As China's presence continues to expand, we can expect further security incidents, creating tensions with local governments, an expansion of Chinese security and private security presence and the rethinking of certain risky projects.
27.11.2025 14:46 — 👍 0 🔁 0 💬 0 📌 0
As we argue in our recent books Backlash, as China expands its footprint globally, it is facing localized resistance from protests to terrorist attacks, forcing it to enhance its security presence and get entangled in local politics.
global.oup.com/academic/pro...
Over the past decade, China has spent millions on border posts, training programs and equipment for the Tajik security forces. It has even constructed a military facility near the Afghan and Chinese borders (pictured below from our fieldwork for our book Backlash)
27.11.2025 14:46 — 👍 0 🔁 0 💬 1 📌 0
China has long been concerned about spillovers of violence into Tajikistan, and potentially from there into China itself
27.11.2025 14:46 — 👍 0 🔁 0 💬 1 📌 0
The district where both incidents took place, Shamsiddin Shohin, has been a flashpoint of violence since the civil war in the 1990s
27.11.2025 14:46 — 👍 0 🔁 0 💬 1 📌 0
Multiple reports of cross border attack from Afghanistan into Tajikistan killing three Chinese workers. This is the second incident where Chinese workers on the border have been killed (the first being last November)
mfa.tj/en/washingto...
www.hurstpublishers.com/book/backlash/
Use the code BACKLASH25 to get a 25% discount.
It does for me. Would you like the US or European edition?
11.11.2025 15:38 — 👍 0 🔁 0 💬 1 📌 0Or Schipol, where it was in fact quicker (I think) for me to exit the secure area and go back through security rather than queue at the connections area during my transit last week.
11.11.2025 15:33 — 👍 1 🔁 0 💬 0 📌 0
Our book (with Bradley Jardine), Backlash, is now available in the United States. It examines China's rising role in Central Asia, how this has generated local backlash and how China is responding.
Use discount ADISTA5 for 30% off!
global.oup.com/academic/pro...
Our new book is on sale now!
DM me for a discount code
www.hurstpublishers.com/book/backlash/
The Times They Are A-Changin
Central Asia's tallest Lenin statue taken down
www.bbc.com/news/article...
Trump partially restricts entry for Turkmen citizens due to high overstay rates.
05.06.2025 00:33 — 👍 2 🔁 2 💬 0 📌 0
Turkmen travels. May 2024.
01.04.2025 21:04 — 👍 12 🔁 4 💬 0 📌 0
My latest with Ruslan Norov on how Tajikistan shapes China's security assistance for China Local/Global @carnegieendowment.org carnegieendowment.org/posts/2025/0...
20.03.2025 16:08 — 👍 2 🔁 1 💬 0 📌 0
A thread on Trump’s latest unlawful executive order dismantling the U.S. Agency for Global Media (which oversees Voice of America and RFERL) and the Wilson Center, where I was a fellow across two programs for four years. 🧵
(Gift link 🎁)
www.nytimes.com/2025/03/15/u...
I was a fellow at the Wilson Center for over five years. They were partially responsible for bringing me to DC. It is a uniquely non-partisan space for research, networking and policy engagement. I hope it can find a way to survive.
15.03.2025 21:38 — 👍 13 🔁 6 💬 0 📌 0The Act of Congress establishing the Wilson Center doesn’t have a provision saying the president can abolish it by EO: www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/...
15.03.2025 17:26 — 👍 138 🔁 56 💬 5 📌 5In Central Asia, as governments have cracked down on media freedoms, RFERL has been at the forefront of independent reporting on the region. In my forthcoming book Backlash, we draw on 92 RFE reports. The book benefited massively from their critical work.
15.03.2025 21:02 — 👍 4 🔁 3 💬 1 📌 0
Parliamentary elections are being held in Tajikistan – without opposition, OSCE observers and independent media
rus.ozodi.org/a/v-tadzhiki...
Bradley Jardine and I submitted the revised manuscript to the publisher today. Backlash will be out in July. You can pre-order here:https://www.hurstpublishers.com/book/backlash/
27.02.2025 02:04 — 👍 7 🔁 1 💬 0 📌 0
Tajikistan remains the most remittance dependent country in the world. Kyrgyzstan’s dependency has gradually lessened, but still high
22.02.2025 10:53 — 👍 5 🔁 5 💬 2 📌 0
Apt to be reading this on the same day that John Wood arrived at Lake Zorkul, claiming it to be the source of the Amu Darya (Oxus) in 1838
20.02.2025 02:45 — 👍 0 🔁 0 💬 0 📌 0
Reviewer 2 for Backlash came back today with a constructive and positive review. The perfect birthday present!
Pre-order it here!
www.hurstpublishers.com/book/backlash/
It was a great discussion!
18.12.2024 07:27 — 👍 1 🔁 0 💬 0 📌 0Whether this person ends up being linked to the attack or not, this will likely fuel more xenophobia in Russia
18.12.2024 07:27 — 👍 1 🔁 1 💬 0 📌 0
@Jardine_bradley and I have a chapter in this new volume on BRI: "Securing the Belt and Road and Establishing Hierarchy in Central Asia." It's an important volume. Check it out: global.oup.com/academic/pro...
11.12.2024 14:40 — 👍 8 🔁 2 💬 0 📌 0
See you on Monday...
28.11.2024 19:38 — 👍 3 🔁 0 💬 0 📌 0
The changes, however, do not significantly improve the situation for the accused.
In this week’s Threat Monitor, I’ll detail the latest developments and the wider context of the investigation.
🚨 Crocus City Hall attack: Charges amended 🚨
Four suspects in one of Russia’s largest terrorist attacks in recent years — the March 2024 bombing of Moscow’s Crocus City Hall — now face charges of assisting terrorism, rather than direct participation.
#Russia #Terrorism
