Bound by Tradition: Silent Suffering of Daughters-in-Law in Uzbekistan

Uzbekistan has a distinct form of gender-based violence: abuse of and control over daughters-in-law. This reflects cultural tradition where a bride – kelin – leaves her family home to move in with her husband and, often, his parents. Much of their young lives is dedicated to becoming a future kelin,… Read More

Night train to Dushanbe – a travelogue of Uzbek-Tajik relations

For many years, relations between Tajikistan and Uzbekistan have been fraught with tension. Some analysts even dubbed the ties between the two countries a Central Asian ‘cold war’. But luckily, things are slowly improving. The return of the Tashkent-Dushanbe night train is a testament to this bilateral thaw. The… Read More

Saving Snow Leopards: how scientists fight for the survival of a species

Hitting the road: the first female bus drivers in Uzbekistan