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Purpose: This article examines the use of English medium instruction (EMI) for teaching Japanese as a foreign language (JFL) by non-native speakers with a focus on multilingual classrooms. It also explores teachers' positive and negative beliefs about using EMI in classroom settings for JFL instruction. Methods and procedure: 274 non-native Japanese language teachers from around the world (57 countries) voluntarily participated in a survey, answering a questionnaire on Google Forms and Jotform. Both qualitative and quantitative methods were employed. The research instrument was piloted before the main study and was found to be effective and adequate to elicit the desired data. The research questions aimed to identify whether there were any relationships between the use of EMI and the multilingual classroom. Findings: The results showed a clear correlation between the extensive use of EMI and the multilingual character of JFL classrooms. Translanguaging turned out to be a common practice adopted by non-native Japanese teachers regardless of the primary language of instruction. The article concludes that EMI can be a valuable tool for JFL instruction in multilingual classrooms. Based on the investigation of the teachers' beliefs, the results showed a changing positive attitude towards English employed in JFL classrooms. Implications for research and practice: The findings can be used to further investigate EMI in JFL instructional practices in multilingual classrooms, improve the quality of JFL instruction and facilitate the integration of multilingual education into foreign language teaching. Future research can explore the effectiveness of EMI in different JFL contexts and investigate the impact of EMI on students' language learning outcomes.

With the development of computer and internet technologies, new media has become indispensable to daily life in the digital age. The concept of public opinion, which is at the centre of many research topics in the field of communication, has also interacted with new media in this context. Thus, new media tools have begun to be seen as critical elements in the processes of public opinion formation. This study aims to investigate how new media affects public opinion formation processes in the Turkish Republic and to contribute to the relevant literature. The most important result of the study is that in the postmodern age, new media is one of the dominant elements that direct the thoughts and attitudes of individuals in the public opinion formation processes. Another critical finding in the study is that the use of new media in the Turkic Republics increases yearly. In this context, digital diplomacy has begun to be used more intensively among member countries. Finally, in the current conjuncture, new media has a strategic importance in disseminating propaganda materials, and young people in the Turkish Republic are the segment of society that uses new media most actively in public opinion formation processes.

The paper examines the degree of digitalization of Academic Writing and Information Literacy (hereafter AW & IL) course in the countries of the post-Soviet era. Numerous research demonstrated that digital transformation has taken place toward the teaching of AW & IL in most of the developed countries and beyond, yet little is studied about the digitalization in countries of the former Soviet Union that have passed a long way to align their education with the globe. Keeping up with the four main categories of digitalization, the paper will look at its application as a part of curriculum development, assessment, students' competency, and university maintenance. The paper employs a phenomenological approach confirmed through the qualitative analysis of 18 in-depth interviews conducted with AW & IL instructors from nine countries. The study revealed that recently AW & IL course has moved through partial digitalization, providing that the university stakeholders do not exert any necessary support.

Very little is known about the status of autism research in Central Asia. The purpose of this scoping review was to examine the scope and focus of the peer-reviewed research studies conducted with autistic people and their families in five Central Asian countries - Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan. The electronic databases of EBSCO Host and Web of Science were used for systematic search of literature. Eleven articles that met eligibility criteria were included in the review and analyzed for topics and research areas outlined in the Interagency Autism Coordinating Committee Strategic Plan. Ten of these studies were conducted in Kazakhstan and one in Uzbekistan using qualitative, quantitative, and mixed-methods research designs. Five of the seven research areas - Diagnosis, Biology, Risk Factors, Services, and Treatment and Interventions - were represented in these studies, while there were no studies identified in the areas of Lifespan Issues or Infrastructure and Surveillance, highlighting a gap in research. None of the studies reported co-authorship of scientists from Central Asian countries. The review identified knowledge gaps and research needs to guide future research in autism in Central Asia to address the needs of autistic individuals and their families living in this region.

The aim of the research is to examine the structure of education and training from pre-school to high school in Turkey and the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus, the States of the Turkic World, and to compare them with each other. In order to achieve this aim, it has been collected through document review from the literature related to each of these states, printed scientific and official sources, and data on the official websites of the ministries of the relevant states. While analyzing the data, descriptive analysis method was used. In the research, the themes of languages of education, pre-school education, primary school education, secondary school education and high school education were created by considering the descriptive analysis method stages. The sources that can be accessed and evaluated within the scope of the research were examined within the scope of these themes. The data obtained were defined, supported by direct quotations, and interpreted by adhering to the original form of the data. At the end of the research, it was concluded that there are similarities and differences in the structure of the education and training systems of the Turkish States. Based on these results, at the end of the research, suggestions were presented for the continuation and further development of the common points and good practices in the education and training system of the Turkish States with an increasing contribution.

The purpose of this research is to examine the structure of education and training in the Turk World and to compare them with each other. In the study, the general structure, development and current situation of the education and training systems of the Turk World has been researched in detail and compared. In this comparative study, a horizontal approach was used that examined the elements of different education systems as a whole. The education and training systems in these countries, the stages of the educational institutions, the structure of the institutions that educate students, the admission conditions of the students to the schools, the duration of education, the status of higher education, and postgraduate education were examined, and evaluated. The education and training systems of the countries in the Turk World were first researched one by one and explanations were made in the light of the gathered information, then the tables were created with the information, the information in the tables was analysed and explanations were made under the tables. In the conclusion part, the information in the tables for all countries was summarized, the current situations were compared, and evaluations were made. At the stage of data collection; printed scientific resources such as thesis, books, journals, and articles related to the education and training systems applied in the Turk World were used. The data gathered were analysed using descriptive analysis approach according to the criteria determined with the aims of the research. As a result, it has been determined that there are similarities and differences in the structure of the education and training of the Turk World, and these determinations have been revealed. The main differences achieved are; secondary education (high school) and higher education periods, and the difference in the age of starting primary school. The duration of basic education (primary school) is the same in all countries. The Turk World should establish common quality standards in education and training, reflect these standards in their programs, and carry out remedial studies to bring education and training to the level of exclusive civilizations and put them into practice as soon as possible.

Post-Soviet republics have undergone a variety of political and economic changes following the collapse of the Soviet Union to transform themselves into market-oriented open societies. Transitional countries have faced various problems, including social inequality, political unrest, economic hardship, and ethnic conflict. The countries had to introduce reforms in education in response to changing conditions to produce a new generation with ideas and skills that support pluralistic societies and market economies. Some countries opted for rapid, drastic reforms; others chose to restructure their economies while retaining centralized governments. Using examples from post-Soviet countries, the study examines the challenges and strategies in reforming the curriculum for states in transition. The study investigates the ideological aspects that have influenced curriculum revisions in post-Soviet nations.

The COVID-19 global pandemic presented an unprecedented challenge to the sustainability strategies and initiatives of many nations. In many countries, education strategies and funding were negatively impacted and, consequently, especially vulnerable groups were highly affected, amongst them Indigenous communities around the world. As Indigenous communities were already amongst the most vulnerable before 2020, a strategically and well-planned recovery from this pandemic would be vital to secure their well-being. This article offers reflections on the potential of infusing "Education for Sustainable Development" (ESD) in the classroom, the school and the community as a whole, to deal with known and yet unprecedented sustainability challenges in presenting commonalities of 32 good practice reports from 21 countries collected in advance and during the global pandemic. Authors make the point of considering the pandemic and its widespread impact as yet another sustainability challenge and position "ESD" as a potential tool to achieve quality education and unleash the full potential of education for society when planning recovery efforts in hope for a better future of Indigenous communities in the long term. As the good practices were also included in a report of the "UN Special Rapporteur on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples to the 48th Session of the United Nations Human Rights Council," focusing on the post-pandemic recovery efforts for Indigenous Peoples, further thoughts on both official reports and their alignment with the overall "2030 Agenda" from an "ESD" perspective are included.

Ethical academicians are perfectly virtuous. They always strive for greater virtue and follow strictly the moral stands of their profession. The ethical living and self-efficacy are important to them because of being fair and honest in their academics. Determinants of ethics include knowledge, values, attitude and intention. The domain-specific framework developed by Verbeke et al. (2004) has been considered as fundamental for identifying the dimensionality of work Self-efficacy and ethical challenges of academicians. A comprehensive literature review is undertaken regarding the concept of work Self-efficacy to assess workers' confidence and their ethical living in the workplace. This article examines theoretically and analytically the antecedent processes and information cues involved in the formation of work self-efficacy. Theoretical and numerical analysis of the key determinants of work self-efficacy increases the understanding of moral values, truthful fair and honest. Factors which decisively affect ethical living were identified from literature collected from the academicians who are working in the Five Regions of Asia - Central Asia (Tajikistan, Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan, Turkmenistan, Kyrgyzstan) East Asia (China, Mongolia, North Korea, South Korea, Japan, Hong Kong, Taiwan, Macau) South Asia (Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, India, Afghanistan, Pakistan, Bhutan, Nepal, the Maldives) through Google classroom. Methods of Statistical Analysis of self-efficacy data are descriptive statistics, Pearson Correlation Coefficient and Kolmogorov-Smirvnos normality test and Kruskal-Wallis one-way analysis of variance and Principal Component Analysis. Positive, mastery experiences give academicians a sense of accomplishment when they have faced a challenge ethically. Positive Zeal during Academic interaction, vicarious experiences that occur when academician see others succeed and feel an increased sense of their own ability to succeed. Sincere & deeper self, mingling with students, Social persuasion increase a teacher's sense of confidence and ability to succeed. A proper plan of action has drawn special attention, and inferences pertaining to future research are discussed at the end of the critique.

Continued changes to legislation in countries that were previously parts of the Soviet Union cause them to become increasingly differentiated. Many of the changes are to social and economic processes. In the field of education, various parameters have changed and are continuing to change, from details concerning the way to conduct assessments to the broader issues affecting the whole architecture of the educational system. The most recent legislative act in the CIS--the "Education Code of Moldova"--illustrates the nature of changes taking place. This article discusses the most important trends in the legal regulation of the educational system in the post-Soviet area, including: how perceptions of education as a subject of legal regulation is changing; the impact of international cooperation in the field of education; the changing system of higher education and the introduction of a two-tiered system; and the increased attention to the quality of education.

The purpose of this study is to observe prospective teachers' cognitive structures related to Turkish World. In this scanning model study, WAT (Word Association Test) had been applied to 332 prospective teachers in Nigde Ömer Halisdemir University. And they were asked to write what comes into their heads when it is said Turkish Republics and Turkish World. Words were given to the prospective teachers. According to the research, "Turk" is the only common Word which is related to the concept of six independent Turkish Republics and Turkish World. There is no any other common word except this, perceived by prospective teachers. Students generally independent Turkish Republic and Turkey they do not have a lot of information and perceptions about the world; they know the general concept of popular culture, it said they did not know specific concepts or people belonging to the country. Independent of the Turkish states K.K.T.C. It has become the most irrelevant and disconnected with other countries. K.K.T.C. with the only common link between other countries "Turkey" was the word. Students are most perceptive grasp of Azerbaijan, while country-owned; they have been gripping the country at least perceptually Uzbekistan. [This article was presented at the 3rd International Dynamic, Exploratory and Active Learning Conference (IDEAL 2016).]

The Oghuz Turks being in existence for many a millenia in Central Asia has a rich cultural heritage conveyed from generation to generation through oral tradition. The "Book of Dede Korkut" discovered in 1815 in Dresden Royal Library by H. F. von Diez sheds light to an important part of that culture. That precious historic literary masterpiece in fact has proved to be the most famous among all the epic stories of the Oghuz Turks. The stories found there carry morals and values significant to the social lifestyle of the nomadic Turkic peoples and both their islamic and pre-Islamic beliefs. The book's mythic narrative is part of the cultural heritage of all the Turkic countries, including Turkey, Azerbaijan, Turkmenistan, Kazakhstan and to a lesser degree Kyrgyzstan. Until the Book of Dede Korkut was put on record, the events depicted there had survived in the oral tradition, at least from the 9th and 10th centuries. The stories were in prose, partly peppered with poetic passages. The stories are told in the Azerbaijani language and easily recognizable by modern Istanbul Turkish speakers. One can see there vividly the overall similarity between the language of those days that is used in current use proving that nothing has changed much in folk Turkish throughout the Turkic lands ever since the Oghuz Turks migrated towards western Asia and eastern Europe beginning in the 9th century. One can also tell by this record that the epic genre endured in the oral tradition of Turks after they settled in Anatolia. The book of Dede Korkut was published on many occasions after the manuscript was discovered both in original Ottoman and later in modernized Turkish versions and in modern transliterations in other languages thus making the book known throughout the world. With the notation technology has developed and we now have a new system called the IPA transcription which allows to record and reproduce even the minutest details of speech, i.e. phonemic variants and stress features of the language spoken centuries ago. This paper presents both to scholars and laymen, the first time ever, a full-scale IPA transcription (and not a translatiteration) of Dede Korkut's Wild Dumrul tale as a portion of the whole text. The IPA transcription bears full segmental and suprasegmental features to bring to life the phonetic details of the language spoken at least five hundred years ago and much earlier among the forefathers of today's Oghuz Turks.

The grain quality of winter wheat varies significantly by cultivars and growing region, not previously differentiated by end-use (baking, confectionery, etc.) in the national breeding programs. In these conditions it is advisable to determine the genetic potential and analyze the actual grain quality. Determining the genetic potential requires the cultivars classification by grain hardness and composition of the HMS and the LMS glutenin. The most of winter wheat cultivars from Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan and CIMMYT are classified as "hard" and "semi hard" (62-95% in different blocks), characterizing them as baking wheat in the respective regions. The "soft" grain samples were also detected in small amounts ranging from 2% (Tajikistan) to 11% (Kazakhstan). Varieties are ranked by the HMS-glutenin from 10 (max) to (min) 4 point Payne scale for quality and by the LMS-glutenin from 5 to 1. The genetic potential of breeding material was determined by composition of the glutenin subunits as high level (75-80%). Several cultivars classified as "soft"--Batyr, Komsomolskaya 103 (Kazakhstan) and new registered cultivars Konditerskaya. It is therefore important not only to identify potential quality, but also its implementation in the specific growing conditions of the region.

This article provides a critical analysis of the development of public administration education in the context of five post-Soviet, transitional, and authoritarian Central Asian countries: Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan, Tajikistan, and Turkmenistan from early independence to the present time (1991-2019). The study is based on a review of Master of Public Administration (MPA) programmes offered by Public Administration Academies in each of these five Central Asian countries, a focus group with local academics, extensive secondary data analysis, and critical reflections of a local scholar with six years of MPA teaching experience in a Kazakhstani university. This article highlights context-specific challenges in design and implementation of the MPA programmes in Central Asia. These challenges include the: ambiguous role of Public Administration Academies; programme design; pedagogical issues; and weak research capacity. It is argued that the MPA programmes in Central Asia often provide an example of 'mimicry' of European/North American programmes with peculiar features of their local context. Public Administration Academies in Central Asia are highly politicised and strongly controlled by authoritarian governments. This study will be of particular interest not only to public administration scholars from all post-Soviet countries which share the Soviet legacy and socio-economic challenges, but also for scholars teaching in other authoritarian contexts.

Previous research has demonstrated a positive and long-running effect of mother-child interaction on numerous areas of child development. Yet, most of what is currently known derives from research on children in Western countries. Employing data from recent Multiple Indicator Cluster Surveys (MICS) on women (ages 15-49), this study examined factors shaping mother-child interaction across the post-Soviet countries of Belarus (N = 3,413), Georgia (N = 2,004), Kazakhstan (N = 5,084), Kyrgyzstan (N = 4,272), Moldova (N = 1,744), Tajikistan (N = 4,204), Turkmenistan (N = 2,064), and Uzbekistan (N = 4,939). The average number of mother-child interactions was highest in Georgia and lowest in Kyrgyzstan. Mother-child interaction was significantly lower for younger children, older mothers, and poorer households. Initiation of mass-communication campaigns and parent-child programmes could reduce differences in the number of interactions and improve the quality of maternal time dedicated to children.

In recent years, for a variety of reasons, higher education has begun to be considered much more frequently than previously in terms of 'regions', or 'macro-regions'. Although for decades countries sharing some characteristics, or perceived as geographically or culturally closely related to each other, have promoted forms of cooperation between their higher education institutions (with varying degrees of success), it is now widely accepted that to 'count' on the world stage, it is useful for single countries, and especially for smaller countries, to work together with a view to making their systems better able to interact and hopefully to promote, increase and make visible their merits. Of course, in higher education as in many other fields, the regions or macro-regions are not defined once and for all, but are the result of stronger or weaker ad hoc groupings which take into account different factors in different contexts. Central Asia is one such potential region: it does not have unquestioned boundaries, but like other macro-regions, and more so than most, it can be understood and constructed in different ways. A current shared understanding of 'Central Asia' is that it is formed by the 4 ex-Soviet Republics of Central Asia (Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan), plus Kazakhstan. Over the last decade the possibility of building a Higher Education Area in those five republics has been explored, and a large-scale project which uses Tuning methodology to this end is under way. This project, called TuCAHEA ("Towards a Central Asian Higher Education Area: Tuning Structures and Building Quality Culture"), has already elaborated a Central Asian list of Generic Competences and eight Subject Area Groups have formulated their Reference Points and Guidelines. The five Ministries of the five countries have signed a Communiqué indicating their intention to collaborate more closely; a pilot student mobility scheme is soon to start. This article explores the Central Asian experience as an example of the construction of a Higher Education area in Asia, and looks at what the future appears to promise, in terms both of challenges and of positive developments.

With a grant through Indiana University's Inner Asian & Uralic National Resource Center, the authors developed an online, five-week unit that discusses the cultural and ecological "worlds" of central Asia, specifically the countries of Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, and Turkmenistan. There are two main ideas throughout this curriculum: (1) The natural world affects the daily functioning of the man-made world and may determine its fate; and (2) the man-made world affects the daily functioning of the natural world and may determine its fate. This curriculum is a useful tool for science and social studies educators to collaborate on a project. Additionally, this curriculum serves as a helpful resource for teachers on a topic that is generally not covered in middle school and meets the national standards. In this way, students benefit from learning about an area of the world that they may not be familiar with, which helps to bring a global perspective into the middle school classrooms. (Contains 2 figures.)

Education in Central Eurasia has become one of the services most affected by corruption. Corruption in academia, including bribery, extortion, embezzlement, nepotism, fraud, cheating, and plagiarism, is reflected in the region's media and addressed in a few scholarly works. This article considers corruption in higher education as a product of interrelations between the government and academia. A substantial block of literature considers excessive corruption as an indicator of a weak state. In contrast to standard interpretations, this article argues that in non-democratic societies corruption is used on a systematic basis as a mechanism of direct and indirect administrative control over higher education institutions. Informal approval of corrupt activities in exchange for loyalty and compliance with the regime may be used in the countries of Central Eurasia for the purposes of political indoctrination. This paper presents the concept of corruption and coercion in the state-university relations in Central Eurasia and outlines the model which incorporates this concept and the "feed from the service" approach. It presents implications of this model for the state-university relations and the national educational systems in Central Eurasia in general and offers some suggestions on curbing corruption. (Contains 1 note, 2 tables, and 2 figures.)

In this article, the authors examine the role of education in the maintenance of social cohesion and the formation of new identities amid the economic decline and political volatility of six new nations: Azerbaijan, in the southern Caucasus, and Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan in Central Asia. The authors first describe the historical legacies in education in the period before independence in 1991. Then they analyze the systemic crises in education since 1991, as well as the newly independent nations' often half-hearted attempts to embrace Islam and to find some place for religious and ethical thought and values in what had been aggressively secular educational systems. The authors pay particular attention to the ways in which the educational systems have deteriorated since 1991, examining economic deterioration, the degradation of educational infrastructure, and the decline in enrollment and retention, while considering the effects of these crises on social cohesion and political legitimacy. The authors conclude with some thoughts about the potential struggles that lie ahead as the peoples of Azerbaijan and Central Asia seek to reform their educational systems and thereby stabilize and revitalize the processes of social cohesion in their societies. (Contains 14 footnotes.)

Very little is known about the status of autism research in Central Asia. The purpose of this scoping review was to examine the scope and focus of the peer-reviewed research studies conducted with autistic people and their families in five Central Asian countries—Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan. The electronic databases of EBSCO Host and Web of Science were used for systematic search of literature. Eleven articles that met eligibility criteria were included in the review and analyzed for topics and research areas outlined in the Interagency Autism Coordinating Committee Strategic Plan. Ten of these studies were conducted in Kazakhstan and one in Uzbekistan using qualitative, quantitative, and mixed-methods research designs. Five of the seven research areas—Diagnosis, Biology, Risk Factors, Services, and Treatment and Interventions—were represented in these studies, while there were no studies identified in the areas of Lifespan Issues or Infrastructure and Surveillance, highlighting a gap in research. None of the studies reported co-authorship of scientists from Central Asian countries. The review identified knowledge gaps and research needs to guide future research in autism in Central Asia to address the needs of autistic individuals and their families living in this region. Very little is known about the status of autism research in Central Asia. Through the library databases, we identified and reviewed 11 scientific studies conducted with autistic people and their families in five Central Asian countries—Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan. Of the 11 studies, 10 were conducted in Kazakhstan and 1 in Uzbekistan. Within these limited number of research studies, different topics such as diagnosis, risk factors of autism, biology, and various service and intervention areas were addressed. We identified several knowledge gaps and research priorities to address the needs of autistic people, their families, and professionals in Central Asia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Arid Zone Research / Ganhanqu Yanjiu is the property of Arid Zone Research Editorial Office and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

The relevance of scientific work in the field of studying the measurement of the happiness index in the countries of Central Asia is due to the fact that the assessment of the psychological state of society is a significant problem in the social sciences and humanities. The purpose of the study is to analyse the happiness index, the mechanism of its social measurement, which will be based on a comparative analysis of this indicator in Central Asian countries, in particular, on the example of such countries as Kazakhstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan, and Kyrgyzstan. The key objectives and directions of this study can be achieved through the use of different methodological approaches, which can reveal both the theoretical and practical components of the research. Such methodological approaches include theoretical and methodological approach, dialectical methodological approach, method of deduction, method of induction, method of synthesis, method of logical analysis, and others. In the course of the research work social and psychological aspects of the concept of the "happiness index" were identified, an assessment of international indices that are designed to conduct sociological change in the index of happiness as a level of quality of life was provided, and a comparative analysis of sociological measurement of the happiness index in Central Asian countries, which was based on an analysis of this index in such countries as Kazakhstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan, and Kyrgyzstan was conducted. The results of the study demonstrated that the quantitative assessment based on the index of happiness in the countries of Central Asia has a fairly low level of public satisfaction with the quality of life, therefore, an important aspect of the research work is also to identify the problems that impede this and to define the methods to solve them. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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This article examines and compares the foreign policy preferences of three small states in Central Asia, namely Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, and Turkmenistan, in the post-independence era. Although the three countries share similar features, such as a common Soviet legacy, landlocked position, and population size, the foreign policy behavior differs in Turkmenistan. While Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan align with Russia, Turkmenistan embraces permanent neutrality. This study argues that natural resource endowment, coupled with fewer internal threats and geographical constraints compared to Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan, helped Turkmenistan to pursue a neutral and more independent foreign policy. Yet, over-reliance on China as the major buyer of Turkmen natural gas may make it difficult to sustain permanent neutrality. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Political Science Studies / Studia Politologiczne is the property of University of Warsaw and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

This research examines the relationship of social capital with the acculturation attitudes and sociocultural adaptation of 122 migrants from Central Asian republics of the former Union of Soviet Socialist Republics (Uzbekistan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Kyrgyzstan, and Kazakhstan) and 136 migrants from South Korea. The questionnaire included scales for assessing acculturation attitudes (integration, assimilation, and separation), individual social capital (bridging and bonding), and sociocultural adaptation. Using parallel mediation analysis, we found that acculturation attitudes for migrants from Central Asia are secondary to their social capital in relation to sociocultural adaptation. However, among migrants from South Korea, social capital is not linked to their acculturation attitudes, and in general, its role in sociocultural adaptation is lower as compared to the role of acculturation attitudes. As a whole, our research shows that although sociocultural adaptation for all ethnic groups is linked to acculturation attitudes and social capital, acculturation attitudes for certain ethnic groups can be dependent on social capital. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Economic Annals-XXI / Ekonomìčnij Časopis-XXI is the property of Institute of Society Transformation and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Since 2009, India is trying to promote trade relations with Central Asian countries namely Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan. So the aim of the study is to look into the efforts by both the sides and estimate the Trade Intensity Index of India with Central Asian Countries. The study found that the trade deficit with Kazakhstan have continuously expanded during this time period. However, the trade balance improved with all the other central Asian countries including Kyrgyz Republic, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan and Tajikistan between 2010-2018. Other than pharmaceutical products electronic machinery, mechanical machineries like boilers etc. also holds lot of potential and their share in exports is continuously rising. The trade share of Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan is continuously rising but share of Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan and Turkmenistan is fluctuating between 2010-2018. Indian exports to Central Asia over the time period of 2010-2018 has been concentrated in the area of consumer goods but with capital good shold slot of p otential. Trade Complementarity Index of Central Asian Countries is increasing after 2010 especially in case of Turkmenistan. The policy efforts are demonstrating moderate effects. There is room for more policy interventions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract The aim of this study is to explore the aerosol optical depth (AOD) – an indicator of air quality, based on satellite data over Central Asia. Due to limited studies and lack of knowledge regarding AOD variations over this region, five countries (Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan) and fifteen sites including the capital cities were selected for the analysis. Long-term Aqua-MODIS Collection 6.1 Deep Blue (DB) AOD observations at 10 km spatial resolution were obtained for 2002–2017 and the Ångström exponent (AE) was calculated using spectral AOD observations. AOD and AE were explored based on seasonal and inter-annual scale. The relationship between aerosol loading and economic indicator (gross domestic product) was also analyzed. Highest frequencies of low AOD and high AE were observed in all countries. Average AOD (AE) values during the study period were 0.17 ± 0.09 (1.29 ± 0.17) for Kazakhstan, 0.11 ± 0.13 (1.41 ± 0.13) for Kyrgyzstan, 0.17 ± 0.14 (1.36 ± 0.18) for Tajikistan, 0.20 ± 0.10 (1.10 ± 0.28) for Turkmenistan, and 0.18 ± 0.09 (1.18 ± 0.24) for Uzbekistan. Summer season experienced highest aerosol loading over Kazakhstan, Tajikistan, and Uzbekistan, whereas spring season experienced highest aerosol loading over Kyrgyzstan and Turkmenistan possibly due to the influence of less precipitation and dust from the arid regions. All fifteen cities selected in this study exhibited increasing aerosol load. Aerosol types based on the relationship between AOD and AE were investigated, results suggested the clean continental aerosol as a major aerosol type over the region, whereas the contribution of mixed aerosols was observed during spring and summer seasons. This study suggests for establishment of ground-based aerosol monitoring stations network and inclusions of modeling works to understand the complex nature of aerosol over this vast landmass. Highlights • First long-term study on AOD covering entire central Asia region. • Highest frequency of low AOD and high AE observed. • AOD exhibited positive relation with economic indicator. • Clean continental aerosol is the dominant aerosol type followed by the mixed type. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article provides a brief study of democracy in the five Central Asian countries, i.e. Kyrgyzstan, Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Tajikistan and Turkmenistan. It suggests that the expected democratisation of Central Asia failed to occur due to the region's internal conditions, which can be termed the 'classic colonial syndrome', in addition to several international factors. The Central Asian countries did not have the potential to find their own way in the international arena, simply maintaining their traditional Soviet way of rule under the new name of 'democracy'. The paper also finds that the Central Asian approach to Islam at both state and individual level is a crucial tool of identity construction as well as an instrument of authority, control and suppression of political opposition. Yet, Islam played almost no role in the failure of democracy in the region. This article states that the application of instruments of democracy alone cannot make nations democratic or provide well-being and justice for the people. Democracy is about sets of values and principles aimed at achieving good governance. Thus, democracy should be considered as a tool and structure on the path of achieving societal well-being, rather than as the main objective of governance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study aims to compare the value structure of university students from postcommunist Turkic republics and Turkey within the framework of Schwartz and Bardi’s (1997) acclimation and compensation hypothesis. Participants from four Turkic republics (N = 269; Turkmenistan, Kyrgyzstan, Kazakhstan, and Azerbaijan) and Turkey (N = 286) completed the Portrait Values Questionnaire. The results indicated that students from postcommunist countries reported higher levels of embeddedness and lower levels of intellectual autonomy, affective autonomy, and egalitarianism than Turkish students. No difference was found regarding mastery, harmony, and hierarchy values. This study provided support for the acclimation and compensation hypothesis, except for the hierarchy values. The findings were discussed considering the continuous social change in these countries and its implications for the dynamism of value structure. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Post - Soviet states, who are in transition process after the collapse of USSR, have economical, political and security challenges in this process. Bilateral and regional cooperation are still in the top of the agenda to solve this problem. With respect to that, many regional economic integration attempts are witnessed. This paper will examine the reasons for cooperation, complications to activate the potentials as well as approaches and responses. In this context, having focused on the economic situation of the countries of today's and early independent era, necessity of economic integration will be examined in the first part. In the second part integration strategies in Central Asia and Caucasia and around the world will be researched. By doing this, region centric and non-region centric distinction will be made which is followed by restriction of integration and finally predictions will takes please in terms of economic integration. This study comprehends Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan, Turkmenistan and Azerbaijan. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article discusses updates on mass media research in the Central Asian region as of 2011. Detailed evidence of the complexity and depth of barriers to free and effective press systems in Central Asian mass media is provided. It also outlines the conflict between external and internal pressures to establish free and democratic press systems where regimes actively resist such efforts. Independent and opposition media outlets operate in Kyrgyzstan, unlike in Turkmenistan.