New Independent States of Central Asia: Mobilization Experience of Local Communities

Abstract

Some drastic shifts have occurred in the development of Central Asia over the past twenty years. Although they cover a short period from a historical perspective, these years are the equivalent to a century-worth of evolution in terms of its importance and force for the region. To overcome negative tendencies in the economic sphere, most Central Asian countries create and implement long-term plans and socio-economic development programs. Concurrently, the promotion and revitalization of civil society contributes to overcoming the social challenges that characterize the region. In some cases, the governments themselves are making conscious efforts to renounce or limit their attributions in favour of civil society institutions. These institutions include both non-governmental organizations and local traditional communities, typical for Central Asia. The study presents some aspects of social transformation in the region, problems, and prospects of the civil society development, and activity of local traditional communities, taking into account the increasingly important part they play in conquering social issues of the state.

Keywords

• Modernization
• Central Asia
• traditional society
• social transformation
• volunteer
• local communities