Central Asia-Azerbaijan Fellowship Program

Spring 2021 CAAFP Fellows

Ilaha Abasli’s research at GWU explores ways of integrating local (grassroots) experience and knowledge into sustainability and development policies in the post-Soviet context (specifically Azerbaijan). She is a PhD researcher at Institute of Social Studies, Erasmus Rotterdam University. Ilaha holds a Master’s degree in International Development and Emerging Economies from King’s College London. She is also engaged in international development and sustainability consultancy work with the FAO (UN), the GIZ, and local NGOs. Besides her fieldwork and research, Ilaha has taught “Economic Development Models” to graduate students at Azerbaijan State University of Economics.

Her broader research interests include the circular economy and inclusive development, particularly in the context of developing economies; ways of scaling up frugal local innovations/solutions to the policy level; and fostering sustainability in emerging economies through participatory policies. Ilaha also co-founded the Azerbaijani organization Femiskop—Feminist Research Collective, which curates critical content on gender, environmental, and socio-economic justice issues.

Rustam Muhamedov’s research at GWU focuses on Turkmenistan’s youth studying abroad, their knowledge of gender issues in Turkmenistan, and their willingness to engage with addressing these issues. Rustam is an independent researcher who focuses in particular on Central Asia and Turkmenistan. His research interests include political and security developments in the region, particularly in Turkmenistan; digitization initiatives; cybersecurity; youth; and education. He has diverse work experience in the fields of education and research. In addition, he has experience of engaging with the OSCE network, having formerly been an intern on the Central Asia Desk at the OSCE Secretariat and participated in the ECPR/ODIHR Summer School on Political Parties and Democracy and several of the OSCE’s youth-focused initiatives. Rustam holds a Master’s degree in International Relations from the OSCE Academy in Bishkek (2019) and a Bachelor’s degree in Political Science and International Relations from American University in Bulgaria (2014).

Aida Naizabekova is a researcher interested in gender, media, and public policy. She previously interned at leading Australian communication agencies and is currently a Public Relations Specialist at a leading IT company developing socially significant startups for positive social impact in Kazakhstan. She holds a MA in Strategic Public Relations from the University of Sydney, Australia (2018) and a BH in Foreign Philology from Al-Farabi Kazakh National University.

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Zhaslan Nurbayev is a PhD / Candidate of Sciences in History and Associate Professor in the Department of Regional Studies of L.N. Gumilev Eurasian National University. In 2014-2015, he completed an internship under the Bolashak Scholarship program at the George Washington University, focusing on “Political Problems of International Relations and Global Development.” Between 2015 and 2019, he participated in expert meetings within the framework of the project “IQ-Club of Russia and Kazakhstan: Development of Expert Dialogue between the Border Regions of the EAEU.” He is a graduate of the Soros Foundation Kazakhstan Public Policy Initiative, where he researched ungraded schools in Kazakhstan. In 2019, he took part in the Central Asian School of Analysts Cabar. Asia, implemented by IWPR, together with the OSCE Academy. His research interests include the history of religions, social policy of the Republic of Kazakhstan, and education reform.

Anastassiya Reshetnyak holds a BA and MA in Area Studies from al-Farabi Kazakh National University (Almaty). She is currently a PhD student at L.N. Gumilev Eurasian National University (Nur-Sultan). Her research interests include the prevention of terrorism and violent extremism, societal security, and youth policy. She works at KazISS under the President of the Republic of Kazakhstan; she is also a part of PaperLab Research Group. Anastassiya has worked with UN institutions (UNDP, UNODC, IOM) as a national expert/consultant and participated in USAID projects on PVE. She is an alumna of the Soros Foundation Kazakhstan’s Public Policy Initiative Program (Almaty, Kazakhstan), the Leaders against Intolerance and Violent Extremism Train-the-Trainer Seminar (OSCE, Vienna, Austria), and internship programs at the Hudson Institute (Washington, D.C., US) and the Institute for National Security Studies (Tel Aviv, Israel). Anastassiya’s research at GWU focuses on improving youth resilience in the face of violent extremism in Kazakhstan.

Syinat Sultanalieva is a Central Asian academic with a PhD from the University of Tsukuba, Japan. In her academic research, she studies feminist narratives and LGBTQ activism and narratives from a decolonial point of view. She is a recipient of the MEXT Japanese governmental scholarship, as well as the Fall 2020 CAAFP Fellowship at the George Washington University. Prior to academia, Syinat was actively involved in women’s rights and LGBTQ activism in Kyrgyzstan and Central Asia. She is currently working as a Central Asia Researcher at Human Rights Watch.

Previous CAAFP Fellows and Their Publications

Fall 2019

Ilhom Aliyev

The Digital Generation and Startups in Tajikistan

Nafissa Insebayeva

Choosing Your Battles: Different Languages of Kazakhstani Youth Activism 

Aichurek Kurmanbekova

Unveiling Girls’ Madrasahs in Kyrgyzstan

Lola Ulugova (Lolisanam)

Tajik Artists Lead Social Change: The Role of Art in Questioning Tajik Traditional Values

Spring 2019

Elmurat Ashiraliev

The Many Challenges of Native Language Journalism in Central Asia: The Case of Kyrgyzstan

Presentation, May 2019

Nazimaxon Davletova

Women of Uzbekistan: Empowered on Paper, Inferior on the Ground

Presentation, May 2019

Aigerim Kopeyeva

Factors Behind Regional Inequality in Education in Kazakhstan

Presentation, May 2019

Sergey Marinin

Agents of Change? Civic Engagement of Western-Educated Youth in Kazakhstan

Presentation, May 2019

Fall 2018

Aigoul Abdoubaetova 

Secondary Schools and Inequality: Navigating the Fragmented Landscape of Educational Choices in Bishkek

Snezhana Atanova

Turkmenistan, A Plebiscite of Nation of Artisans

Sahib Jafarov

Urban Tourism and a Clash of Cultures: Arab Inflows to Baku 

Daniyar Kosnazarov

Do-It-Yourself Activism: Youth, Social Media and Politics in Kazakhstan

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