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- Convenor:
-
. CESS
Send message to Convenor
- Chair:
-
Zabikhulla Saipov
(University of World Economy and Diplomacy)
- Discussant:
-
Zabikhulla Saipov
(University of World Economy and Diplomacy)
- Formats:
- Panel
- Theme:
- Sociology & Social Issues
- Location:
- Room 110
- Sessions:
- Saturday 25 June, -
Time zone: Asia/Tashkent
Long Abstract:
SOC-02
Accepted papers:
Session 1 Saturday 25 June, 2022, -Mélanie Sadozaï (INALCO and George Washington University)
Paper short abstract:
This paper focuses on the perceptions of the border between Afghanistan and Tajikistan as they are framed by borderlands inhabitants of the Badakhshan province in Tajikistan. I argue that the border can be an identity resource for the people who live in the borderlands, rather than a threat.
Paper long abstract:
This paper focuses on the perceptions of the border between Afghanistan and Tajikistan as they are framed by borderlands inhabitants of the Badakhshan province in Tajikistan. Badakhshan refers to the historical administrative unit covering the North Eastern region of Afghanistan and the South Eastern part of Tajikistan in the Pamirs Mountain range. Badakhshan was separated into two parts in 1895 in order to delineate the Russian and British territorial spheres of influence, and the Pyanj river became the official border to this day. Today, rather than exacerbating fear or suspicion of instability spreading to Central Asia as it is sometimes depicted in President Rahmon’s narrative, the border, seen through the eyes of locals, reveals complex relations between Tajikistanis and Afghans in Badakhshan.
In contrast to widespread stereotypes of the border amplified by the Taliban’s arrival to power in Afghanistan in the summer of 2021 and conveyed in media outlets, I argue that the border can be an identity resource for the people who live in the borderlands. This resource is based on the perceived common identity features of the borderlands’ communities, namely a shared history, similar mother tongues and religious affiliations. The history of the border is seen in Tajikistan’s Badakhshan as that of a separation provoked by external powers, that divided “the same people”, as respondents framed. Through this memory, combined with common linguistic and religious features, the communities of the border hold a sense of a common identity, ignoring the administrative, political and imposed border.
This paper is based on fieldwork carried out between 2014 and 2021 along the Tajikistan-Afghanistan border, and features over forty semi-structured interviews with borderland dwellers conducted between 2019 and the summer of 2021, when Taliban seized control of the border districts of Badakhshan. It is coupled with existing social science literature on the perceptions of that border. This paper aims at enriching the body of publications in border studies which focus on positive aspects of so-called sensitive borders, as well as the scholarship which tries to demystify Central Asia as a dangerous area.
Hikoyat Salimova (HafenCity University Hamburg)
Paper short abstract:
The new mass housing development schemes in the last five years offer not only housing solutions, but also create conflicts between the Uzbekistan citizens and developers. This research paper will analyze the real stories of Tashkent inhabitants who experienced the violation of their housing rights.
Paper long abstract:
The change of leadership in 2016 triggered massive new urban constructions in all major Uzbek cities. The leading construction ground is in the capital city, Tashkent, where the urban land has the highest value in Uzbekistan. Many foreign investors seek the opportunity to gain profits from the untapped real estate market in Uzbekistan. However, these development schemes mostly escalate the housing prices in general, including for the existing old housing stock. It raises the questions on social security on housing for the ordinary people of Uzbekistan: do they have minimum housing squares? do they have adequate housing conditions? can they afford to pay for increased prices for basic utilities? can they afford to purchase their first homes?
In this article, I intend to focus on new mass housing and analyze the visible transformations in all major urban centers in Uzbekistan that are fostered by numerous development projects in the last five years.
Many victims of housing rights violations, and/or their informal advocates share their struggles in Facebook groups and Telegram channels; new Uzbek bloggers bring attention to real cases of people who lost their housing in various situations. Following these stories, I noticed the common trends in these cases, which indicate the conflict between ordinary people and developers. Specifically, housing rights are being violated due to the housing law imperfections and conflict of interests. In these circumstances, the housing rights of the elderly, women and children, as more vulnerable groups, are often neglected, or even oppressed. Therefore, this paper will reveal their stories.