Online
Date
17 September 2025
Time
11:00 UK time/ 15:00 Almaty timе / 16:00 Bishkek time
This seminar will explore the most recent trends in civil society and think tanks in Central Asia. Much of the existing scholarship has focused on Western notions of civil society in the region, often emphasizing how non-democratic states co-opt civil society organizations while suppressing more critical voices. In this webinar, we aim to move beyond that perspective and discuss the diverse roles and agency of a broader civil society, including think tanks. Dr Bakhytzhan Kurmanov, Senior Research Fellow at the University of Central Asia, will present his co-authored research on the relationship between new leadership in Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan and civil society. Dr Vera Axyonova, Lecturer in European Politics and International Relations at the University of Birmingham, will discuss her ongoing work on think tanks in Kazakhstan.
Presenters:
Dr Bakhytzhan Kurmanov is a Senior Research Fellow at the Institute of Public Policy and Administration (IPPA), University of Central Asia (UCA). His research focuses on open government, digital activism, citizen empowerment, and civil society in authoritarian contexts, with a particular focus on Central Asia.
Dr Vera Axyonova is a Lecturer in European Politics and International Relations at the Department of Political Science and International Studies, University of Birmingham. She is a political scientist with research interests in international crisis and conflict management, cross-border transfer of norms and practices, expert knowledge production, and the politics of internationalization in higher education and research.
Moderator:
Please note that the presentation will be in English language