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CREES Noon Lecture. The Social and Political Impact of COVID-19 in Central Asia

Pauline Jones, professor of political science, U-M
Wednesday, February 3, 2021
12:00-1:20 PM
Off Campus Location
As in other regions of the world, Central Asia has struggled to respond to the COVID-19 pandemic. Some governments moved relatively swiftly and decisively to close borders and impose strict social distancing measures, while others adopted similar measures but were slower to implement them. Still others have been reluctant to even acknowledge that COVID-19 poses a serious risk to their citizens. How has the threat of COVID-19 and the government’s response to it affected popular attitudes in Central Asia? Specifically, how has it affected trust and confidence in political leaders, religious leaders, healthcare systems, and local communities? I explore these questions based on an original online and telephone survey conducted in Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan during the height of the pandemic. I argue that the pandemic has had inverse effects on trust and confidence in these two countries and that this may be linked to differences in the stability of their respective regimes.

Pauline Jones is professor of political science and director of the Digital Islamic Studies Curriculum at the University of Michigan. She has published in several leading academic and policy journals, including the American Political Science Review, Annual Review of Political Science, Current History, Foreign Affairs, Europe-Asia Studies, and Resources Policy. She has authored five books: Institutional Change and Political Continuity in Post-Soviet Central Asia: Power, Perceptions, and Pacts (2002); The Transformation of Central Asia: States and Societies from Soviet Rule to Independence (2003); Oil Is Not a Curse: Ownership Structure and Institutions in the Soviet Successor States (2010); Islam, Society, and Politics in Central Asia (2016); and The Oxford Handbook on Politics in Muslim Societies (forthcoming).

Registration is required for this Zoom webinar at http://myumi.ch/mnoGG.

Co-sponsored by the Department of Political Science, Global Islamic Studies Center, and Digital Islamic Studies Curriculum.

If there is anything we can do to make this event accessible to you, please contact us at crees@umich.edu. Please be aware that advance notice is necessary as some accommodations may require more time for the university to arrange.
Building: Off Campus Location
Location: Virtual
Website:
Event Type: Lecture / Discussion
Tags: Asia, International, Politics
Source: Happening @ Michigan from Center for Russian, East European, and Eurasian Studies, International Institute, Weiser Center for Europe and Eurasia, Global Islamic Studies Center, Department of Political Science

International Institute Programming

The International Institute’s centers sponsor numerous conferences, lectures, exhibits, and cultural performances throughout the year. These events are designed to educate the university community and the public about global issues and inspire discussion and dialogue. 

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