Panel proposal for the Central Eurasian Studies Society Regional Conference, Astana 16-19 June 2026.
Deadline for proposals: March 15th, 2026.
Scholars specializing in Central Asia have increasingly adopted gender as a critical analytical lens. This allows to examine the diverse nuances of human experience, interrogating constructs of masculinity and femininity alongside broader gender identities and discourses as they intersect with colonialism, nationalism, and capitalism. However, scholarship has frequently conflated gender with women’s issues and lived realities, resulting in a significant oversight of male experiences within the existing literature. While recent scholarship on nationalizing states has primarily focused on patriarchal norms and the subjugation of women, only a limited number of studies have ventured beyond these themes. This panel proposes a critical reading to the existing gender narratives with a focus on men and masculinities. It aims at conceptualizing the construction of masculinities and its impact on the lived experiences of men.
Some of the themes that could be explored include, but are not limited to:
- The construction of masculinity in Central Asian countries. How do political, social, and legal orders construct the idea of a man?
- The intersection between masculine ideals and economic status. How does working-class masculinity differ from elite masculinity and/or from rural and urban masculinity?
- The intersection of religion and masculinity. Do religious beliefs and practices influence the definition and performance of masculine behavior.
- The intersection of masculinity and racial identity. How can we account for the diversity of lived experiences within the context of ethnic diversity?
- The policing of masculine behavior. When and how do men police one another? What are the social costs for men who deviate from masculine norms?
- Men’s behavior and role in the private sphere. Are domestic responsibilities shifting in Central Asian households?
With this panel, we aim to mobilize a diverse range of perspectives that illuminate the complex lived experiences of Central Asian men. By doing so, we hope to move beyond reductive archetypes and generate critical insights into how masculinities are negotiated, performed, and transformed within the region’s historical, political, and cultural landscapes.
If interested, please contact Hélène Thibault, Associate professor and Department Chair, Political Science and International Relations, Nazarbayev University before March 10th. helene.thibault@nu.edu.kz
For more information about the conference, click here.