Casey_Michel

Monitoring the Monitors

by Casey_Michel

Over the last few days, there’s been an ongoing debate on my Facebook wall as to the merits of the OSCE’s criticisms that came out following Kazakhstan’s recent Majlis election. After I posted Nazarbayev’s response to the criticisms – that is, his refusal to allow future critical monitors into his nation – a series of Kazakhstani friends came out in [...]

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Image Issues

by Casey_Michel

One of the most unexpected aspects of living among the Kazakhstanis was the nationals’ focus on physical appearance. Indeed, Kazakhstanis are as preoccupied with a manicured appearance as any group I’ve ever known. That’s not to say that they sought only Tom Ford and Louis Vuitton – though their knockoffs were certainly popular – but, [...]

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