Research

ENC Analysis

Academic Life in Central Asia during Covid-19: Challenges and Opportunities for Collaborations

The European Neighbourhood Council (ENC) released its new analysis on “Academic Life in Central Asia during Covid-19: Challenges and Opportunities for Collaborations”.

This article is co-authored by Dr. Chiara Pierobon (DAAD Visiting Professor at the University of Washington and ENC Academic Council Member), Dr. Aliia Maralbaeva (Associate Professor of Law and a Postdoctoral Research Fellow of the Volkswagen Foundation at the Ala-Too International University), Dr. Aijan Sharshenova (Postdoctoral Research Fellow at the OSCE Academy in Bishkek and ENC Academic Council Member) and Dr. Zarina Adambussinova (social anthropologist and a postdoctoral fellow of the Volkswagen Foundation at the American University of Central Asia in Bishkek).

In this ENC Analysis, the authors examine new types of online academic collaborations that have emerged in Central Asia during the Covid-19 pandemic, by focusing on three empirical cases from Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan: 1) an informational platform for local medical doctors and workers in Kazakhstan called MedSupportKZ initiative; 2) the GYLYM FACES project for Kazakhstani journalists and scientists working in the country as well as abroad; and 3) an informal platform for Central Asians and Central Asianists known as ‘Central Asian Academic and Analytical Writing Support Community’ on Facebook and Telegram.

The full analysis is available here.

ENC Analysis

Music, Underground Art, and the “Realpolitik” Dilemma

A Vision of the Future?

The European Neighbourhood Council (ENC) released its new analysis on “Music, Underground Art, and the “Realpolitik” Dilemma: A Vision of the Future?“.

This article is written by our academic council member Dr. Leila Alieva, a Richard von Weizsacker Fellow at the Robert Bosch Academy and an affiliate of Russian and East European Studies, Oxford University School of Global and Area Studies.

Art is frequently recognized for being the first form of expression of the nature of global trends, even if they are just emerging. In this ENC Analysis, Dr. Alieva uses the metaphor of music and underground art to illuminate the contradictions and challenges of Western foreign policy and the shifts in contemporary international relations. The author suggests three phenomena—shared responsibility, transcending boundaries, and shifting away from a Euro-centric foreign policy paradigm—instead of realpolitik while analyzing, among other topics, the war in Ukraine, Biden’s policies, environmental issues, and German politics.

The full analysis is available here.

ENC Analysis: Admiration despite Invisibility? How Kazakh Youth Perceive the European Union

The European Neighbourhood Council (ENC) released its new analysis titled “Admiration despite Invisibility? How Kazakh Youth Perceive the European Union”.

This article is written by our academic council member Dr. Zhanibek Arynov who is a postdoctoral researcher at the Nazarbayev University in Kazakhstan.

Youth has always been a major pillar of the EU policies toward Central Asian countries, which was re-addressed in the recent European Union strategy for the region. In this publication, Dr. Arynov examines how much awareness Kazakh youth have regarding the EU and its policies by using qualitative data obtained through focus group discussions with students of leading Kazakhstani universities.

The full analysis is available here.

The European Neighbourhood Council (ENC) released its new analysis on “Managing Regional and Global Order after Ukraine: between Ideals and Reality”.

This article is written by our academic council member Dr. Kevork Oskanian who is a lecturer at the University of Exeter and an Honorary Research Fellow at the University of Birmingham.

Following an overview of the disputes in the Western alliance regarding policies toward Russia in the run-up to the war in Ukraine, this ENC Analysis discusses several issues that could reopen fissures within NATO and the EU in the future such as populist electoral successes, particularly, in China, and the Global South. In light of the war, Dr. Oskanian also addresses what lies ahead and concludes the piece by giving recommendations to Western countries in terms of relations with the wider world.

The full analysis is available here.

ENC Analysis: Mitigation of Climate Change by Environmental Education

The European Neighbourhood Council (ENC) released its new analysis on the “Mitigation of Climate Change by Environmental Education”.

The paper is co-authored by İpek Tekdemir, ENC, and European Parliament advisor, and Maricela Dregan, educational consultant.

In this ENC Analysis, Ms. Tekdemir and Ms. Dregan argue that higher education has the potential to combat climate change. The authors examine the effects and importance of higher education on climate change, the potential of environmental education on the topic, and therefore the link between reducing CO2 emissions and higher education.

The full analysis is available here.

ENC Analysis

ENC Analysis

How the War in Ukraine Affects Countries that Depend on Russia

The European Neighbourhood Council (ENC) released its new analysis entitled “How the War in Ukraine Affects Countries that Depend on Russia.’’

The ENC Analysis is written by our Academic Council Member Dr. Karolina Kluczewska who is a postdoctoral researcher at the Ghent Institute for International and European Studies (GIES) at Ghent University.

In Tajikistan, as in most parts of the world, the news about the war in Ukraine was received with surprise and disbelief. In a country that witnessed violence, displacement and deaths during the civil war that started immediately after Tajikistan’s independence from the Soviet Union in 1991, some people felt sympathetic towards Ukrainian refugees and talked about the victims of war with compassion. Others, who follow Russian media, which are still very popular in the country, sided with the Russian government’s version of events. Yet, initially the war in Ukraine was not a big concern for the majority of people. Very soon, however, it became clear to many people that the war in Ukraine, although having nothing to do with their country, would have a direct impact on their lives. In this publication Dr. Kluczewska discusses how the first weeks of the war in Ukraine affected Tajikistan.

The full analysis is available here.

ENC Analysis: Algerian Post-Bouteflika Democratisation and EU Security Implications

The European Neighbourhood Council (ENC) released its new analysis entitled “Algerian Post – Bouteflika Democratisation and EU Security Implications.’’

The ENC Analysis is written by our Academic Council Member Dr. Ebtisam Hussein who is a tenure holder of Political Science at Cairo University and Associate Professor of Political Science at New Giza University in Egypt.

Nearly three years after the ouster, Algerian democratisation is still grappling with a compelling political reform process and major political challenges such as weakened opposition and the military’s role in civilian politics. Due to its potential negative implications for the EU’s security, it is crucial to examine these challenges preventing the prospect for the democratisation process in Algeria. In this publication, Dr. Hussein discusses the factors that led to the 2019 uprising and the current situation in Algeria while recommending that certain efforts should be examined towards promoting political reform.

The full analysis is available here.

ENC Analysis: Armenia and Turkey – Unpacking Negotiation Strategies and Political Conjunctures

The European Neighbourhood Council (ENC) released its new analysis entitled “Armenia And Turkey: Unpacking Negotiation Strategies And Political Conjunctures”.

The ENC Analysis is written by our academic council member Dr. Vahram Ter-Matevosyan who is Associate Professor and Chair of Political Science and International Affairs Program at the American University of Armenia.

The Armenian internal political landscape, security foundations, and relations with neighbouring and third-party countries have changed in the aftermath of the 2020 Nagorno Karabakh war between Armenia and Azerbaijan. In this publication, Dr. Ter-Matevosyan analyzes the current relations between Armenia and Turkey, with the latter being a staunch supporter of Azerbaijan during the 2020 Nagorno-Karabakh war, recent efforts by the two sides to appoint diplomatic envoys in order to normalize bilateral relations, and the Armenian government’s handling of the delicate situation.

The full analysis is available here.