On December 2, 2015 students from the Silk Road International School in Bishkek toured AUCA. Fifteen fifth-year school children visited the university’s library, gym, conference hall, media laboratory, dance studio, and classrooms.

December 2, 2015
Dustin Gamza, Ph.D. Candidate, University of Michigan, USA, CASI Visiting Scholar

Abstract: Does religious regulation work? Regimes in the post-Soviet space choose to regulate religion, to stymie its political potential, or as part of the nation-building process. However, we still often witness religion as a political force and vital component of identity, in some cases increasing in importance over time. Why does religion sometimes become a locus of oppositional identity, despite attempts to control or reduce its influence? When does religious regulation succeed?

CASI Research Seminar “Reluctant Monopolists: Religious regulation, politicization, and identity in Central Asia”. Speaker: Dustin Gamza, Ph.D. Candidate, University of Michigan, USA.

On November 14, 2015 AUCA’s student television group AUCA TV was awarded “Best Social Youth Project of the Year” by Jashtar Camp 2015, held in the Kyrgyz National Library.

On November 20, 2015 NATO Liaison Officer/Head of Office in Central Asia Ms. Rosaria Puglisi visited AUCA. At AUCA, Puglisi saw the NATO Multimedia Corner and the University Library.

On November 26, 2015, AUCA will be celebrating Thanksgiving Day. Members of the AUCA community are invited to pen their own personal “thankyous” (be it to their parents, professors, friends, pets, etc.) and place them on the “Thanksgiving Boards” now up in the main forum.

On November 6th of 2015, the AUCA Student Senate held elections with an electronic voting system and a biometric system of authentication. 10 students were elected to the Student Senate.

The Shared Service Center (SSC), a new office at AUCA, is pleased to announce a new functionality in registrar and financial services, including academic applications, academic forms, consultation on how to use Cash-in terminals, and some more.

 
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Medet Tiulegenov, Head, Division of Politics and International/Area Studies, AUCA
Abstract: The presentation would provide preliminary results of the study of the normative changes in the areas of human rights, gender and ethnicity in Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan and Uzbekistan. The cross cutting theme applied in these three issue areas is a norm of participation in public life, which largely defines a notion of a political regime. As a standard of appropriate behavior this norm is looked at through political rhetoric and as well as actions of political actors (mostly the ruling elite).

Attending university can be one of the most stressful and nerve-wracking experiences in a lifetime. This is why at the American University of Central Asia we offer professional counseling for students through our Psychological Counseling Services.