Central Asia
Kazakhstan beyond Borat
Kazakhstan, it seems, has a very clear and coherent idea of what kind of image does it want to project on the international stage...
Cult of Personality Creep – Turkmenistan’s Slide Back into Fantasyland
In 2006, when Turkmenbashi (“Father of all Turkmens”), President Saparmurat Niyazov, suddenly died and was replaced by former Health Minister and dentist Gurbanguly Berdymukhamedov,...
Turkmenistan- a brand in the making?
Turkmenistan can be labeled as the most traditional society in the Caspian area. As a country, somewhere between historical tribalism and current authoritarianism, Turkmenistan...
Astana: A City Analysis and Future Development
Futuristic, expansive, cold, frigid, and even the “the space station in the steppes” are some words that are used to describe Kazakhstan’s capital of...
Kazakhstan between stability and reforms
Announced in March, the early presidential election in Kazakhstan has become a debate about the results reached during the past years, the actual problems...
New run in Kazakhstan?
On April 26 Kazakhstan will vote to choose the next president, as a way to respond to global economic and regional socio-political crisis. On...
Eurasian Heart of Gold
What is the impact of Kumtor on Kyrgyzstan’s Gold Mining Sector? Nationalization talks have started again in Kyrgyzstan about the ownership...
The Crimea Model: Will Russia Annex the Northern Region of Kazakhstan?
Ukraine’s Crimea Peninsula was unlawfully annexed by referendum arranged by pro-Russian separatists backed by Russia. President Putin denies the annexation was politically motivated and...