Collective Action and Inaction in Kyrgyzstan: Environmental Protests and Dispute Case Studies (Research Brief)
October 5, 2010
The purpose of my project is to shed light on the changing power dynamics of environmental disputes in Kyrgyzstan. This topic has broad theoretical relevance for political scientists seeking to better understand collective action, policymaking in transitional countries, and environmental conflict potential. Through previous public and elite opinion surveys and news content analysis, I identified an increase in environmentally-related protests after the 2005 revolution. Likewise, the results indicated higher than expected levels of public environmental concern and public frustration with water resource management. In July 2010, I began the third stage of a four-stage research project on environmental concern and popular political actions. My research objectives for the summer of 2010 were to complete the previous newspaper content analysis, geocode survey locations, and begin developing environmental protest and conflict case studies. Given the recent political revolution and ethnic violence in Spring-Summer 2010, I focused the case study work on: inter-ethnic environmental and food security issues in southern Kyrgyzstan, electricity and water management issues (considered to be contributing factors in public discontent and the April overthrow of the Bakiev government) and the role of natural resource and environmental issues in the parliamentary election campaign.
Download the pdf at the top of this page for the full brief.
Amanda E. Wooden, of Bucknell University, was a 2010-11 Short-Term Travel Grants (STG) fellow.
