Author: Julian Postulart 
Julian Postulart
Written articles:
Navigating the gridlock: Central Asia’s struggle with urban public transit
Traffic congestion is a major problem in urban centres around the world, as vehicle emissions pollute air quality and cause significant environmental and health issues. Central Asian governments have… [...]
The Lexicon of Kazakh Decolonisation
Over thirty years after the Soviet Union’s collapse, colonial influences persist in Kazakhstan. Russian remains widely spoken and serves as the primary language for interethnic communication. As language is… [...]
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’. [...]
Moscow attacks highlight Tajikistan’s radicalisation problem
Russian authorities have charged four Tajiks for their involvement in the deadly terrorist attack at the Crocus City Hall in Moscow on March 22 that cost the lives of… [...]
Central Asian presidents invited to attend Russian Victory Day Parade
Russian president Vladimir Putin has invited his counterparts from Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Kazakhstan, and Uzbekistan to attend the annual Victory Day celebrations in Moscow on May 9. [...]
Orientalism revisited – a very Dutch introduction to Central Asia
Over the past six weeks, hundreds of thousands of viewers have tuned in to Dutch public broadcaster VPRO to watch the new docuseries “Along the new Silk Road”. [...]
Beyond fun and games – the politics of Nowruz
In Central Asia, the beginning of spring is traditionally marked by Nowruz, also known as ‘Persian New Year.’ Typical holiday celebrations include horse games, family visits, and large feasts. [...]
Women’s Day in Kazakhstan: hundreds gather for rally in Almaty
On International Women’s Day in Almaty, feminist organisations rallied “for bodily autonomy and against sexual violence”. According to estimates, 700 to 1000 participants joined the rally to express their… [...]
“An escalating manifestation of Russophobia” – Kazakhstan at the epicentre of an information war
Since the invasion, Kazakhstan has taken a position of neutrality towards Russia’s war in Ukraine. Yet, Astana has not hindered volunteers from organising humanitarian aid to send to Ukraine. [...]
Edited articles:
Kyrgyzstan’s march to smother the free press
Kyrgyzstan is sliding down to full blown autocracy. The country has traditionally stood out for offering greater protections for free speech, political parties, and NGOs than any other Central… [...]
Central Asia: At The Crossroads – highlights from Berlin’s new regional film festival
Berlin’s Sinema Transtopia hosted the first edition of Central Asia: At The Crossroads on September 27–28, 2025, a new short film festival spotlighting bold and diverse voices from Uzbekistan,… [...]
Carbon neutral by 2060? Kazakhstan’s green pledge faces a reality check
Kazakhstan’s economy remains heavily tied to fossil fuels, making its ambitious plans to shift toward renewable energy a daunting task. Whether the government can deliver on its pledge of reaching… [...]
Central Asia through the lens of… Kamila Rustambekova
With “Central Asia through the lens of…” Novastan presents Central Asian photographers and their work. Kamila Rustambekova is a photographer and filmmaker based in Tashkent and Amsterdam. In… [...]
Central Asia through the lens of… Behzod Boltayev
With “Central Asia through the lens of…” Novastan presents Central Asian photographers and their work. Photographer Behzod Boltayev followed in the footsteps of his father Shavkat Boltayev, by… [...]
The paradoxes of migration from Tajikistan to Russia: an interview with Dr Elena Borisova
Tajikistan has one of the highest emigration rates globally, with most Tajiks migrating to Russia for work. One million Tajiks are estimated to reside in Russia at any given… [...]
When Freedom of Speech Is a Joke: Author of a Satirical News Outlet Detained in Kazakhstan
Temirlan Yensebek, creator and author of “Qaznews24,” an agency of satirical news, has been detained on Saturday in Almaty. He is expected to stand trial under accusations of incitement… [...]
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… [...]
Sex, Drugs, and Postpunk – the new album of Bishkek’s Duo Vtoroi Ka
Bishkek musical duo Vtoroi Ka has recently dropped its third album: carnivalesque postpunk in a world where nothing is as serious as it seems. Novastan’s review. “These post-Soviet… [...]
Saving Snow Leopards: how scientists fight for the survival of a species
Snow leopards – an exclusively Asian species of large mammals of the cat family – live on the territory of 12 countries: Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan,… [...]
Cleaning up after FTX: Kazakhstan aims to regulate the crypto industry
For over a year now, the billion-dollar fraud case surrounding former tech CEO Sam Bankman-Fried has been causing an uproar. In Kazakhstan, too, the case caused a stir –… [...]
How is Kyrgyzstan celebrating Nooruz in 2024?
Everyone in Kyrgyzstan is looking forward to a warm and sunny spring after a long and cold winter. Nooruz marks the astronomical start of the spring, or spring equinox,… [...]
Inside Bishkek’s Metal Boom: Portrait of a Music Pioneer in Kyrgyzstan
Kyrgyzstan’s capital Bishkek is home to a small but vibrant metal scene. In the still largely traditional Kyrgyz society, local metal artists often struggle to find an audience, produce… [...]