Dr Diana T. Kudaibergen

I wish I could make it to Amsterdam but it is madness in my schedule

Londoners!
There's still time to make plans to come to Aziza Kadyri's talk tonight at SSEES.
Aziza is an artist known for her beautiful, emotive rendering of identities, fragmented past and second-hand nostalgia. She's a tireless archivist of diasporic embodied knowledge, memories and feelings. <3

Inspiring. Seseg gave a very sincere, vulnerable and touching talk at our last @associationruta.bsky.social conference in Ukraine and I encourage everyone to see her illustrations. She has a book coming up on Buryat struggles under Russian colonialism and her own journey after forced Russification

Alen Lee is a cool artistic writer to watch rn:

www.tate.org.uk/research/res...

New perspectives on Romani pasts, presents and futures YouTube video by The Ruta Association

This was a very, very interesting The RUTA Association webinar. I learned a lot and ordered these two books for the Helsinki University library. Can't wait to read them. Highly, highly recommended www.youtube.com/watch?v=j_85...

New episode of Yurt Jurt podcast with Buryat architect, activist and artist Seseg Jigjitova. We’ve been conversing for a while, from Berlin to Mediterranean. Then we sat down in a small bedroom and poured our hearts out. This is a special episode. Take a listen.

In memory of Pete, we have launched the Pete Duncan Memorial Fund, which will support PhD students at the School. Donations can be made via peter-duncan-2026.muchloved.com

Dilyara Kaipova is featured in Chapter 4 of my forthcoming book on political art. She's an amazing artist and a superb storyteller!

I also need to interview Fabienne and Äsel Kadyrkhanova soon.

So, go to Amsterdam and listen to our podcast too!!!

btw, one of the participant artists, Kamila Narysheva is featured in one of our YurtJurt podcast episodes and we were crying and hugging after we recorded it.

Kamila Smagulova who is also part of the exhibition project is also featured in our podcast.

Exhibition: Between Fires – Irradiated Imaginations & Anti-Nuclear Solidarities – Framer Framed From 13 February to 17 May 2026, Framer Framed presents the exhibition Between Fires: Irradiated Imaginations and Anti-Nuclear Solidarities, curated by writer and researcher Fabienne Rachmadiev and pr...

if you're in Amsterdam, my friends organised and participated in this superb exhibition! Congrats to Fabienne Rachmadiev who curated it!

framerframed.nl/en/expositie...

A reminder to join us this Friday for a crucial RUTA webinar with @magdamatache.bsky.social and @madelinepotter.bsky.social

Registration link: docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1F...

It feels important and almost urgent to re-share the text by Darya Tsymbalyuk today. "DO NOT DESPAIR. A letter to a scholar whose homeland will be attacked by Russia next."

Glory to Ukraine, its heroes and heroines today and all the days to come. daryatsymbalyuk.com/DO-NOT-DESPAIR

An evening with AZIZA KADYRI SSEES Politics and Sociology Seminar Series presents AZIZA KADYRI

Aziza Kadyri talk at UCL SSEES
Friday, 6 March
5 pm to 7.30 pm (wine reception and nibbles)
Address: 16 Taviton Road, SSEES, 4th Floor, Masaryk Room.
Register below 👇

www.ucl.ac.uk/arts-humanit...

And before that, attend her superb exhibition "Play Nice" at Somerset House!

Mark your calendars for the super exciting evening with one of the most talented contemporary Uzbek artists Aziza Kadyri!

next Friday, 6 March, SSEES, London
@uclssees.bsky.social

Decolonial Queer Approaches to Researching Queer and Trans Lives in Central Asia A SSEES Politics and Sociology seminar with Dr Mariya Leviatanus, University of Edinburgh

March is looking good. Come to the Maria Leviatanus (University of Edinburgh) talk on 19 March at @uclssees.bsky.social

www.ucl.ac.uk/arts-humanit...

Thank you for having me on YurtJurt, and for this conversation about the global rise of the far right and the ways to defy old legacies of imperialism—designed to divide and conquer us—while coming together to oppose their current forms and the propaganda that keeps pitting us against one another

Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor arrested on suspicion of misconduct in public office – live The police raided Andrew’s Norfolk home this morning Here are some of the first pictures that show police arriving at Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor’s Wood Farm residence, on the Royal Family’s Sandringham estate in Norfolk. Police can be seen talking after turning up in unmarked police cars. Following a thorough assessment, we have now opened an investigation into this allegation of misconduct in public office. It is important that we protect the integrity and objectivity of our investigation as we work with our partners to investigate this alleged offence. Continue reading...

Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor arrested on suspicion of misconduct in public office – live

On this day, 82 years ago, the Soviet Union launched an ethnic cleansing operation, deporting entire Chechen and Ingush populations from the North Caucasus to Central Asia. Hundreds of thousands died due to inhumane conditions during the deportations or at the place of forced settlement.

New episode of YurtJurt podcast just dropped and it’s fire 🔥🔥🔥🔥

@terezahendl.bsky.social is one of the crucial voices of our generation talking about decoloniality, justice and colonialism. Check it out now!

Kyrgyzstan’s Constitutional Court has just ruled that Japarov can serve out his full six-year term under the conditions of the previous constitution. Looks like there won’t be any early presidential elections in 2026. His re-election should take place in 2027 for a second 5-year term.

but more about it in my forthcoming writing, and most importantly, in my best texts, most of which are written and published (and will be published) and are available only in Central Asia. Because texts that are written at home are so-so different.

It is the incredible privilege because the type of languages and the type of decolonial praxis that is formed collectively at home, in these circles, is indeed not available to all. So, I'd like to think of myself as the contemporary speaker of this new language - neither colonial nor nationalist.

one can trace how my writing was tremendously influenced by my fieldwork and friendships with local artists starting from old and established artists (even of Soviet period) like Gerold Berger, and through my engagement with contemporary art, and latest experimental music scenes.

the way to write differently. Plus, as I always say, I've been engaged with Central Asian art fields for the longer time than even my academic career even though that particular book on art of mine is not out yet. In fact, it turned into endless and unfinished book projects.

but at the same time,

I think many of the tendencies of how my arguments formed in this book, in particular, are also reflective of the tectonic shifts that happened in the field in the past ten years. The new generation of scholars coming from Central Asia like Bota Kassymbekova, Assel Tutumlu, Erica Marat showed

Victoria Clement reviewed my book in comparison with Shlapentokh book she calls "written form Russian prism" but it is also an old book (2015). Mine is very new - What Does It Mean to Be Kazakhstani - was published just last year.

www.tandfonline.com/doi/pdf/10.1...

all-weekend celebration in KZ.

good stuff

Pete Duncan was always the most welcoming and supportive colleague, a legend among students and our picket line hero. He’ll be in our memories for a very long time. Rest in peace Pete. 😢

We at SSEES received an email about two hours ago. he was texting us on group chat just last week 😭

RIP Prof Pete Duncan.

We met in 2012 or 2013 in Manchester at the “Rethinking Eurasia” workshop 🫣

He was always cheerful and supportive. Joked a lot. Super respectful guy. Пусть земля будет Вам пухом.