https://mt.osce-academy.kg/handle/123456789/642 2026-04-15T01:23:37Z https://mt.osce-academy.kg/handle/123456789/693 Title: Populist Appeal or Practical Leadership? Sadyr Zhaparov’s Political Discourse in Kyrgyzstan Authors: Sopukeev, Sanjar Abstract: Since gaining independence, Kyrgyzstan has been famous for the reputation of being "the island of democracy in Central Asia". However, political instability has been observed in the country during the period of independence. The rise of the current President Sadyr Zhaparov in Kyrgyzstan's political landscape has ignited extensive political and academic debate regarding his leadership style and its implications for Kyrgyz democracy. According to various authoritative ratings and indices of democracy and freedom of the press, Kyrgyzstan has significantly worsened its performance under the current head of state. This study aims to investigate the extent to which Zhaparov's political discourse exhibits characteristics of populism and how this influences democratic institutions and processes in Kyrgyzstan. The research applies Critical Discourse Analysis (CDA) framework to a selected set of Sadyr Zhaparov's speeches and public statements, supplemented by semi-structured interviews with political experts. A practical study of the political discourse of the head of state will serve as a contribution to the existing knowledge about the phenomenon of populism, expanding the boundaries of the study to Central Asia. 2025-02-01T00:00:00Z https://mt.osce-academy.kg/handle/123456789/692 Title: Migrants’ Perception of Development and Security in Their Home Countries: The Case of Tajikistani Migrants Authors: Mirbozkhonova, Ramziya Abstract: This thesis studies how Tajikistani migrants perceive development and (in)security in their home country. Tajikistan is a country with a considerable number of its citizens in labor migration and high rate of remittance dependency. It is an agrarian country with over ninety percent of mountainous area and the poorest country in Central Asia. Migration plays an important role in the livelihoods of the population of the country and remittances are the means of survival for many households. Despite the importance of migration in Tajikistan, there is limited research on how the migrants, who are major actors in the process, perceive development and security in their home country, while their viewpoints are important in their involvement in the local development process and return migration. Accordingly, this thesis explored mentioned issue, the main reasons for the migrants’ perceptions, the challenges and limitations they face and the way these perceptions shape their decisions. It is a new perspective in migration studies in the context of Tajikistan. Drawing from New Economics of Labor Migration, critical theory of security and perception studies this research employed mixed-methods approach using surveys for more general results and semi-structured interviews for in-depth understanding of the issue. The results presented that the migrants hold mixed but mostly negative views on development in Tajikistan in general, but are optimist about its future. The views are mainly shaped by the poor economic situation, limited financial and employments opportunities, poor social services, corruption and nepotism in Tajikistan and comparing the conditions to those in their destination countries. About security, considering the state security and absence of threat, positive perception prevails. The understandings of the development and security shape the migrants’ decisions regarding sending remittances and return migration. As they view the development process negatively, it makes them remit regularly, but in limited amount, due to perceived absence of investment opportunities. The same is true for return decisions, which means, returning is viewed as economically impractical, but the positive view on security and place attachment keep the desire to return ultimately. This research contributes to the wider debates on migration and development through the security context and offering insights from the migrants’ life experiences. The findings from this research provides insights to develop more effective strategies to address the needs and concerns of migrants and their home communities and make migration more efficient. 2025-02-01T00:00:00Z https://mt.osce-academy.kg/handle/123456789/690 Title: Authoritarian Transitions: The Role of Qandy Qantar in Redefining the Kazakh Duumvirate Authors: Mukhamediya, Nazerke Abstract: This thesis examines leadership succession in authoritarian regimes, focusing on Kazakhstan as a single case study. It specifically examines the transition of power from Nursultan Nazarbayev to Kassym-Jomart Tokayev and explores how the January 2022 protests influenced this process. The research situates the Kazakh transition within broader discussions of authoritarian resilience and political succession, highlighting the role of power struggles, public protests, and systemic challenges in shaping the political landscape. Taking the framework of regime cycles and constructivist approach as an umbrella of the research, the study argues that the protests acted as both a destabilizing force and an opportunity for Tokayev to consolidate power, diminish Nazarbayev's influence, and establish a "new political order" in Kazakhstan. However, at the same time, the thesis departs from the position that the literature on authoritarian succession and existing frameworks do not comprehensively take into account the complex local dynamics. Therefore, investigating leadership succession by combining different methods and expanding the theoretical lens contributes to the knowledge of modern autocracies. Consequently, the empirical analysis develops around these aspects. The goal of this study is not only to descriptively tell the story of the Kazakh succession but also to search for the answers to how the dual power situation was resolved. To achieve a solid analysis a broad range of data was analyzed, through multiple frameworks, such as elite dynamics, institutional analysis, framing analysis and, to a limited extent, a look at bottom-up processes. The thesis concludes by arguing that the “Bloody January” protests - Qandy Qantar - served as a political opportunity, shaping the succession process, where the prolonged duumvirate system finally came to an end. 2025-02-01T00:00:00Z https://mt.osce-academy.kg/handle/123456789/689 Title: Assessing the Role of Social Media as a Space for Political Participation: A Case Study of Tajikistan Authors: Nazirova, Nasiba Abstract: This thesis examines the role of social media as a platform for political participation in Tajikistan, looking at its impact on public engagement and political discourse in an authoritarian setting. As expected, political participation in Tajikistan is highly restricted, which makes social media a crucial tool for political expression and mobilization. This study investigates how various groups—such as ordinary citizens, journalists, activists, and opposition groups—use social media to navigate the challenges created by government restrictions. Thanks to social media, I was able to study communities, analyze posts, collect data, and connect with experts who would have otherwise been difficult to reach. The study focuses on online communities such as Telegram, Instagram, and Facebook, analyzing posts from November 2021 to November 2024. These platforms were chosen because they help foster political participation, amplify marginalized voices, and offer a counter-narrative to the state-controlled media. Two key theories support this research: the Spiral of Silence theory by Elisabeth Noelle-Neumann and the Public Sphere theory by Jürgen Habermas. These theories are crucial not only for this study but also for understanding how social media, and not only, provides a space and opportunity for public discourse. The research uses a mixed-methods approach, including qualitative content analysis of online political discourse and expert interviews with individuals who are well familiar with Tajikistan’s socio-political context. While social media promotes increased political engagement, it also faces major challenges, such as rising government surveillance, censorship, and repression. Ultimately, this research offers valuable insights for policymakers, activists, civil society organizations, and finally for us, students-future researchers, looking forward to use and/or look for social media as a tool for political empowerment and to promote democratic values in an increasingly repressive environment. 2025-02-01T00:00:00Z