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Central Asia: A Crisis of Governance

Asia Society's Bernard Schwartz Fellow Philip Shishkin previews his upcoming Study Group Report on Central Asia. more
Supporters of the Kyrgyz Byutun party protest against the results of the Parliamentary elections in Bishkek on October 18, 2010. (Vyacheslav Oseledko/AFP/Getty Images)

Shishkin: Kyrgyzstan's Presidential Election a 'Wild Democratic Experiment'

Bernard Schwartz Fellow Philip Shishkin discusses Kyrgyzstan's democratic experiment and its chances for success. more
Uzbekistan President Islam Karimov addresses UN headquarters in New York on Sept. 20, 2010. A lawsuit currently in French courts reveals Karimov's family to be sensitive about his being referred to as a "dictator." (Emmanuel Dunand/Getty Images)

Lawsuit in French Court Shows Uzbekistan Mindful of Its Image

The word "dictator" sets off a fit of pique on an international stage. more
A man votes in the presidential election in the village of Internatsional'nyy, some 40 kms from Astana, on April 3, 2011. (Viktor Drachev/AFP/Getty Images)

In Kazakhstan, Even Rivals Vote for the Incumbent

If there were any doubts that Kazakhstan mastered the trappings of democracy without heeding its substance, then this election would surely dispel them. more
Ethnic Uzbek refugees cross the Kyrgyz-Uzbek border on their way back to Kyrgyzstan near the village on June 18, 2010. (Viktor Drachev /AFP/Getty Images)

Kyrgyzstan: A Cautionary Tale for Revolutions

Philip Shishkin asks Kyrgyzstan President Roza Otunbayeva to reflect on her country’s tumultuous decade. more
Anti-government protesters cheer in Cairo's Tahrir Square on February 8, 2011. (John Moore/Getty Images)

Watching the Mighty Cockroach Fall

World events in early 2011 demonstrate the timeless relevance of a Russian children's classic. more
President Barack Obama shakes hands at a bilateral meeting with President of Kyrgyzstan Rosa Otunbaeva on September 24, 2010 in New York City. (Spencer Platt/POOL/Getty Images)

America's War With Itself in Central Asia

Contradictory U.S. policies in Uzbekistan and Kyrgyzstan are diminishing America's influence in a strategically crucial part of the world. more