Note: The harmonogram may change based on the guest's availability. Suggested reading will be available at latest one week before the lecture and will reflect the latest development in the region. It is recommended to follow the readings both for the discussions in classes and for the final interview.

5.10. Introduction and organizational details.
Reading: N/A.

12.10. Anna Jordanova: New presidents, old presidents. New reforms, old reforms. What is changing, what is not?
Anceschi, Luca. After Personalism: Rethinking Power Transfers in Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan Journal of contemporary Asia, 2021, Vol.51 (4), p.660-680.
Peyrouse, Sebastien. The Kazakh Neopatrimonial Regime: Balancing Uncertainties among the "Family", Oligarchs and Technocrats. Demokratizatsiya, 20.4 (2012): 345-370.
Ismailbekova, Aksana. "Informal Governance, 'Clan' Politics and Corruption. In: Routledge Handbook of Central Asia, Routledge, 2021,: 87-100.
Presentation1:
Presentation2:

19.10. Karel Svoboda: Russian politics and economy in the time of war
Gel’man, Vladimir. Authoritarian Modernization in Post-Soviet Russia : Structures, Agencies, and Choices. In: Russian Modernization A New Paradigm. Eds. Markku Kivinen, Brendan G. Humphreys. Routledge 2021. Available: https://shorturl.at/EGX26
Putin, Vladimir. Speech and the Following Discussion at the Munich Conference on Security Policy. February 10, 2007. Available: http://en.kremlin.ru/events/president/transcripts/24034
Presentation1:Sidó Filip
Presentation2:

26.10. Slavomir Horak: Georgia and its ambiguous reaction to the Russian aggression in the Ukraine
Impact of the Russia-Ukraine war on Black sea Geopolitics. Eds. Bidzina Lebanidze. Caucasus analytical digest, no. 130, November 2022. (accessible in SIS files)
Emil Avdaliani. Playing With Fire: Georgia’s Cautious Rapprochement With Russia, Carnegie, 21.07.2023. (accessible in SIS files)
Alexander Atasuntsev. How Far Will the Thaw in Russia- Georgia Relations Extend? Carnegie, 19.05.2023. (accessible in SIS files)
Bidzina Lebanidze & Kornely Kakachia (29 Jan 2023): Bandwagoning by stealth? Explaining Georgia’s Appeasement Policy on Russia, European Security. (accessible in SIS files)
Presentation1: Saba Samushia
Presentation2:Sára Osterrothová

2.11. Merhat Sharipzan: Central Asian ethnic groups in Xinjiang; factor in the regional politics and society
Sharibzhanov, Merkhat. Controversies of Definition of Uyghurs By Western Media. Natives Of China's Xinjiang: Minority Or Indigenous People (Working paper: accessible in SIS files)
Markey, David. China's Western Horizon Beijing and the New Geopolitics of Eurasia. Chapter 4: Central Asian insecurities. Oxford University Press, 2021 (accessible in SIS files)
Presentation1: Claire Alexandre
Presentation2: Po-Yen Hsu

9.11. Akram Umarov: The Afghan factor for Central Asia. Perspective from the neighbourhood.
Reading:
Presentation1: Alexander Purton
Presentation2: Yan xiaohe

16.11. Temur Umarov: Central Asia after the Russian invasion: consequences and opportunities
Reading:
Temur Umarov: I would not exaggerate the scale of China’s soft power effect. CABAR Asia. Available online: https://cabar.asia/en/temur-umarov-i-would-not-exaggerate-the-scale-of-china-s-soft-power-effect
Thinking Global Podcast – Bruce Pannier and Temur Umarov. IE-R. Available online: https://www.e-ir.info/2023/08/14/thinking-global-podcast-bruce-pannier-and-temur-umarov/ OR: The Red Line. Episode 84. Is the CSTO Facing Collapse? Available online: https://www.theredlinepodcast.com/post/episode-84-is-the-csto-facing-collapse.
Presentation1: Jakub Kukačka
Presentation2: Vojtěch Michal

23.11. Oguljamal Yazliyeva: The personality cult in Turkmenistan: meanings, strategies and important features below the "absurd and funny" layer
Last Week Tonight with John Oliver (HBO). Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov. Available: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-9QYu8LtH2E.
Denison, Michael. “The Art of the Impossible: Political Symbolism, and the Creation of National Identity and Collective Memory in Post-Soviet Turkmenistan.” Europe-Asia Studies, vol. 61, no. 7, 2009, pp. 1167–87.
Yazliyeva, Oguljamal. Dynamics of the Media System in Post-Soviet Turkmenistan. Journal of nationalism, memory & language politics, 2020, Vol.14 (1), p.92-110
Media and Personality Cult in Authoritarian Regimes: The Case of Turkmenistan in Jeroen Van den Bosch; Adrien Fauve; Bruno De Cordier (eds.), European Handbook of Central Asian Studies: History, Politics, and Societies, (Stuttgart: Ibidem Verlag, 2021):939-946.
It is accessible online at: https://www.ibidem.eu/en/the-european-handbook-of-central-asian-studies-9783838215181.html

Presentation1: María José Olea
Presentation2:

30.11. Niginakhon Saida: Women, religion and societal freedoms in Central Asia
Reading:
Recent Attacks Spotlight Gender Violence In Kazakhstan. Majlis Podcast, November 19, 2023. Available online. OR: How Kyrgyzstan's Legal System Is Failing Women. Majlis Podcast, October 8, 2023. Available online.
Kyrgyzstan's Draft Laws Push Independent Media, Civil Society To The Edge. Majlis Podcast, October 29, 2023. Available online. OR: Is Kazakhstan Preparing A Russian-Style 'Foreign Agents' Law? Majlis Podcast, October 1, 2023. Available online.
Guest's work: https://thediplomat.com/authors/niginakhon-saida/.
Presentation1:
Presentation2: Alexander Fuss

7.12. Tomas Baranec: Armenia, Azerbaijan and the recent developments in southern Caucasus
Reading:
Hoch, T., & Kopeček, V. (Eds.). (2019). De Facto States in Eurasia (1st ed.). Routledge. Chapters 2.1., 3.3., 4.4.
Presentation1: Phoebe Hardingham
Presentation2: Hadrien Mothes

14.12. Summary and (almost) final discussion.

21.12. Jasmin Dall’ Agnola: Doing research in authoritarian context; extending surveillance in Central Asia and beyond.
Reading:
Dall'Agnola, Jasmin and Sharshenova, Aijan. Researching Central Asia. Navigating Positionality in the Field. Chapters 8, 9, 10, 11. Available online: https://link.springer.com/book/10.1007/978-3-031-39024-1
Dall'Agnola, Jasmin. Fieldwork Under Surveillance: A Research Note. Surveillance and Society, vol 21, no.2, 2023. Available online: https://ojs.library.queensu.ca/index.php/surveillance-and-society/article/view/16455.
Presentation1: Luca zucchetti
Presentation2: Giada Malugani