‘America or Russia? Work or study?’: Shifts in Social and Political Attitudes of Central Asians Going Abroad —a Quasi-Experimental Design in Kyrgyzstan

Abstract

This Thesis analyzed the various influences of foreign exchange programmes in the United States of America and the Russian Federation on the socio-political worldviews of their participating Kyrgyz citizens. The Thesis compared implications of U.S. and Russia state sponsored educational programmes as opposed to selffinanced work visa stays on worldviews and values of participating Kyrgyz citizens. Utilizing a quasi-experimental design and focus groups (FGs), shifts in social and political worldviews of Kyrgyz citizens who had been abroad were studied by analyzing their opinions on social issues of: women’s rights, LGBT rights, and ethnic pluralism. In addition, political views, specifically level of pro-American and proRussian sentiments were gauged. The quasi-experimental design entailed eight experimental groups and two control groups of 4-5 participants per FG. This research determined that participation in sponsored educational exchange programmes in the U.S. increases the level of liberal socio-political worldviews of Kyrgyz citizens as compared to similar programmes in Russia and as compared to sentiments of Kyrgyz citizens who have never been abroad. The study also found that participation in selffinanced work visa stays in the U.S. and participation in sponsored educational programmes and self-financed work programmes in Russia do not influence the level of liberal socio-political views of Kyrgyz citizens. The study also found that proAmerican sentiments are prevalent only for the U.S. sponsored exchange programme participants (vs. those whose travel to the U.S. were self-financed), although these alumni also showed positive sentiments towards Russia. All studied FGs came up to be pro-Russia, however, pro-Russian sentiments appears to be higher for Kyrgyzstanis who have participated in sponsored educational programmes in Russia.