the

Kyrgyz

Family

Tree

American University of Central Asia

AUCA MagazineSeptember 2012

For interview reservations contact:Ms. Asel KadyrkulovaActive Group Ltd, 115-194, Moskovaskaya Street, BishkekTel: +996 312 935411 Mob: +996 770 242 547Tel (UK): + 44 7897703297

LSC Group of CollegesChaucer House, White Hart Yard,London SE1 1NX United KingdomTel: +44 (0)207 357 0077

We are currently offering special bursary fees to students from Central Asia to study in London. Next intakes: August and October 2012

Admission interview sessions available in September 2012 with the LSC Group Representative, Ms. Marina Lee:

* Selected courses only. Subject to visa requirements.

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24/7

www.dostuk.kg

AUCA Magazine

You may send your correspondence and subscription inquiries to: AUCA Magazine | American University of Central Asia, 205 Abdymomunov St., Bishkek, Kyrgyz Republic 720040 | Tel./Fax: (996 312) 66-45-64, E-mail: magazine@mail.auca.kg, www.auca.kg

CONTENTS

05Editor’s Note

06Message from the President

07-15University Update

30-37Alumni Spotlight

39Class Notes

AUCA Magazine Feature:Research

16Patronage and Democracy

20Modesty in Marijuana

23Building a Research Hub

28Profile: Svetlana Jaquesson

American University of Central Asia, founded in 1993, is dedicated to educating leaders for the democratic transformation of the region. It is the most dynamic and student-empowering education available, and is the only university in Central Asia with the authority to grant degrees accredited in the United States. AUCA equips its graduates with the knowledge and skills necessary to solve problems and open doors in this rapidly changing and

developing region and the world beyond...

Contributors:Natali AnarbaevaMichelle LeightonKasiet Okenaeva

Altynai UsubalievaSven Stafford

Pictures: AUCA Archives

Aaron ChoiEmil Akhmatbekov

Design and Layout:Emil Akhmatbekov

Publication teamEditor-in-Chief:

Altynai Usubalieva

Copy Editor:Sven Stafford

On the cover: "The Kyrgyz Family Tree" by Aaron Choi

Dear friends,

Fall always arrives earlier at AUCA with freshmen arriving for their first rendezvous with the university. It feels strange to walk through crowded and noisy halls after a quiet summer. But AUCA was working hard to improve while students were off on summer break.

AUCA’s new international dormitory will be ready to meet fresh New Generation Academy Students as well as international freshmen and students on scholarship.

One of the reforms initiated by AUCA President Andrew Wachtel is to develop AUCA into a leading research university in Central Asia. His reasons and the vision are discussed in detail in an interview with the President, Professor Zarylbek Kudabaev of the Economics Department and Professor Alex Cigale, a senior instructor of the Foreign Language Program.

AUCA alumni are also active researching. This Magazine features two alumni research projects: one about Marijuana production in the Kyrgyz Republic, the other about Patronage and Democracy.

This August AUCA opened the doors of the New Generation Academy, and this issue features profiles of six of the 70 new students joining us from the regions of the country. NGA grants students with great talent from low-income families the opportunity to enter top universities after completing a rigorous, year-long curriculum in English, Math, Science, and Arts.

The Tian Shan Policy Center and Fulbright Alumni Association of Kyrgyzstan held an event to launch a new book entitled “Contemporary International Law Materials and Cases” in June 2012. The book, which was edited and published by law professors from three universities in the Kyrgyz Republic, is the first resource book to help modernize Kyrgyz legal education on human rights.

The AUCA administration has been very active in working on AUCA’s image throughout the country, and special effort was given towards reaching the Kyrgyz-speaking audience. We have made the articles and TV reports available for you at our website (www.auca.kg), on our Facebook page (www.facebook.com/myauca), on Youtube (aucapubrel) and on twitter (Myauca).

With the hope for an even more fruitful fall season,

editor's note

Altynai UsubalievaPublic Relations Director

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5AUCA Magazine*August 2012

What is the appropriate relationship between teaching and research at a

21st century liberal arts university? This vexed question gets to the very heart of

the university’s mission and has been debated at length both in the United States

and abroad. In the post-Soviet space, the question takes on added significance

because the tradition of combining undergraduate teaching and academic

research is for the most part a new one. For in the Soviet period, knowledge

creation (research) was the function of specialized institutes. Knowledge

transmission (teaching) was the job of universities where the results of research

trickled down to faculty, who themselves generally did not actively engage in the

research enterprise, and were then passed on by them to students.

AUCA, when it began, was almost exclusively a teaching institution, whose

mission was to open the minds of a new generation of students. Increasingly,

however, two things have become clear: the separation between knowledge

creation and knowledge transmission is neither economically sustainable nor

intellectually justifiable. Practically no state (and particularly not the resource

constrained Kyrgyz state) has the resources or the desire to support a large cadre

of scholars who produce abstract research that has no clear connection to the

practical needs of the state and its citizens. And, given the extraordinary pace

of change in the world today, faculty who do not participate actively in research

become hopelessly out of date quite quickly and are therefore unable to teach

their students what they need to know. This is especially true when, as is the

case in Kyrgyzstan, substantial research, which must be supervised by the

faculty, is supposed to be produced by students as a prerequisite for graduation.

As a result, AUCA has come to appreciate that we need to encourage

and invigorate the research of our faculty, and to connect that research both

with the needs of the Kyrgyz Republic and Central Asia and to the needs and

intellectual curiosity of our students. To be sure, AUCA will remain a university

whose primary goal is excellent liberal arts teaching, but we recognize that

such teaching cannot be successful unless it is underpinned by a high-quality

research enterprise. We have already created a number of institutes and centers

within the university to encourage research in which AUCA can become a

serious international player, and we expect to expand these through a series

of partnerships that will incorporate an ever-growing percentage of our faculty

as well as our best undergraduate students. This issue of the AUCA magazine

highlights our current research efforts, which will undoubtedly grow as our

faculty and students become more ambitious and successful. I hope you will be

as excited about the knowledge creation activities of AUCA faculty, alumni and

students as I am.

President's Column

Andrew B. WachtelPresident

6 AUCA Magazine*August 2012

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NewGenerationAcademy

Students at NGA will complete

a year-long rigorous course

of study in English, Kyrgyz,

Russian, Math, History and Science

oriented toward developing critical

thinking. Building on AUCA’s

experience of running its existing

Preparatory Program, NGA will provide

students with a foundation to access

quality university education.

70 full-funded scholarships

were granted to those with strong

academic potential who may not have

benefited from a full range of teaching

in high school and whose families

cannot afford high quality education.

Scholarships cover the cost of tuition,

room and board as well as academic

materials. In addition, for students

who successfully complete the NGA

program, and who demonstrate

financial need, up to 30 fully-funded

scholarships for study for four-year

degrees at AUCA will be available

beginning in 2013 and 2014.

The establishment of NGA is

another important step towards the

realization of AUCA’s goal to create

opportunities for deserving students

from all of the regions of the Kyrgyz

Republic regardless of their financial

means.

We are pleased to introduce a

few of the students and their thoughts

on being in the inaugural class.

Adilet Dubaev:

“I will do my best

studying now that I

don’t have to think

about money.”

After graduating from

Balykchy Technological

Lyceum №22, I chose to apply to

American University of Central Asia,

but did not score high enough on the

entrance exams. I started thinking

that I would not able to fulfill my

dreams, but then my friends told me

about NGA. I learned more about it

and found out that NGA recruits high

school graduates to help them prepare

for university. My family advised me

to apply instead of letting go of my

dreams.

How did the entrance exams go?

First I filled in a questionnaire. I

also had to write an essay about my

plans for the future. My competitors

came from all around the Kyrgyz

Republic. Then in May I learned that

I had passed to the second round and

headed to Karakol where the semi-

finals were held. There our English

language skills were tested and we

did an interview in English. I think

the interview played a large part in the

decision making. Within one week

I received the great news about my

acceptance. I talked to my parents

and they agreed, after hearing about

all of the benefits that NGA provides,

and I signed the agreement.

Syrgak Elemanov:

“I will make every

effort to become one of

the top 15 students.”

I graduated from

Kirgshelk High School

in the Issyk-Ata District.

While attending high school I also

worked as a volunteer for the Ministry

of Youth Affairs, where I learned about

NGA. After getting more information

about the goals of NGA, I decided to

test my knowledge. The results of the

first round were announced a little

bit late, and I was nervous that I had

been denied acceptance. I was so

happy to be notified about passing to

the second round. There were a lot

of psychological questions during the

interview. When I learned about my

acceptance I immediately shared the

news with my friends and relatives.

AUCA has finished the selection

process for the first class of 70 students

to attend the New Generation Academy.

The students come from all the regions

of the Kyrgyz Republic and started their

program on August 26, 2012.

WELCOME tO

NGA

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7AUCA Magazine*August 2012

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I have been attending English

language courses since second grade.

My 9-year old brother is also very

eager to learn English. We lost our

father when I was 8 years old, and

since then my mother was the one

who took care of my brother and I.

My biggest desire is to become one

of the top 15 students at NGA, which

would allow me to receive full financial

support to study at AUCA for 4

years. NGA accepts true leaders from

different schools across the country. I

believe that at NGA we will become

each other’s greatest motivation to do

our best.

Viktoria Mustafina:

“I still cannot believe

that I am one of the

scholarship winners.”

I graduated from

Bishkek School №9

this year. I heard

about NGA from my sister, who goes

to AUCA. We discussed it with my

parents and decided to try to win

the scholarship. The interview was

not easy for me. There were a lot of

people sitting in the room who made

me even more nervous. I still don’t

believe I am one of the lucky NGA

scholarship winners. NGA also takes

into account the financial situation of

every family. I am from a common

family where my father is a teacher

and my mother is a housewife. I

believe that the experience, skills, and

knowledge that I will receive during

my study at NGA will be a big step for

me.

Alina Adylbek kyzy:

“My dream is to

become an AUCA

student.”

I studied at Kyrgyz-

Turkish Anadolu

Lyceum. I’ve always wanted to study

at AUCA as it is the best university

in the country. I plan to become

a businesswoman in the future. I

decided to enter NGA to reach

my goals. NGA will assist us in

developing our analytical skills and

teach us how to see the essence of

different things.

I am the oldest of 5 siblings in

my family, and that means I have to

be an example for my siblings. My

parents were happy to hear about my

acceptance to NGA. Now I have a

chance to strengthen the knowledge I

got at my Turkish Lyceum. Last year

I was planning to enter AUCA, but

after hearing about NGA, I decided to

spend a year enhancing my knowledge

and skills. This will be the best time

investment in my future.

Myrza turatbekov:

“I would like to help

people in need.”

I graduated from

Asankul Akaev

School of Kyzyl-

Bairak Village, Kemin

District. I learned about NGA from

AUCA representatives that visited our

school. I was the only one from our

district that was chosen. I am from

an ordinary family, but my parents

got divorced when I was little and

I was raised by my grandmother. I

have one older sister. There would be

absolutely no chance for me to study

at a place like NGA financially, so the

opportunity provided by NGA to study

for free is the best thing. I could not be

happier.

Meerim Aliaskarova:

“I was in a hurry to

enter the Academy.”

I have lived at the

Meerim Bulagy

(Source of happiness) Orphanage in

Issyk-Kul since I was 6. I studied

there until 9th grade, after which I

studied at the №5 School in Kant. As

soon as I learned about NGA enrolling

talented kids from low income

families, I was in a hurry to enter. I

did not think that I would have any

opportunities to enter one of the top

universities, and was happy to find out

that NGA was offering scholarships.

I have worked on my English since

grade 6. Even though it was not easy

to enter NGA, I was confident in my

level of knowledge. My competitors

were tough. I cannot describe the

happiness I felt when they told me

I was accepted. I will try hard, and

I want to continue my education at

AUCA in psychology. I think that this

profession is in demand right now

and I would like to make a difference

in preserving friendship between

nationalities in the Kyrgyz Republic.

All NGA students reside at the

brand new AUCA International

Dormitory. The building, opened

in 2012, has room for 140

students and resident assistants

to live comfortably. The dormitory

also features a full computer lab

and entertainment area, WiFi

throughout the building, shared

kitchen and laundry rooms, and

an outdoor patio area for games

and hanging out. To find out

more about the dormitory or

applying to AUCA, please email admissions@mail.auca.kg.

8 AUCA Magazine*August 2012

On Thursday, May 31st,

with the help of AUCA

students, faculty, alumni,

board of trustees, sponsors, and U.S.

Ambassador Pamela Spratlen, a time

capsule was laid in the foundation of

the new AUCA campus building to

signify the beginning of construction.

During the first week of June concrete

started pouring the foundation for

what will become a state-of-the-art,

green campus, and an example for

sustainable living in Central Asia.

The occasion was marked with

words from AUCA President Andrew

Wachtel, Ambassador Spratlen, and

Chair of the AUCA Board of Trustees

William Newton-Smith. Dr. Newton-

Smith said that the 50-year capsule

gave much too short a time horizon,

and that he would prefer to have it

be opened in 3012, or better yet, to

merely place an infinity sign on the

capstone. The capsule, he said, would

then serve as motivation for all future

generations of AUCA students and

faculty.

Ambassador Spratlen thanked the

Kyrgyz government for their support of

the university through their generosity

regarding the current AUCA campus,

and was equally excited about the US

government's support of AUCA and its

move to a new, modern facility.

President Wachtel shared that in

50 years, he hopes that students will

talk about the new campus as the "old

campus building," and that by 2062

AUCA will have multiple buildings and

campuses, and be not only the best

university in Central Asia, but one of

the best in the world.

The time capsule was laid in

cement, and contained issues of the

New Star student newspaper, the

AUCA Magazine, several business

cards from current staff, faculty,

sponsors and board members, several

library cards from graduating students,

and AUCA paraphernalia. The capsule

also included letters from the alumni,

student senate, president, as well as a

compact disc of AUCA events, which

we sincerely hope will be able to be

played in 2062.

tiME CApSuLECAMpuS upDAtE:

university uPdate

by Natali Anarbaeva

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The publication is available in both Russian and English, and accessible for free on CD and web formats through a grant by the United States Emabssy and Fulbright Alumni Association.

EDuCAtiONCASE StuDy:LAW

university uPdate

by Michelle Leighton

10 AUCA Magazine*August 2012

C ontemporary International

Law, which was edited and

published by law professors

from three universities in Kyrgyzstan,

American University of Central Asia,

Kyrgyz National University, and

Kyrgyz State Academy of Law, was

celebrated as the first such resource

book to help modernize Kyrgyz

legal education. It will be made

available for free in Russian and in

English to help support teachers, and

allow students to gain access to the

international materials, documents,

and norms being taught and applied

in European, U.S., and other

advanced Asian countries. It can also

serve as a major supplement to the

Kyrgyz law curriculum, and a teaching

and learning guide for the subjects of

law, international relations, business,

and other fields. Policy-makers,

lawyers, and judges may also find the

book helpful in analyzing key global

issues and jurisprudence that affects

Kyrgyzstan and other Central Asian

Countries.

At the ceremony, honorary

copies of the book in Russian and

English, and a CD containing both

editions, were presented to Ms. Asiya

Sasykbaeva,Vice Speaker of the

Parliament, Jogorku Kenesh, who is

member of the Parliament’s Committee

on Human Rights, Constitutional

Legislation and State Governance,

and former Head of “Interbilim

Center”, a human rights and education

organization. The Jogorku Kenesh has

also requested copies of the book for

the Speaker and for each Committee

of Parliament. These will be provided

as requested. At the event, honorary

copies of the book in both languages

were also presented to Mr. Christian

Wright, Public Affairs Officer for the

United States Embassy. In accepting

the books on behalf of the Embassy

and his office, which

supported the publication

of the book, Mr. Wright

thanked the working

group of professors

and the Fulbright

Alumni Association. He

welcomed the publication

and anticipation of the

next steps to distribute

the book and raise

awareness among

teachers of this new

resource. During the

ceremony, students who dedicated

their time to assisting in the research

and publication of the book were

provided a Certificate of appreciation

and acknowledgement for their

dedication and contribution. At the

close of the ceremony, the working

group of professors from the three

universities, AUCA’s Tian Shan

Policy Center, and Fulbright Alumni

Association of Kyrgyzstan identified

the need to find resources in order

to realize translation of the book into

the Kyrgyz language and to facilitate

additional trainings that members

of the working group can undertake

with teachers and students in other

parts of Kyrgyzstan on using this new

resource as a teaching supplement.

They urged participants and donors to

help collaborate on these next steps of

activity.

usefulness of the international Law

Guide

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11AUCA Magazine*August 2012

As the issues society faces

become more closely interlinked,

global governance mechanisms

and international law play an

ever increasing role in domestic

life. Scholars share a common

understanding that the sources,

even subjects, of international

law are expanding as the world

becomes interlinked and ever more

globalized, and as domestic relations

affect international relations. Those

engaged in navigating this ever

changing terrain or seeking to

promote better international relations

must continually keep current on

the evolution of law created by new

multilateral treaties, global regulatory

bodies, and the jurisprudence of

international tribunals. As experts,

we never cease to be students of

this evolutionary process. The

Constitution of the Kyrgyz Republic

is one of the most progressive in

its recognition that “international

treaties to which the Kyrgyz Republic

is a party…and also the universally

recognized principles and norms

of international law shall be the

constituent part of the legal system of

the Kyrgyz Republic.”

The actors with the heaviest

influence on trends in international

trade and investment priorities,

economic development, and rules

of equitable governance and

human freedoms are more often

intergovernmental bodies and non-

state actors, such as businesses,

trade associations, humanitarian

and human rights agencies, and

other civil society organizations. The

implementation of new international

practices and standards at the national

level helps countries to strengthen

their business relations, domestic

investment, the rule of law, and

understanding of global foreign affairs.

Please follow the link to get access to the book: www.tspc.auca.kg

This new book prepared

especially for Kyrgyzstan seeks

to capture both the foundational

principles on which our international

legal system depends, and normative

frameworks representing future legal

trends. The cases and materials were

selected to provide a distinct focus

on issues relevant to Kyrgyzstan and

Central Asian countries. In this way,

the book can be a useful resource

to support university teachers and

students in their studies related to

international law, foreign affairs,

business, and other fields.

Zhumgalbek uulu Rakhatbek, American Studies - '13

What was the purpose of the internship? What responsibilities did

you have?

The program provided students with an opportunity for professional development and to infuse the public sector of the Kyrgyz Republic with the enthusiasm, energy, and skills of future leaders of the country. The internships concluded with students submitting a 10-to-12 page, professional-quality academic report

On June 29, 15 AUCA juniors

and seniors finished their

internship in key parliamentary

committees of the Jogorku Kenesh, and

were awarded with certificates.

The event was hosted by

committee supervisors, staff of the DAI

Parliamentary Strengthening Project,

representatives from USAID, and OSCE

donors, who worked on placing the

students in parliamentary committees.

Ross Brown, the Head of the

Military Political Unit of OSCE, began

with a speech, and then awarded

AUCA interns with certificates. After

that, successful interns gave speeches

giving gratitude to the program and

internship supervisors.

Diana Durusbek and Jumgalbek

Rahat, two of the interns, were pleased

to share their experiences.

BRiGHtiNtERNSHip

FutuRE

LEADS tO

on a topic related to the intern’s field of study/scope of work at the Jogorku Kenesh.

Most of my assignments were connected with providing background information for the members of my department. Since I was working in the Department of the Committee for Regulations of the Jogorku Kenesh and Ethics, I was writing background statements for legislative bills, writing comparative analysis based on local and international experiences, translating documents (Kyrgyz, Russian, and English), and identifying gaps in the functioning of the Jogorku Kenesh. I also participated in different parliamentarian meetings, conferences, seminars and worked with many projects.

How were you selected?

From December 2011-January 2012, I participated in a two-tier selection process. First, I submitted my CV and a one-page statement of

purpose essay explaining why I wanted to intern in the Jogorku Kenesh. Later, I was invited to the interview where I tried to show and prove my desire to work in the Parliament of Kyrgyz Republic. Then, I was selected.

Was it helpful for you? Why?

I developed writing skills that allowed me to write important documents both in Kyrgyz and Russian languages. Using new computer programs helped me to write in Kyrgyz properly. Also, organizing events and managing projects gave me new organizational skills. I learned to be more responsible and it helped me to work in the department and deal with different projects at the same time.

What knowledge gained at AuCA helped you?

I consider my communication skills as the main contribution of AUCA in this program. I developed these communication skills at the university

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12 AUCA Magazine*August 2012

and it helped me reach to people on different levels, in different languages, and in different contexts. It also helped me to keep balance and be objective during conflict situations. I understood that the ability to communicate properly played a significant role when building a career in the public sector. Also interns from AUCA were friendly and responsible, which allowed us to work as a team while implementing different projects. And finally, during some university courses I got specific information about the parliamentary system that helped me to understand the functioning of our Parliament.

Would you like to continue to work in this sphere? What plans do you have?

The internship gave me the real image of how the legislative branch of the Kyrgyz Republic works. The functioning of the Jogorku Kenesh has an impact on all spheres of the country. My experience in the Jogorku Kenesh was useful and will contribute

to my development.

During the internship I understood that it is quite possible to build a career in the Jogorku Kenesh. However, I also got appropriate knowledge and skills to continue a career in other parts of the public sector. My patriotic attitude, hardworking approach, and leadership qualities give me an advantage if I choose to work in the public sector.

Diana Durusbek, international and Comparative politics - '12

What did you learn from this internship?

This internship contributed to the development of my communication skills, and enhanced my awareness of the importance of working as a team based on social consensus.

How did your AuCA education help you during your work?

I am sure my critical thinking and analytical skills gained at AUCA helped me face challenges throughout the internship. One of the most interesting classes that I took at AUCA was Public Policy Analysis, where each student was required to write a policy brief by the end of the semester. I got to contribute to many such papers during my internship. In addition, in the middle of the semester a role model game was initiated, where each student got to play the role of a certain decision-maker concerning a particular legislative project. Although by the end of the course my knowledge of the public sector was more theoretical, I understood how the decision-making process worked, what was needed, and how to come to a consensus with so many various opinions. After the internship I truly appreciate how complicated the decision making process can be.

What kind of knowledge did you get?

I wrote a lot of official letters and statements, provided analysis based on logically structured arguments and reliable information, working with legal documents, and asking reliable and well-thought, well-structured questions. These are the most important skills I gained during the internship. It was a lively learning experience and I left with a new perspective.

How has this internship influenced your future plans?

Being a foreign policy maker here is my career goal. This professional experience in the public sector of the Kyrgyz Republic is vital for getting this kind of job. For example, the state's public policy as regards to migration questions is certainly reflected in its foreign relations with other states. Immigration of Kyrgyz citizens to Russia is one of the key factors influencing Russia-Kyrgyz Republic relations. Therefore, I do see my future career closely connected with the public sector.

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ALuMNiREuNiON

On May 26, 2012, the 15th Alumni Reunion took place at the Jannat Hotel in Bishkek. All in all, 140 alumni participated in this memorable event, including the first president of the AUCA, John Clark, who attended as an honorable guest speaker. Current President Andrew Wachtel also delivered a speech concerning last year’s developments and spoke about the construction of the new campus. The Alumni Council representatives presented the Unity Fund with the James Wade Emison III Alumni Leadership Award in recognition of their leadership qualities in public service and individual integrity. Jenny Jie received the award on behalf of the Unity Fund. Following the awards and speeches, the guests enjoyed an evening entertainment program and listened to live music which this year was hosted by Marat Yusupov. In addition, the organizers accompanied the entertainment with a new raffle that will become a tradition in future alumni reunions. The event organizers would like to express their gratitude to all of the event sponsors who courteously provided this year’s raffle prizes. Thos sponsors include: Turkish Airlines, Jannat Hotel, Life Fitness Sports Club, Continuing Education Centre at AUCA, Kapriz Issyk-Kul, Karven Club, Karven Restaurant, Prego Restaurant, Evromoda, Mia, Levi’s, Colin’s, Moulin Rouge, and Megacom. Turkish Airlines kindly provided a prize of 2 roundtrip tickets to Istanbul, and Jannat Hotel awarded an inclusive wedding package that offered a one night stay at their luxury suite, an outdoor wedding chapel, and a 10% banquet discount. All proceeds from the raffle went toward the AUCA Alumni Scholarship.

researCH

Rahim was from Bulak,

a village in the Chui

Valley. Rahim was

widely respected in his community as

a result of the success he found after

the collapse of the Soviet Union.

He graduated with distinction from

the Kyrgyz Academy of Medicine

in Bishkek in 1998, and over the

course of the next ten years built

several successful businesses.

Rahim, encouraged by his

relative Turgunbek, then Minister

of Public Health, entered politics

DEMOCRACy&pAtRONAGE by Sven Stafford

16 AUCA Magazine*August 2012

researCH

and was appointed to several

governmental positions. He was

eventually appointed president

of a fund to provide credit to

entrepreneurs in the Kyrgyz Republic.

In this capacity, Rahim was able

to raise KGS 3.4 million (about

$100,000 adjusted for inflation) for

investment.

Rahim had more going for

him than his talent for business and

politics. He was descended from a

Kyrgyz aristocratic line, Ak-Jol (or ak

söök, meaning the descendants of

the nobles), and traced his patrilineal

descent back to Nurmanbet, one of

the most ancient Kyrgyz lines.

The Ak-Jol line today comprises

over seventy households throughout

the Kyrgyz Republic. Although

Rahim was young to be a leader with

such a powerful community position,

he used his lineage to expand the

network of relations and supporters

around him. Eventually he was given

the name öz ball (own son), which

helped him to maintain his honored

position without violating the rules

and norms of the community.

In 2007 Rahim mobilized

this community and was elected

to parliament as a member of the

Social Democratic Party of the

Kyrgyz Republic. His grandmother

had always reminded Rahim to be

with the people, and Rahim took

the advice to heart. In parliament

he used his position to encourage

business and provide jobs and to

build schools and hospitals. In the

community he supported culture and

put on lavish celebrations.

Rahim's one disadvantage was

that he had nobody to whom he

could pass on his success. His lack

of 'appropriate brothers' stemmed

from the fact that Rahim had no

sons, just one sister, and two male

cousins who were considered his

closest kin. This mattered a lot

when, in 2008, Rahim disappeared

and was never heard from again.

Aksana Ismailbekova

(AUCA Anthropology '05)

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17AUCA Magazine*August 2012

interviewed Rahim for her dissertation,

"The Native Son and Blood Ties:

Kinship and Poetics of Patronage in

Rural Kyrgyzstan." Aksana submitted

her thesis last year at the Martin

Luther University in Halle-Wittenberg,

and when we sat down in Bishkek to

talk last summer she was on her way

down to Osh to complete research on

the June 2010 events.

Over the past twenty years

Aksana has watched as a debate in

the Kyrgyz Republic has taken place

over what comes first: kin or law. In

most places around the country, the

answer depends on the strength of the

kin present. In Bishkek you will find

many people who understand that

the rule of law is desirable, but find

nobody who is willing to enforce it.

The collapse of the Soviet

Union left people expecting the same

level of service from a government

that, to this day, does not have the

resources to provide it. A vacuum

of power never exists for very

long, and to cope with the lack of

state-provided support, people in

the Kyrgyz Republic began to rely

on traditional relationships and

patronage systems.

Some areas of the country

experience little to no influence

of large family relationships. In

research done by former AUCA

Professor Gulzat Botaeva (Article,

pg. 20) there is little evidence of a

patronage system in an Issyk-Kul

village where people make their

living by selling marijuana. This

contrasts greatly with the case of

Rahim, who used his family network

to dominate his village and take over

surrounding villages.

Rahim routinely used the

power of his patronage

to enlarge his family and fatten his

coffers. His family connections in

Kazakhstan opened up the possibility

for him to export milk. These

profits allowed him to buy up former

collective farms under suspicious

conditions. Rahim then replaced

many of the experienced farmers with

family members, and forced others

living on the farms into a sort of

indentured servitude, making them

completely reliant on the patron's

largesse.

Rahim also used public funds

that he directed at the time to make

infrastructure improvements and

investments on his properties and

for his businesses. Not even religion

could get in the way of his business

prospects, as he used his position

as a local administrator to block the

construction of a local mosque in

favor of a community health center

that in which he had a personal

stake.

In that altercation, Rahim used

his connections within the state

apparatus to delay efforts being made

to construct the mosque. Rahim also

colluded with those same people to

secure funding for the future clinic.

Publicly Rahim used his community

influence to question the motivation

for the mosque, and the foreign

source of funding. Rahim was able

to legitimize his position through

a vote that took place at a village

meeting, taking steps to make sure

that opposition was limited.

The Kyrgyz Republic is singled

out for its adoption of democracy in

a region known for strong autocrats,

but does a democracy built on a

combination of rule of law as well

as patronage qualify as democratic?

Aksana says that it does.

In the case of the 2007

parliamentary elections, Rahim's

hometown of Bulak serves as an

example of what Aksana considers a

localized Kyrgyz democratic process.

It is common knowledge in the

country that politicians pay for votes

during the election process. In 2007

community elders came together to

demand the purchase and renovation

of an old store into a cafe that could

be used for weddings and events.

This kind of patronage, Aksana

argues, is a democratic process that

allows people to participate in village

decisions. Before the election took

place Rahim took the demands of

the village into consideration before

providing the younger people with a

stadium, the elderly with a traditional

yurt, and the poor with a horse. This

endeared him to three sectors of

the population, and convinced the

villagers that electing Rahim was in

their long-term interest.

Rahim was running under for

Social Democratic Part (СДПК),

which opposed the party of

then President Bakiyev (Ak-Jol).

Despite the pressure to support the

presidential party, who retained

a majority of the seats in the

parliament, villagers routinely asked

local campaigners for Ak-Jol to stop,

and did not distribute flyers that were

given to them.

On election day Rahim's

chief of staff Oroz used all of his

connections to get out the vote,

helping students travel back to

the village, picking up elderly and

helping obtain the proper documents.

At the end of the day 700 of the

eligible 1000 had voted, leaving 300

unused ballots. Instead of destroying

the ballots, as was mandated by law,

Oroz suggested to the central election

commission monitor that the ballots

be distributed instead among party

members.

The party members filled out

the remaining ballots, including 50

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18 AUCA Magazine*August 2012

The people justified the violation of the election

rules by organizing their election in a way that took into account local

practices as well as democratic ideas of equal

representation.

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that were filled out by the election

monitor, who ended up voting neither

for Ak-Jol, her party, or the Social

Democrats, but for a third, neutral

party. In the end 90% of the votes

came in for Rahim.

State authorities declared

the election a success, while

international observers showed

corruption to be everywhere, and

called for the vote to be annulled.

Aksana says that the truth lies

somewhere in between. There was

indeed corruption with bought votes,

and corrupt officials. The people,

however, chose to participate in

the flawed process because they

benefitted from participating.

The people in Bulak justified

the violation of the election rules by

organizing their election in a way

that took into account local practices

as well as democratic ideas of equal

representation. In the end the

community was more upset about 10

legitimate votes cast for Ak-Jol from

unknown citizens than the 300 that

were cast fraudulently.

It is unclear why, after a little

over a year in office, Rahim

was disappeared. It is possible that

because of his membership in the

opposition that he was seen as an

obstacle that had to be removed. The

perpetrator also could have been local,

as Rahim collected several enemies

over the time he was distributing

profits to only those in his admittedly

extended circle.

What is certain is that Rahim

was quickly forgotten. Rahim's

grandmother told Aksana that lines

of people used to come and see her

every day to ask a favor of Rahim, or

to invite Rahim to a birthday party

or celebration. After he disappeared

only a few families came by to

give their condolences for her loss,

and she was no longer invited to

participate in community life.

Rahim's lack of sons and

brothers meant that there were

no strong patrilineal lines to carry

on his work after he passed. The

hundreds of family members that

Rahim brought into his circle through

extensive ancestral research and

family tree fidgeting were accepted

by the community because of the

strength of Rahim. With his passing

Rahim's strongest patrilineal ties,

to his father's brother's sons, were

irresponsible and not accepted by the

community as 'appropriate' brothers.

Some of the businesses still

remain in the hands of those who

were close to Rahim, while others

have passed on to new patrons. It

is unclear whether a new partron

will be able to consolidate economic

and political power the same way

Rahim was able to. Changes to the

way the parliament is elected seem

to make it less likely of a Rahim

repeat. Current parliamentarians

are put forth on party lists, which do

not necessarily correlate to specific

districts of the country. But it is not

clear yet if this change has weakened

or simply shifted patronage in the

country.

Aksana says that the villagers

are not blind to the excesses and

manipulations of patrons like

Rahim, but they also feel that it is

better to have a patron than to have

nothing. As long as the federal and

local governments remain weak and

unable to provide the most basic

of services, patrons such as Rahim

will come and go with various levels

of strength and influence. Even

if it were the case today that the

government could provide, it is

unlikely that the Kyrgyz people would

submit to a democratic system with

no regard for the Kyrgyz family tree.

Aksana is married and has

a child. Her husband Rufat, who

is also a Kyrgyz citizen, has just

completed his masters degree in water

management, and Akbar (6 years

old) attends school in Halle but has

become a fan of Dusseldorf football

club, who were just promoted to the

Bundesliga this year.

During the week Aksana

commutes to her institute in Berlin

to work on her research and teach

classes. She has written her

dissertation and conducts her research

in English. And despite only having

two semesters of German at AUCA

prior to leaving for Germany, she has

advanced enough to co-teach upper

level anthropology courses.

Although she travels back to

the Kyrgyz Republic frequently to

conduct surveys and interviews, she

and her husband hope to move back

permanently to the Kyrgyz Republic

as soon as they can find the right

opportunity.

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MARijuANAMODESty iN

by Sven Stafford

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20 AUCA Magazine*August 2012

Lake Issyk-Kul is typically booming in late July and early August. Tourists from

surrounding Central Asian countries and the entire city of Bishkek descend on the mountain lake for fresh air, cool water, and a break from civilization. While some locals earn their entire living from the summer economy surrounding the lake, for lakeside communities located outside the main tourist belt July and August, like most of the other months of the year, getting by can be a struggle.

Except for the months directly following the harvest in autumn, finding the money to support a family in these agricultural areas is hard. With no futures market or government insurance program to speak of, families must front all the costs of their harvest. Profits only come in September/October assuming that the harvest is good. That success is not only important for survival, but also to be an active member of the community, attending weddings, birthday parties, and local meetings.

As the costs of daily life mount, families in the region are not without options. Relatives that work in nearby Kazakhstan or Russia may send remittances. UNDP data show that in 2010 remittances made up about 27% of GDP, with 88% of those remittances coming from Russia. 2011 UNDP estimates have remittances growing by 33% year on year.

If there are no family members sending cash home, they definitely have access to a burgeoning microfinance industry. Over the past 10 years over 200 microfinance agencies have appeared in the country offering loans from as little as KGS 2000 ($42.4) to as much as $110,000. Kompanion, one such company, has over 164 offices throughout the country, with an average loan size of $468. The industry is estimated to reach about 500,000 people, or 10% of the country.

Despite its reach and its reputation for decreasing poverty, it is unclear that microfinance has been a boon to the farmers around Issyk-Kul. In many cases the microfinance institutions are unable to reach the

poorest section of the population, and have little interest in doing so. Microcredit is also unsuited to agriculture, since loan payments are collected every month, but profits only come in during the harvest. For these reasons many people along the lake do not avail themselves of the loans available to them.

Even when the revenue does come in, it is often paltry. Potatoes sell for 5 KGS/kg ($.10), while milk sells for 6 KGS/l ($.12). It is possible to get higher prices in Bishkek, the capital, but transporting the produce 7-8 hours on bad roads wipes out any added value. There is no mechanism in the country to guarantee a price, and no insurance against a bad harvest or drought.

So if a family does not have an earner abroad, or is not willing to take the financial risk of a mircrofinance loan, what are they to do? The options are limited. The government does not have the resources or creativity to provide solutions. The private sector is not willing. Yet some communities around Issyk Kul have discovered an alternative sector. They are selling marijuana.

Marijuana grows wild around Issyk Kul in an

area estimated from 7,000 to 26,000 hectares. During the Soviet Union cannabis from Issyk Kul was considered the highest quality available, and was known among drug users from Belarus to Siberia as "ruchnik." Although there have been many efforts by Soviet and Kyrgyz governments to rid the valley of the drug, it comes back every year as potent as before.

July and August are the months when the plants start to produce the resin (the most compact form of Tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) that produces the drugs narcotic effects) that the valley is famous for. The hashish picked around the lake can be so potent that a piece the size of a sunflower seed added to a cigarette can produce the desired effect. Although there are many forms of marijuana that can be produced, the cheapest and easiest form is to simply cut the buds, dry them out, and sell them in matchboxes as "grass."

After the initial collapse of the

Soviet Union, these matchboxes became a type of currency. People would give matchboxes as gifts at weddings, and use them for payments for services. Twenty years hence the local economy is stronger and some government services have returned. In many cases, the people no longer need the sales of marijuana to survive.

But there is no sign of production slowing down. The plant is ubiquitous so access is easy. Police are unable to monitor even a small percentage of drug harvesting. When police do happen upon someone in the trade, as little as KGS 1000 ($21) can turn their heads. For larger infractions, the bribes can grow up to KGS 100,000 ($2,100).

The communities understand the dangers of drug use, and there is little sympathy for those who get caught dealing. Yet the fact that marijuana is still sold (The Kyrgyz government estimates around 10-20 tonnes per year), even when it is no longer necessary for survival, raises several questions about the economic dynamics of these communities and how they have developed over the past twenty years.

I talked with Gulzat Botoeva, an AUCA lecturer from 1999-

2008, to discuss her research on marijuana production around Issyk-Kul. Gulzat is completing her sociology Ph.D. from Essex University in the United Kingdom, where she also earned her masters in 2005. She is very composed and measured when talking about her research, which she will submit in October.

Marijuana production was the topic of Gulzat's thesis, and she has been doing research on communities that surround the lake for the past 4 years. She says that the biggest change that has occurred in the communities she has studied is that the idea of selling marijuana has become normalized. That is, selling marijuana, once a survival tool, became ingrained culturally and economically, and is now accepted as a normal practice for supplementing income.

Soviet rule also played a role in the normalization process. From 1916 to 1974 Issyk-Kul was the

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center of legal Soviet medicinal opium production. Hemp was also produced in the region starting from 1933, and some researchers believe that the cannabis consumed toady is a byproduct of mutated seeds from the hemp factory. Elderly along the lake can still recall fields full of blooming poppies and generations of family who made their livelihood off of the drugs.

When the Soviet Union collapsed, so did the social contract that existed between the state and the workers. However, part of that contract was built on the hemp and medicinal opium industry, which helped shape community norms surrounding marijuana.

The people in these particular communities around the lake, therefore, do not view selling marijuana as breaking the law, they see it as a sort of quasi-right that they obtained when the state abandoned its responsibility. In many ways today, marijuana sales have replaced the government as the backbone of the society, providing security in times of need. The communities are also careful not to abuse their safety net. ‘Modesty in Marijuana’ could be the name for their unusual safety net.

In the early years after the collapse men, women, and children would go out to harvest the crop and sell it to anyone on the street. Things are not so freewheeling these days, as both the authorities and communities have matured. Young men are the main harvesters, but women also participate and take the risk of getting caught. If you are a stranger you will find marijuana hard to buy, as most marijuana toady is only sold to trusted vendors, who then resell it in Kazakhstan and Russia.

Although the communities have not arranged themselves into anything approaching a cartel, they do aid each other to avoid problems with law enforcement. This lack of a central organization or head family has seemed to work to their benefit. Families do not fight over resources, no family is indebted to another family, and the low profile keeps a lot of police attention focused elsewhere.

There are some natural reasons for this arrangement. One is that the plant does not grow in one concentrated area, so it is nearly impossible for one person or group to control. Second, because the plant grows wild it is impossible to rid the region of the plant without doing irreparable harm to the surrounding lake environment, especially important to the summer tourism industry. Third, domestically cultivated crops are destroyed by police, who are given rewards for busting large cultivated plantations. Police are given bonuses, higher ranks, and in some cases cars for large busts, but there are too few of them and they are easily corrupted.

Most importantly, however, is the natural way in which selling the drug has become not a way to exploit the market or each other, but as a way to protect each other from the danger of the market.

The fact that other people are exploiting the market and

getting rich off of their land does not seem to bother them. The community prohibits drug use, and almost all of the drugs are consumed outside the region. According to UN and government officials between 75-90% of the marijuana production leaves the country. That means, conservatively, profits of around $50 million dollars for the exporters, who mark up the marijuana anywhere from 500% to 2200%.

Felix Kulov, a former vice president, once put forward a measure to legalize the drug in the hope of taxing the profits. Under a national scheme, or even one in which the people tried to capture more of the secondary market gains, it is not clear that it would better the communities, drastically changing economic and social constructs that have emerged over the past twenty years.

The limited production and use of marijuana have insulated people from the problems that often accompany increased drug trafficking. According to UNODC, Kazakhstan, a resource-rich neighbor to the north, has seen an increase in drug addicts, as well as an almost 100% increase since 2009 in the incidence of HIV, mostly through

injection. The Kyrgyz Republic has seen increases in addiction and HIV rates as well, but mostly concentrated along the main heroine trafficking corridors, and not around the marijuana producing regions of the country.

The people’s cognitive dissonance is not without limits. They understand that drugs are illegal and for some good reasons. They are also willing to stop producing the drug, as long as there is something to replace the income and security it provides. Many think that the government should provide that support. But seeing as how the government barely has the money to police the drug trade, it does not seem likely that they will soon be able to replace a fully functioning social safety net.

There is little support for making the production of marijuana legal among the communities. Although it would certainly lead to higher incomes, the people appreciate the uncertainty of change, and that all change has its advantages and disadvantages. Legalizing the crop would disrupt the normalized economy of the communities, whose livelihoods are now insured by the illegality of the drug. A cash strapped government might also have an interest in legalizing the drug, but that would mean foregoing Western international assistance, which currently makes up about 16% of GDP.

This new normal, whereby marijuana is illegal but still produced and distributed in modest quantities, is likely to stay for the immediate future. If the plant were not grown here the people would be pushed even further towards the microfinance industry, to send earners to bigger cities or abroad, or to simply be even more at the whim of Mother Nature and the random inequality she dishes out. Families would suffer, and the whole community as a result.

Marijuana gives the freedom and security to remain in the community they know and understand. The modesty they practice protects the community from higher scrutiny and jealous, greedy officials. Ironically, the market for marijuana has eased the transition to the free market, man.

22 AUCA Magazine*August 2012

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RESEARCH HuBBuiLDiNG A by Altynai Usubalieva

Dr. Wachtel, why is it important

for the university to do more research?

What is the rationale behind this

transition?

A university in the modern world

cannot simply be a place of knowledge

diffusion from faculty to students. It

also must be a place of knowledge

creation, if only because faculty who

are not involved in creating knowledge

in their fields will very soon find

that the knowledge they acquired as

graduate students is obsolete. The

way to ensure that faculty are aware

of changes in their disciplines and

surrounding areas is to encourage

them to participate actively in the life

of their disciplines, which means to

make the effort to advance knowledge

in that area. For the institution as a

whole there is another goal: for better

or worse, institutions measure each

other not by the quality of the teaching

but by the research produced by their

faculty. By producing meaningful

research in key area, most obviously but

not exclusively in Central Asian Studies,

AUCA makes itself visible on the world

stage in a way that cannot be achieved

only by good undergraduate teaching.

This in its turn brings a higher quality

and quantity of visitors to campus,

enriching the lives of our students, staff

and faculty, and can serve as a way of

attracting resources of various kinds.

To be sure, this can be overdone and

we would not want the AUCA faculty

to become so focused on research that

they forget the primary mission of the

Recently AUCA President Dr. Andrew Wachtel announced a framework through which AUCA will become a university

hub for research. To find out what this will mean for the university, its faculty and its students, we interviewed 3 people directly

involved in this initiative: President Wachtel, economics professor Zarylbek Kudabaev, and foreign language professor Alex Cigale.w

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university, which is to prepare the future

leaders of Central Asia. There must

be a balance between research and

teaching, therefore. But nevertheless,

a certain amount of significant research

needs to be produced by our faculty if

we are to make the university a more

exciting intellectual place for faculty and

students.

What are the steps that need to be

taken within the strategic plan? What steps

have been already taken?

The most important thing

necessary to allow faculty to produce

significant research (assuming they are

individuals who are interested in so

doing) is to provide resources, which

come in two forms—time and money.

For the most part, time is the biggest

problem. Teaching is an intensive and

mentally exhausting activity if it is done

well, and teaching 12 credits a semester

is not compatible with having the time

or mental energy to produce knowledge,

which is an equally mentally exhausting

task. That is why already this year

we made it relatively easy for faculty

members to reduce their teaching

load to 9 credits. The other question

revolves around money, of course.

The advent of the web and of various

technologies has made it easier to follow

what is happening around the world in

academic fields as well as to interact

with colleagues. Nevertheless, at the

outset of a research project, face to face

contact with like-minded colleagues and

the availability of good library collections

is a key driver of research success.

The program we have put together that

allows faculty to spend up to a year in

the U.S. doing research and working

with colleagues at other universities, is a

big step toward creating the conditions

that allow faculty to initiate significant

research projects. However, we still

need to find funding to allow our faculty

to attend major research conferences in

their fields as well as to work up their

articles and books for publication by

leading academic journals and presses.

Where do you see AUCA in 10-15 years?

I hope that in 10-15 years time

all faculty at AUCA will be engaged

at least to some extent in research in

their academic fields. In addition, I

expect that there will be some areas,

Central Asian Studies in particular but

others as decided on by our faculty, in

which AUCA as a whole is perceived

to be a world-class institution from the

standpoint of research.

Mr. Kudabaev, do you support Dr.

Wachtel’s plan to make AUCA a research

university?

The president has my full support

on this matter. I am sure that this long-

term plan requires hard work, but at the

end of the day we are not reforming just

for the sake of the reforms, I strongly

believe that in the end the teaching will

be improved as well.

As the main goal of studying is

looking for truth, I think that we should

also engage students in research as

deeply as possible. We are already

working in this direction, requiring

students to complete a thesis paper

during their senior year.

What further steps need to be taken to

achieve this goal?

I think there are two. First of all,

professors need to engage students in

their research where they can, thus

developing good research habits in the

students, and expanding a professor’s

capacity to do research at the same

time. We also should publish the

outstanding research papers.

Second, there is a solid group of

young instructors and professors that

see their future linked with AUCA, not

just a stop on the way to something

better. I propose that AUCA provide

this group with a sabbatocal once

every 5 years for 1-2 semesters. It is

already being done, but I hope it will

be made permanent. I believe it’s a

big and necessary investment in the

experience and research opportunities

for instructors. The decision taken to

reduce the workload of instructors will

definitely benefit our staff and you can

already see some good results.

I strongly believe that we should

open more masters level programs.

Students studying masters courses could

help instructors and professors out with

research and seminar classes to help

reduce the workload of staff.

In the longer term I see AUCA

having postgraduate programs and

inviting professors from all over the

world. We could invite those who are

already retired, but still full of energy,

experienced, and ready to share their

skills and knowledge.

Mr. Cigale, what brought you to

Kyrgyzstan?

I hope you’ll forgive me for

waxing poetic: As a poet and as a

human being I have always believed

we must trust and act on our sense

of intuition, that “fate” requires us to

complete some as yet unknown but

already existing thing, our “self”. I

suppose that we all have an innate

need to find out where we came from,

in a spiritual sense, how we were

formed and what formed us. Both of

my parents spent the years of WW II as

children in evacuation in Tashkent (my

father, born in St. Petersburg/Leningrad

in 1939, was evacuated, and my

mother was actually born in Tashkent).

I have always known that I would be

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“returning” to Central Asia one day.

Q: What got you interested in the

Fergana School of poetry?

I started thinking about coming

here some 10 years ago, when I met

Shamshad Abdullaev, former poetry

editor of Zvezda Vostoka, in New York.

When we met, I felt as though I had

known him my whole life, and indeed I

got to know his work and some mutual

poetry friends earlier, in the mid-90s,

when I spent two summers in Moscow

and Petersburg working on an anthology

of the last quarter century of unofficial

Russian poetry in English translation.

(I myself was born in Western Ukraine

and lived in Leningrad until emigrating

with my family to America during

the 70s). It’s a common occurrence

in Russian literature that it is the

people who come from the provinces

to the capital who enrich the culture

with something new, and something

old. It seems to me that culture, or

“progress” in art, has always consisted

in some interesting melding of old and

new, in the process of synthesizing

experimentation with tradition. I was

immediately attracted by the poets of

Fergana for their melding of Western,

post-modern influences with traditional,

local themes. This provincial capital

that straddles the border of Kyrgyzstan

and Uzbekistan has a surprisingly lively

cultural scene, with galleries, cafes,

etc., not unlike the provincial capital

where I was born (Chernovtsy).

Q: Do you believe that it is a good idea

to provide faculty with opportunities to not only

teach but also to do scientific/research work?

Why?

My answer to this is of course a

resounding “Yes.” As teachers, I believe

the most influential role we play is as

models to our students. More than that,

my success as a teacher stems directly

from my ability to continue to develop

my own interests, and this is true for all

professors. The reputation of a university

is directly enhanced by the publishing,

participation in conferences, and other

academic work that professors do that is

not directly evident in the classroom. But

of course that is exactly what we bring to

the classroom – our “self”.

Q: How do you see the grants program

for faculty at AUCA playing a role in this

context?

I will speak for myself first. As

a recipient in the first semester of its

existence of the 3 credit teaching relief

grant, I can say that it has already

in a very short time began to bear

fruit. I have been able to set aside the

mornings on Monday and Tuesday (3

weekly credit hours translate into 45-50

of semester class-time, which in reality,

including preparation, grading, office

hours, is easily 150-200 hours that

would otherwise be unavailable.) While

that is not enough time to undertake

much new work, I have been able to

consolidate what I have already done

through publishing and planning. My

translations of Shamshad Abdullaev’s

poems have just appeared in two of

the world’s leading literary journals,

Oxford University’s Literary Imagination

and King’s College’s Modern Poetry in

Translation, both in London, and are

forthcoming in New York City, in The

St. Petersburg and The Manhattan

Reviews.

I will be presenting my work

on the Fergana School in Professor

Valeri Hardin’s course on Central Asian

Literature in English translation. And

with my partner and collaborator, Dana

Golin, I have undertaken a translation

of the poetry of our AUCA colleague

and friend Jamby Djusubalieva’s father,

the noted Kyrgyz writer, journalist, and

film scenarist Kubatbek Djusubaliev.

We have already presented some of this

at his 70th year jubilee, at the Kyrgyz

National Public Library and at the State

Opera and Ballet. And, April being

the official American Poetry Month,

Dana and I will be presenting our own

poetry (my English, her Russian) and

our translations of Kubatbek at the

American Library as part of the U. S.

Embassy series of cultural programs.

Lastly, the University grant will allow

me time to apply for a U.S. Fulbright

Specialist grant, so that I may be able to

continue this work this summer.

I would add that, in the small

circle of my own AUCA Foreign

Languages department, various faculty

members are using the grant to work on

course books, French in the context of

Bishkek (Kolesnikova and Mamasheva)

and implementing European Spanish

language standards (Guillermo Bravo).

I have also had the personal pleasure

to assist professor Zarylbek Kudabaev

in his grant-writing efforts to develop a

textbook on Economic Development of

Kyrgyzstan and, through the University

Academic Senate, to enunciate his

vision for the importance of supporting

Faculty Development. I would like to,

in closing, voice my gratitude to the

President of our University, Andrew

Wachtel, and to our Board of Trustees,

for their foresighted and bold investment

in the future of our university, in its

transition from liberal arts college, the

best in Central Asia, to the research

University it is to become.

Links to the translated poems by

Alex Cigale

http://litimag.oxfordjournals.org/

content/early/2011/12/14/litimag.

imr142.full?keytype=ref&ijkey=lfTsLYf

dys1iDvU

http://www.exacteditions.com/

exact/browse/487/580/9610/1/1

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27AUCA Magazine*August 2012

by Natali Anarbaeva

jAquESSONSVEtLANA

pROFiLE

researCH

What is exciting for you about the

opportunity at CASI and AUCA?

It would not be exaggerated to

say that my interest in anthropology

and Central Asia put me “on the move”.

Maybe I contracted the “nomadic virus”

in Mongolia, maybe I caught it later,

here, in Kyrgyzstan. As I realized it

recently, I have been moving regularly,

approximately each three years. When

it comes to my new position at CASI

and AUCA, one can jokingly note that

it was time for me, “as a nomad”, to

move again. More seriously, let me

notice that, for me, being on the move

for the sake of being on the move does

not make much sense. I moved because

I chose to be faithful to my scholarly

vocations - anthropology and Central

Asia – instead of being faithful to an

institution or a country. I have never

hesitated to head to a “foreign place”

and a “foreign institution”, if they offered

favorable conditions for my scholarly

pursuits. Besides, for whatever reasons,

I tend to be bored with traditional and

age-old institutions and I feel more

stimulated by creation, innovation and

development.

Is it surprising then that I was

thrilled with the possibility to act as

a director of the newly created CASI

within the young and dynamic AUCA?

In Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan, the country

to which I have dedicated most of my

research? Thanks to Andrew Wachtel,

AUCA is being reshaped into a major

center for teaching and learning about

Central Asia. CASI has a key role to

play in this process, by stirring and

supporting innovative research projects

on Central Asia among the AUCA faculty

members and the AUCA students, by

networking the scholarly community

devoted to the study of Central Asia, in

all its diversity. For years I have been

moving from one place to another, and

from one institution to another, in the

search of the most favorable conditions

to conduct research on Central Asia.

At times I have been happy and, at

times, I have been frustrated. Now I

myself am given the opportunity to help

design research on Central Asia. Isn’t it

exciting?

What do you hope to accomplish in your

time as CASI director?

I believe that the strategic goals

of both the AUCA as a whole and the

CASI in particular are rightly set. I fully

subscribe to them, I feel like fighting for

them. As a director of CASI then, I take

the challenge of looking for and finding

some of the best and the speediest

What got you interested in Central Asia originally?

I have no simple answer to this question. I mean, it is not

as if I woke up early one morning, a happy Bulgarian teenager,

with the clear-cut idea that Central Asian studies were my

vocation. It was rather a lengthy trial-and-error process. I started

Turkic studies at the National University in Sofia, the capital of

Bulgaria, to soon discover that, as I used to put it then, I did not

feel like studying “dusty Ottoman archives”. Instead I wanted to

be in touch with living people and, as most youngsters, I wanted

to travel and discover new people and new places. I took up

additional courses in Mongolian and Tibetan and seized the

opportunity of a one-year study abroad at the National University

in Ulan Bator, in Mongolia, one of the countries easily accessible

for a Bulgarian at the end of the 1980s. I think that it was

during my stay in Ulan Bator that I identified anthropology as

the academic discipline which suited me best and Central and

Inner Asia as the regions where I wished to pursue research in

the future.

28 AUCA Magazine*August 2012

researCH

ways to achieve them. I hope I will be

able to do it. I think so. I have plenty

of ideas of how to do it. But since it is

my first week of work here, let me be

modest and keep my ideas secret for

the moment. I am sure I will be given

the chance to develop them in the very

close future.

Can you tell us one thing about yourself

that nobody else knows?

Strangely enough, few people,

if anyone, besides my closest family,

are aware of the fact that I have spent

half of my life “on the move”. I adapt

easily and pick up local languages,

customs and manners quickly. Rapidly

enough, I am considered “local” which

in fact is rarely, if ever, the case. Let

me prove it. From Ulan Bator I went

back to Sofia in 1990, for a year, then

moved to Bonn, in (former Western)

Germany, for some months and finally

ended in Paris, where I stayed from

1992 until 1996, in order to complete

my MA in Turkic studies and enlist

for a PhD in ethnology. and learned

French, as well. In 1996, I came for

the first time to Kyrgyzstan and carried

out my first fieldwork on hunting with

birds (münüshkörlük), for two years,

until 1998. I went back to Paris to write

up my PhD. Six days after my PhD

defense, in September 2000, I headed

to Tashkent, with a new contract as a

research fellow at the French Institute

for Central Asian Studies. I went back

to Paris in 2003, because Paris has

become for me a “home away from

home”. Paris is a great place for

anthropology but, well, Central Asia is

not really on the top of research and

funding agendas. In 2006, I left Paris

for Halle, in Germany, or rather in the

former GDR. Believe me, this was not

an easy move. But at the Max Planck

Institute for Social Anthropology in Halle

there was, and there still is, a sustained

interest and focus on Central Asia. Sure,

I stayed in Halle for five long years but

after three years with the Max Planck

Institute I moved to Martin-Luther

University with a Volkswagen project.

Not bad, is it? Of course, people read

my CV but I think few if any know what

it means to be “on the move”.

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29AUCA Magazine*August 2012

HealtH

LAWtHE LONG WAy tO

by Natali Anarbaeva

alumni sPotligHt

This AUCA law department alumnus shocked his

friends by joining the army right after graduation, got

himself a position in a legal company in the U.S. by offering

cleaning services in return for the experience, then returned

to the Kyrgyz Republic as a military volunteer when he

found out about the riots in 2010. In the past year and a

half he has established a flourishing legal company with the

capacity to work abroad, opened a training center for the

professional development of lawyers, and dreams of having

enough time to teach. Meet Joomart Joldoshev (Law 04).w

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31AUCA Magazine*august 2012

What did you do right after AuCA?

I joined the army. It shocked a lot of people. The main reason I joined was because of my family. My father is a colonel, and my brother serves in a special missions unit. The dinner conversation in the family is about military service. My family was proud of me and I do not regret the decision. After the army I left for China where I studied International Common Law for a year. Upon my return to the Kyrgyz Republic I worked for a short while in an insurance company.

After that, as i understood, you went to the u.S.?

I wanted to study their legal

system. I attended community college there studying public law, and was trying for quite a long time to get any kind of job in a law firm. I was coming in and offering any help in return for access to cases. I would always get rejected and I had lost hope until, when going to the gym, I met a lawyer, to whom I offered the same things I had offered others before: cleaning, running errands, including pizza delivery if necessary, in return for the opportunity to gain some experience and access to real cases. While he was listening to me he started smiling and I felt offended; I thought he was mocking me. But, it turned out that he had done the same thing when he was younger. Thus, I got in as an intern for a probationary period and after demonstrating my abilities I

became a lawyer’s assistant.

What were your plans for the future? Why did you return?

I wanted to get a degree there and acquire a license to practice in New York. But when the riots of 2010 took place I decided to return. I came here and left for Osh immediately to sign up as a volunteer for the military. After that tour ended I established my company Joldoshev and Partners, and here I am. I should note that after 4 years spent in U.S. I feel a greater affinity for it than other countries, but Kyrgyzstan is still my homeland.

Does your company already have international experience?

I have experience with court appearances in the USA, the Emirates and Turkey. My team members do not have it yet, but we are working on it. I think the biggest obstacle for lawyers here is overcoming fear and developing confidence.

So the main problem is in the limitations we set for ourselves?

I believe that we limit ourselves mostly due to the mentality of our Soviet upringing. We have all the potential, the only thing lacking is adequate training. At the moment, for example, I am working on signing agreements with a number of foreign legal companies on information sharing, access to databases, experience sharing and so on. They are as interested in this collaboration as we are. So, the key issue was not the lack of opportunities, it’s just that nobody has really engaged this way internationally before.

I am confident that if you take 10-15 young lawyers per year and train them to perform at the international level, we should be doing it.

In our company we concentrate on encouraging young specialists to think globally and be creative.

Does your company focus on particular types of cases?

alumni sPotligHt

32 AUCA Magazine*August 2012

In the beginning, when we were developing relationships with clients, we would take any case offered. Later on that became impossible. You have to prioritize and concentrate on something specific to be professional. At the moment we concentrate on debt, intellectual property, corporate and banking law. We do take court cases, but rarely due to the corrupted system.

We try not to take criminal cases, although we do have licensed specialists for that purpose. This market is quite small in the Kyrgyz Republic, plus the system is corrupted inside and out. It has come so far that there is a price-list for settling cases. Experienced lawyers can say with accuracy how much it will cost to avoid/commute punishment. All of this is incredibly demotivating to young lawyers.

I would love to have a system more like the U.S, if anything because practicing jurisprudence in that environment is fun. Representatives of the profession there are treated with respect, and success depends on professional competence. This is the system we were exposed to when we first started studying law at AUCA. Here in the Kyrgyz Republic, when you say that you are lawyer, people usually respond, “I am a lawyer myself with an honors diploma. Plus I am also an economist.” While in U.S. lawyers are elite, people that have manners, look good, and follow professional ethics.

What are the dynamics of the intellectual property rights cases you deal with here?

At the moment there isn't much going on. But I think this will be really important for the future. In general our current cases relate to copyrighting works of art, works of authorship, etc. Quite a lot of show business stars request our services in settling disputes or safeguarding their products.

Are there any other interesting projects you are working on at the moment?

Right now we are working on

developing a project on mediation and pretrial settlement. It is practiced widely in the West, allowing people to save money, time, and nerves. When using mediation services, both parties are aware that the decision proposed by the mediator is the one most likely to be delivered in court.

I think that mediation could become a wonderful alternative to the court system. It would take some time for people to understand and accept mediation, but as the sense of justice provided by traditional courts continues to decline, I think mediation will become more popular.

i remember that you did not speak Russian when you came to AuCA but now you speak it fluently. Does speaking in 3 languages help in work?

Actually, once I started practicing law I realized that there are few lawyers with good Kyrgyz here. Maybe it is due to the fact that jurisprudence is taught mostly in Russian.

There were a couple of cases in my practice when being multilingual was advantageous. One was a significant claim amount, where the company took the case all the way to the Supreme Court and had to hire me because their lawyer did not speak Kyrgyz. In the other case the defendant was a company with foreign management. I was representing the plaintiff and the hearings were in Kyrgyz. The other party had to have 2 interpreters – one from English to Russian and a second from Russian to Kyrgyz. I was hearing everything in English and had lots of time to think through my next steps while the other side figured out what had been said.

please tell me a little bit about your team.

Our team mostly consists of young lawyers, and then a collection of older lawyers with more specific experience. Of course I am staking my future on the younger generation and on the opportunity for international expansion. I don’t like to talk about my team too much, because we invest great effort in

time and money and I would not want to help out our competitors.

you have also thought about teaching?

Oh, that has been my dream since I was little. I was always interested in history and wanted to become a teacher. Actually, I wanted to become a policeman when I was very young because of my dad. Then I was accepted to AUCA and started to study law, but I still dream about teaching. I am not able to dedicate my time to it right now, because a lot of my time goes into the company and development of the staff. But we are opening a training center for lawyers on professional development, so I will be doing some teaching through that center.

What memories do you have of AuCA?

The best memories of my life, that’s for sure. All the basics of jurisprudence I acquired at AUCA, and I never regretted my choice of university. All of my closest friends come from AUCA as well. I still remember my professors, for example the case studies of Mr. Tulegenov in criminal law. Plus, the unforgettable and legendary social life you get only at AUCA, with all the colorful and diverse events that take place almost every week.

What is your life credo?

Move only forward, but never to forget your roots. Right now I am scrutinizing the history of Kyrgyz people, because I believe that in order to move forward you have to know your past first. And another thing: never give in without a good fight!

Where do you see yourself in 5 -10 years?

I vision myself here in the Kyrgyz Republic, my company has branches abroad with its head office in Bishkek, and has become a recognizable brand. I will also have time to teach.

alumni sPotligHt

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33AUCA Magazine*August 2012

iF NOt uS, WHO? tHERE iS NOBODy ELSE

by Natali Anarbaeva

alumni sPotligHt

34 AUCA Magazine*August 2012

His dream was to create something of his own. The first

step towards that dream was founding Promo Tank, a market

research company serving the region. AUCA alum, professor, and

business entrepreneur Azamat Akeleev shares his thoughts on his

company, AUCA, and his secrets to success.

iF NOt uS, WHO? tHERE iS NOBODy ELSE

alumni sPotligHt

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35AUCA Magazine*August 2012

First, tell us a little about your company.

Our company is called Promo Tank, and it was founded in 2007. The company has two main services: market reserach and advertising. We work with private companies, NGO’s, and international organizations. We completed a wide variety of projects including one on federal budget transparency, internet penetration in the Kyrgyz Republic, and everything else from financial planning to human rights. Now we are engaged in promoting the Oimo Festival, and working with Bosch. Most of our team is comprised of AUCA alumni and current AUCA students.

How was promo tank founded?

From 2006 to 2007 I ran the MBA program at AUCA where we established a business clinic. We began to work on small research projects. I also conducted some workshops for different companies. We consulted entrepreneurs and made local market surveys.Soon there was more demand, and I realized that there was a lack of analysis, data, and market information. Thus, we decided to establish Promo Tank to respond to that need. The mission of our company is to collect and analyze all the necessary information to help our clients in decision making.

How has AuCA helped you in building your company?

AUCA taught me to think rationally, to analyze, and to think critically. I also learned research methods and the basics of marketing and economics. Now I put these skills into practice every day.

What difficulties did you face at the beginning?

We had lots of difficulties at the beginning: renting, recruiting, logistics, and nobody knew who we were. All of these things caused some problems, but we overcame them all, and now it is much easier.

you were not originally a

business student, can you tell us about that change?

I started in the journalism department, but after a year I understood that journalism was not for me. I was probably one of the only students to transfer from journalism to business administration. For three days I followed John Clark, the first president of AUCA, trying to persuade him to approve my transfer. He heard me out, but found all of my arguments unconvincing. The thing that finally changed his mind was when he asked me what I had done the previous summer. I told him how my friends and I opened a café, how we earned some money, and after that he agreed and I transferred.

Honestly, I always had a dream to be my own master, to create something of my own and earn money on it. To be free. That is why I decided to choose business administration.

What is your secret for success?

You should always have an idea. You need to be enthusiastic about this idea and follow it. You need to have a competitive advantage. You need to know something other people do not know well, or you need to have access to those resources to which other people do not. You need to be ready to give all

of your energy to work, to sacrifice your time. You need to have courage and persistence and you’ll make it.

Do you have any plans and projects for the near future?

We want to work with all Central Asian markets. We have already worked with Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan, and I think that we have great possibilities. Also we want the Kyrgyz Republic to be transparent. We want more information to be accessible to all. We want to create a database of economic and financial information and make it accessible by subscription, which will cover our expenses. We really want the work we do to contribute to making a difference in our country.

And now some questions about your alma mater. Do you miss the good old days of student life?

I miss my KVN team. I participated in the Kyrgyz language KVN, and I will never forget how we won the championship. I also really miss the atmosphere of AUCA, the courses, the high-quality professors who shared their knowledge with students, the extracurricular activities, the guest lectures, the cafeterias, and the AUCA library.

alumni sPotligHt

36 AUCA Magazine*August 2012

How does AuCA differ from other universities?

AUCA is a place of constant innovative and progressive ideas. AUCA students are creative, hard-working, and have endless ambitions. The combination of global, critical, and rational thinking creates a particular mentality. That is how AUCA differs from other universities.

tell us about your time as an AuCA professor?

I graduated from the MBA program at Indiana State University and then came back and taught marketing, strategic management and rebranding. It is interesting to work with AUCA students. The American system of education induces students to think in a unique way to work more in class. I always tried to make students lead the process of a course by themselves in order to achieve their own development. To achieve this, you need to give a student the right direction and give him or her the opportunity to think freely.

After you studied in the united States, why did you decide to return to the Kyrgyz Republic?

I came back because we have more opportunities for development and professional growth. In the United States running a business is in many ways harder because there is so much competition. Also the Kyrgyz Republic is the place where my relatives live, with whom I feel wonderful and free.

What do you do in your free time?

I spend time with my family and I also do some sports, such as swimming and soccer. And, of course, as every person, I hang out with my friends.

What values are most important for you?

Family, society, and country.

What is your dream now that you have achieved so much?

I want to develop and enrich my community. I want to live in a fair, transparent, and progressive society. There are lots of opportunities in the Kyrgyz Republic. Everything is in our hands.

to whom are you thankful?

I am thankful to my parents, my professors, and my friends. I am thankful to different people, who, during different periods of my life, helped me and positively influenced me during important decisions. It is very important to find these kinds of people and learn from them.

What would you like to advise to AuCA students?

Go for your dreams and think big, know who you want to be and what you want to achieve. Set higher goals than you can achieve, and you will get more than you ever imagined.

alumni sPotligHt

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37AUCA Magazine*August 2012

Gifts and Grants2011-2012

Friends of AUCAJohn and Joan Von Leesen

John O'KeefeJoe and Margaret Flanagen

Mary SchweitzerMartha MerrillEllen HurwitzHelen Smith

Sharon Bailey Gulnara Dreier

Madeleine ReevesHersh Chadha

Henry MyerbergTatiana GfoellerRodger McGrailEugene Huskey

Emita HillMary Ford

Maeberta BobbMatha TaylorBridget Morris

Frank and Sallie PullanoAmy Sturrock

Board of TrusteesIshenbai Abdurazakov

Jonathan BeckerAlmas Chukin

Stanislav KarpovichWilliam Newton-Smith

Matt Nimetz

AlumniElnura Djenish

Kamila MuslimovaLilia Muslimova

Vyacheslav AkimenkoTemerlan Moldogaziev

Elina KarakulovaAziz Soltobaev

Erina KadyralievaSeyitbek UsmanovSanjar TursalievRinat Aksianov

Nazgul CholponbaevaAzamat Akeleev

Felix TsoyMelis Turgunbaev

Amina HiraniMamatkhalil RazaevMaksat Korooluev

Corporate PartnersMina Group

Kumtor Operating CompanyCoca-Cola Bishkek BottlersDemir International Bank

Nazgul Albanova, BA 09, Magna Cum LaudeAfter graduating from AUCA Nazgul

planned to continue her education and obtain an MBA. Not even her impending marriage deterred her from this goal. In October 2011 she started the MBA program at Goethe University in Frankfurt am Main, located in the financial center of Europe. Nazgul recently completed her MBA, and thanks to the solid base she got at AUCA she was able to become a competitive student who was among top 10% in the class. Now back in Bishkek, she looks back on the year with no regrets about a fascinating and exciting journey with valuable professional and interpersonal experience. Nazgul discovered new countries, new cultures, new people and most importantly, new sides of herself. Though she misses her new friends a lot, she is happy to start a new chapter of her life with her family in her home country.

Rashid Daurov, BA 04Rashid attended a Master's program

in Management from the University of Bristol (UK), where he studied on the Kazakhstani government scholarship "Bolashak". He earned his Certified Public Accountant (USA) accreditation as well. He has worked as an auditor at Ernst&Young and a transaction support consultant at Deloitte. Currently he is Chief Financial Officer at HSBC Kazakhstan. He is happily married to his lovely wife Katya and they have a wonderful 2-year-old son Denis.

Bektur Chynaliev, ECO 10After graduating from AUCA Bektur

devoted himself to entrepreneurship. He moved to Almaty, Kazakhstan, and started his own business. The past 2 years he has been turning theory into practice. He attracted investors to his business through connections to other AUCA graduates. Now he can say that AUCA is not only one of the best universities in Central Asia, but also a place to network for success.

Abdujalil Abdurasulov, iCp 04 Abdujalil covered the Euro 2012

football tournament for BBC News in Ukraine. Recently, he also covered breaking news stories in Tunisia, Libya, Egypt and Syria (from the Turkish border) as a producer/cameraman. Abdujalil is a BBC producer based in Almaty.

Kurman Otorbaev, BA 2006Kurman works at Colgate-Palmolive

(Kazakhstan) as a brand manager and is responsible for the Kazakh and Kyrgyz markets. He is responsible for all marketing campaigns in both countries.

ildar yunusov, BA 06 Ildar works for Nestle Food Company

in the sales department. He can honestly say that he uses his AUCA degree every day. He gives great thanks to his professors and classmates, as he could have not gotten through without their support and friendship.

CLASS NOtES