In this episode of Yurt Jurt, host Diana Kudaibergen sits down with Asem Zhapisheva, journalist, activist, and a founding member of the civic movement Oyan, Qazaqstan (“Wake Up, Kazakhstan”). Together, they explore the themes of Diana’s book The Kazakh Spring and reflect on the demands of young Kazakhs for political change, transparency, and accountability.
The conversation dives deep into the need for institutional transformation in Kazakhstan, the evolving role of new political actors, and how shifts in leadership affect the narratives of reform and “New Kazakhstan.” Asem also unpacks the complex dependencies of Central Asia on Russia and China, examining how this geopolitical reality fuels pressure on local politicians to silence activists and restrict civic space. They discuss how the war in Ukraine has sharpened debates across the region, with many wondering if the war’s outcome will profoundly reshape policy directions and political freedoms in Central Asia. This dialogue highlights the tension between entrenched systems of power and the rising voices of a younger generation determined to demand change, and the uncertainties of what lies ahead.
More content from this blog
- The Making of Musk, Episode 1: Escape from Pretoria – 7 October 2025
- The Uses and Abuses of the Anti-Colonial in Global Reactionary Politics, by Gorkem Altinors, Priya Chacko, Miri Davidson, Aliaksei Kazharski, Sivamohan Valluvan, Chenchen Zhang – 30 April 2026
- Q&A: Navigating the Left’s Ukraine Debate, by Bill Fletcher Jr. and Elly Leary – 15 November 2022
- “Turning Point Taiwan” Memorial Turns Violent as Religious Right Gains Momentum in Taiwan, by Yo-Ling Chen – 19 October 2024
- Anarchist and anti-fascist prisoners in Russia/ Αναρχικοί και αντιφασίστες στις Ρωσικές φυλακές, by Antti Rautiainen – 21 June 2025