Nargis Kassenova

PANNIER: Few will mourn passing of Turkmen Iron Lady Atajanova and Uzbek Grey Cardinal Jurabekov Their deaths seem to have been conveniently overlooked by the authorities of today.

ICYMI: Their deaths seem to have been conveniently overlooked by the authorities of today. Bne IntelliNews

Gazprom in Central Asia: Between Geopolitical Influence and Energy Transition YouTube video by Davis Center for Russian and Eurasian Studies

We had an excellent discussion on Gazprom in Central Asia with Nicholas Pomeroy and Michael Hilliard. If you want to check it out, here's the link: www.youtube.com/live/iM_eJFP...

📣 Today (9:30am-10:30am EST) we will talk about Gazprom in Central Asia - join us!

Gazprom in Central Asia: Between Geopolitical Influence and Energy Transition Join us for a panel on Gazprom’s shifting role in Central Asia, regional energy security, and the future of energy transition.

Join us (Davis Center for Russian and Eurasian Studies) next Friday (3 Oct) for an online event on Gazprom in Central Asia. Our speakers are Nicholas Pomeroy and Michael Hilliard. daviscenter.fas.harvard.edu/events/gazpr...

Where Is Central Asia, Anyway? A former top U.S. diplomat reflects on the many ways ex-Soviet Central Asia can be viewed from Washington — Russian dependency, Chinese sphere of influence, new global hub with links in all directions...

Earlier this summer, former U.S. Ambassador Richard Boucher, passed away. He'll be remembered as an astute observer of Central Asia.
Back in 2021, Ambassador Boucher contributed a personal essay to the Davis Center/Eurasianet series. Pls give it a read: daviscenter.fas.harvard.edu/insights/whe...

Memoir: Recollecting the benefits of shoe leather diplomacy in Turkmenistan Getting out, getting a feel for the place, and putting pins on a map.

A new entry in the Ambassadors' Series on Central Asia, published by @eurasianet.bsky.social, spearheaded by @nargiskassenova.bsky.social of the Davis Center for Russian and Eurasian Studies.

Allan Mustard on the use of shoe leather diplomacy in Turkmenistan.

eurasianet.org/memoir-recol...

Memoir: Recollecting the benefits of shoe leather diplomacy in Turkmenistan Getting out, getting a feel for the place, and putting pins on a map.

So thrilled to share the new essay in our "American Diplomats in Central Asia" series developed in cooperation with @eurasianet.bsky.social - Amb. Allan Mustard's wonderful account of gathering firsthand information and mapping in Turkmenistan: eurasianet.org/memoir-recol...

The Evolving Security Landscape of the Caspian Sea Region Join us to discuss the role of regional powers and the impact of energy resources on Caspian security with H.E. Ambassador Khazar Ibrahim.

Join our conversation with Azerbaijan's Ambassador Khazar Ibrahim on the evolving security landscape of the Caspian region, focusing on the transport and energy corridors (in 40 min): daviscenter.fas.harvard.edu/events/evolv...

Intercommunal Warfare and Ethnic Peacemaking in Central Asia Join us in discussing the core arguments of Intercommunal Warfare and Ethnic Peacemaking by Joldon Kutmanaliev.

We will be online in about two hours (9am EDT) - tune in! daviscenter.fas.harvard.edu/events/inter...

Global Socialist Cinema: Alliances, Affinities and Solidarities in the Global Cold War This talk focuses on the history of the 1960s-1980s Festival of Cinemas of Asia, Africa, and Latin America, held in Soviet Tashkent — a unique historic cinematic formation irreducible to binaries of N...

daviscenter.fas.harvard.edu/events/globa...

Don't miss this exciting event tomorrow! Masha Salazkina will talk about her new book "Alliances, Affinities and Solidarities in the Global Cold War," focusing on the history of the Festival of Cinemas of Asia, Africa, and Latin America which took place in Tashkent, Soviet Union, in the 1960s-80s.

Hard Power vs. Soft: China’s Evolving Role in Central Asia Is China imposing its will on the world, or is the reality more nuanced?  Many in the West, particularly in Washington, argue that China exerts global influence by disregarding local differences and i...

A fascinating webinar on China's role in Central Asia is just wrapping up. carnegieendowment.org/events/2025/... Asked about whether Chinese $ fuels corruption, @nargiskassenova.bsky.social states that Russians are bigger (but more hidden) driver. (And now Trump is removing limits on bribes, etc.)

If you missed our conversation today about China's hard and soft power in Central Asia with @nargiskassenova.bsky.social, Berikbol Dukeyev & Odil Gafarov, you can watch the recording on @carnegieendowment.org YouTube: www.youtube.com/live/WJPe2xu...

YouTube video by Davis Center for Russian and Eurasian Studies Indulging Kleptocracy: Postcommunist Elites and Corruption

The first of our #IndulgingKleptocracy book talks @harvard.edu Davis Center with @nargiskassenova.bsky.social is recorded and online. Thanks Nargis and Harvard colleagues for your great questions.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=o2Ph...

Film Screening: 'JARA — Radioactive Patriarchy: Women of Qazaqstan' This film sheds light on the stories of six women from a nuclear-affected community in Kazakhstan. It explores topics such as technology-driven and state-sponsored gender-based violence, as well as th...

March 13, in person, Cambridge, MA. Thank you for this important contribution, @hellogera.bsky.social!:
daviscenter.fas.harvard.edu/events/film-...

YouTube video by Davis Center for Russian and Eurasian Studies Making the Two Ends of Eurasia Meet: Prospects of the Middle Corridor in the Trump Era

If you couldn't tune in yesterday, here's the recording. We had an excellent panel (Samuel Dover Vesterbye, @tumarov.bsky.social and Yunis Sharifli) to discuss the Middle Corridor initiative in the rapidly changing geopolitical context. www.youtube.com/watch?v=QJuB...

We are going online in a couple of minutes, join us!

Featuring Samuel Dovery Vesterbye, Yunis Sharifli and @tumarov.bsky.social. I will moderate.

Making the Two Ends of Eurasia Meet: Prospects of the Middle Corridor in the Trump Era This panel will consider how Washington's changing relations with Brussels and Moscow are affecting the EU’s and China’s engagement in an international transport initiative offering routes that bypass...

Join us (Davis Center) tomorrow for a timely discussion on the prospects of the Middle Corridor in the Trump Era. We will discuss the drivers and constraints of the EU's and China's engagement in implementing the initiative. daviscenter.fas.harvard.edu/events/makin...

Please join this important event at MIT on lessons from Ukraine for grid and energy security in wartime, with the former CEO of Ukrenerho Volodymyr Kudrytskyi. Tuesday, March 11, 5pm. Register below: calendar.mit.edu/event/vulner...

Thank you @nargiskassenova.bsky.social for hosting us at the Davis Center today.

Obituary - Kristopher White: The Gentle Giant Who Inspired a Generation of Central Asian Scholars - The Times Of Central Asia Kristopher Dodge White, known to his friends simply as “Kris”, was a distinguished scholar, mentor, and friend, who dedicated two decades of his life to

A tribute to Dr. Kristopher White by @donnachadcu.bsky.social, a beloved scholar, geographer mentor and educator at KIMEP that shaped a generation of Central Asian academics timesca.com/obituary-kri... #KIMEP #CentralAsianStudies #AcademicLegacy #KristopherWhite #Obituary

Thank you, Donnacha! It’s so hard to write obituaries… You wrote a beautiful one for Kris.

Is Russia Winning the Global South and Losing Central Asia? The seminar will unpack the puzzle of Russia’s seemingly growing influence in the Global South and explore how and to what extent these insights are applicable in making sense of the dynamic of Russia...

And If you are in Boston area next Friday (28 Feb), join Davis Center, Kazushige Kobayashi, Kiyomi Osborn and me for a timely discussion on Russia's relations with the countries of the "Global South" juxtaposed with its relations with Central Asia. daviscenter.fas.harvard.edu/events/russi...

John, the event is on Feb 25...

Indulging Kleptocracy: Postcommunist Elites and Corruption In their new book Indulging Kleptocracy, John Heathershaw, Tena Prelec, and Tom Mayne offer an engaging inside account of the fight against kleptocracy in the UK.

If you in Boston area next Tuesday (25 Feb), join us (Davis Center) for this exciting event with @jheathershaw.bsky.social and Tom Mayne! We will discuss their new book “Indulging Kleptocracy” - one of the best books of 2024, according to Foreign Affairs. daviscenter.fas.harvard.edu/events/indul...

No idea…

Wasn’t Kirill Dmitriyev the third member of the delegation? He was not at the meeting or not in the photo of the meeting?

Indulging Kleptocracy: Postcommunist Elites and Corruption In their new book Indulging Kleptocracy, John Heathershaw, Tena Prelec, and Tom Mayne offer an engaging inside account of the fight against kleptocracy in the UK.

In two weeks, @tenaprelec.bsky.social @cais-exeter.bsky.social Tom Mayne and I are hitting the USA for the Indulging Kleptocracy (Oxford, 2025) book tour. We start in Boston at Harvard on 26 Feb hosted by @nargiskassenova.bsky.social. 1/5
daviscenter.fas.harvard.edu/events/indul...

The trilogy is complete.

Green Mountains: Walking the Caucasus with Recipes (April, 2025) is available to pre-order right now, here! geni.us/GreenMountains