Asia.

Dr Abbas provided an overview of the country profile and demographics, and focused in particular on the current state of the education sector. It was noted that there are strong statistical indicators for high levels of literacy (99.5% or 9th in UN country rankings), participation and structural resources in Tajikistan. However, he also argued that the statistics masked other challenges undermining young people’s ability to participate and achieve in education and economic sector: a shortage of teachers, high drop-out rates, out-migration and the lack of opportunities in the labour market all had significant impacts.

The lack of employment opportunities for youth leaving the education system was also discussion. It was noted that high numbers of young people completing their education were jobless. This is exacerbated by an overall demographic increase in 15-29 year olds – a ‘youth bulge’ – which was particularly pronounced in rural areas. This was compounded by a lack of agricultural land (only 6.52% of Tajikistan is arable land), and thus employment opportunities in rural areas. It was argued that despite the high levels of literacy – an important asset for the country – this human intellectual potential has been under-utilized in the economic sector. It was noted that youth often feel constrained, feel they have few prospects, and have low levels of mobilization, which is in turn eroding social capital. Wider negative repercussions of this situation on society were also examined.

Dr Abbas argued that there is a fundamental imbalance between the economic sectors ability to exploit the capacity of the education sector, which is influenced by a number of structural and other factors. It was suggested that the purpose and outcome of educational institutions and qualifications need to have greater synergy with young people’s capabilities, and potential contribution to the economy.

Dr Abbas recommended using an empowerment approach to address this situation: combining agency (an actor’s knowledge assets and ability to exploit economic, social and political opportunities) and opportunity (the institutional context in society that constrains or allows individuals’ to transform their agency into action). In practice, this would focus on education that was: needs-based; approach-based; enabled capacities; assured marketability and skills in demand, and was oriented towards purpose, change, creativity and solutions.

Group discussion following the presentation brought up a number of questions: the degree to which youth themselves strive for empowerment; the level of continuity between pre- and post-Soviet times (for example, in relation to teachers’ attitudes, and in relation to the level of social capital); and what measures were being used to address the lack of economic stimulation.

Dr Abbas noted that the attitudes of students and teachers ranged in the degree to which they strove for empowerment, and their responses could be categorised as either back-ward looking, forward-looking or those who see themselves in a place of uncertainty or limbo. Regarding initiatives to reinvigorate the economy, Dr Abbas pointed out that many served as ‘band aids’, rather than addressing the underlying dynamics of the economic and education sectors. He advocated for both a more pragmatic assessment of the situation, and for the need to set standards by which to measure levels of empowerment.

Other comments included the importance of historicising and contextualising the lack of social capital in relation to the wider political and economic discourses such as neo-liberalism. It was asked whether the model of tailoring education in response to work skills gaps was the most effective model, given its lack of success in other, ‘Western’ contexts. In particular, the relevance and efficacy of the current discourse that links education to social ascension was questioned, particularly in light of the current global economic crisis. It was suggested that social entrepreneurship and a greater emphasis on social capital could be explored as an effective way of dealing with the current imbalance. Member’s impressions of the impacts of the current financial crisis on everyday life in Tajikistan were also discussed.

If you would like any further information about Dr Abbas's presentation, please contact NAbbas@iis.ac.uk.

Land reform and the emergence of Mullah Farmers in Post -Soviet Central Asia

The second session of the Central Asia Study Group was held on 11 March. We were very fortunate to have Dr Habiba Fathi, Research Fellow at the AKU-ISMC present on the topic of Land reform and the emergence of Mullah Farmers in Post -Soviet Central Asia.

Dr Fathi has conducted extensive fieldwork in parts of Uzbekistan, Tajikistan, and Kyrgyzstan, as well as South Kazakhstan. She is currently interested in the expressions of Islam in post-Soviet Central Asia in relation to land reform. Please see the ISMC website for more information and publications by Dr Fathi.

Dr Fathi spoke about the political, economic and agrarian transformations in Post-Soviet Central Asia, in particular, focusing on the emergence of a new class of mullah farmers who became the principle beneficiaries of the land reforms following the collapse of the Soviet Union. Using three case studies from Tajikistan, Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan, Dr Fathi argued that traditional sociabilities and solidarity networks were central in the process of land reform. For a more detailed description of this paper, click here.

In response to questions following her presentation, Dr Fathi agreed that the emerging structure could be likened to a form of ‘neo-feudalism’. Lively discussion ensued which touched on a variety of topics including: the continuities between Soviet and Post-Soviet Central Asia , the perspective of rural dwellers (former kolkhozniki and sovkhozniki) who were mainly excluded in this process of land allocation, the conflicts between ethnic minority groups in relation to land, the role of religion in these networks, and possible spaces of civil society.

NEXT STUDY GROUP MEETING: WEDNESDAY 22 APRIL

At our next meeting, we look forward to a presentation by Dr Najam Abbas on Youth Empowerment in Central Asia: Deciphering the Data from Tajikistan.

Abstract: Many publications coming out of the non-governmental sector convey a feel good effect regarding the number of NGOs established in Central Asian countries and contributions made to uplift the status of youth in those countries. All this is desirable and merits much encouragement. In terms of NGOs established so far, admirable achievement has been made. Instead of celebrating that as an end, efforts need to ponder over the sustainability of the process by developing criteria that can allow an expansion to youth’s ability to have choices, exercise and benefit from the outcome of their choices.

Moreover, there is a need to determine how the emerging trends will impact the growing generation in Central Asia both in short and long term perspective: The sections of the economy are growing disproportionately and are insufficient to generate enough jobs on their own. A steady rise in labour force with an uneven and unsteady rise in job opportunities is bringing social pressures and economic hardships. Many young men leaving their villages in such big numbers that it will alter demographic and social balance in the long run. No doubt organizations and individuals involved in fostering civic developments face competing demands and pressures on their work. They constantly need to make difficult decisions, weigh trade-offs, and define and pursue their interests.

Those who take academic and professional interest in contributing towards empowerment of Central Asian youth need to suggest measures to safeguard and strengthen vital pre-requisites of empowerment such as representation, ownership, decision making power, ensuring voice and weight to the young men and women in the coming years through building gender capacities and facilitating youth's contribution to the civil society.

About the Speaker:
Dr. Najam Abbas is a Research Fellow, Central Asian Studies at The Institute of Ismaili Studies. Based on hundreds of interviews conducted during extensive fieldwork between 2003 and 2007, he produced three studies covering a broad range of social development issues: (1) Prospects of and Perils to Civil Society in Central Asia, (2) Conditions Contributing/Contravening Social Capital Creation in Mountainous Tajikistan and (3) Value Perceptions, Academic Preferences & Career Choices of Youth in Mountainous Central Asia.

Nine years of constant stay in Central Asia (1993-2002) for education and work helped Dr. Najam Abbas learn about that complex region from within. In 1998, he completed his PhD from Tajik National University, based on his post-graduate research on Kazakhstan’s Post-Independence Press at the Kazakh State University in Almaty (1994-97). Between 1998 and 2002, Dr. Abbas has been involved with international initiatives aimed to contribute towards increased human development capacity building opportunities to mountainous Central Asian settings.