In this episode, Paolo speaks to Dr. Hélène Thibault, associate professor of political science at Nazarbayev University in Kazakhstan, whose work explores religion, secularism, and the Soviet legacy.

Hélène has lived and worked in Kazakhstan for a decade and her research has focused, also through ethnography, on gender dynamics in Central Asia, more specifically, marriage, sex work, and domestic violence.

At the crossroads between sociology, anthropology, and political studies, Hélène’s work on gender dynamics is best introduced with the short piece The Many Faces of Polygyny in Kazakhstan, which is today’s main topic. In this episode, we will also focus on her more recent research and publications focusing on Kazakhstan and the wider Central Asian region.
Dapter is hosted by Vlast.kz, produced by Oliver Fisk, and features music and design by Daniyar Mussirov. Tune in next month for a new episode, spread the word to your colleagues, and send us some love and support at patreon.com/vlastkz