A woman waits with passport in hand for the reopening of the Dostuk crossing on the Uzbek-Kyrgyz border on September 6, 2017. (Photo: Danil Usmanov)
Episode 23
In this episode, Nate speaks with Nick Megoran, Reader in Political Geography at Newcastle University, about his new book, Nationalism in Central Asia: A Biography of the Uzbekistan-Kyrgyzstan Boundary.
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The book is an engaging and perspective-shifting account of how a new international border was formed where one had not previously existed. Based on more than 20 years of fieldwork in both countries and along the border, it contributes to a deeper understanding of how discourse about the border has shaped national identities and nationalist politics. Among other topics, Nick and Nate discuss the role of nationalism in understanding politics in Central Asia, the political dynamics in Kyrgyzstan in advance of the presidential election, the significance of the reopening of the Uzbekistan-Kyrgyzstan border, and the names of Nick’s children.
Editor’s Note: Nate Schenkkan is the Project Director for Nations in Transit at Freedom House and a veteran host of The Central Asianist Podcast.
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