This study and the analytical material seeks to systematically and analytically examine the forms, motivations and trajectories of urban activism in five Central Asian capitals Almaty, Astana, Bishkek, Dushanbe and Tashkent. The study starts from the premise that all these cities underwent a fundamental transformation under the banner of neoliberalism since independence and especially since the beginning of the economic boom in the early 2000s, which led to an irrevocable destruction of public space, historical buildings and green spaces. By focusing on urban grassroots mobilization, the study seeks to shed new light on the prospects for collective action in a region that has been notorious for the shrinkage of public space over the last three decades since independence. The study and the analytical material are aimed at a wide range of readers, especially scholars interested in social movements, city-level decision-makers, urban planners, construction and development companies, civil society organizations and urban activists.
Compiler: Beimenbetov Serik