Multibillion-dollar deals tell us little about who sets the terms of Central Asia’s relationship with China. Official accounts of high-level visits foreground the sums promised. They leave less space for the question of agency: what governments and communities want from those deals, and whether they can make Chinese partners deliver…
Multibillion-dollar deals tell us little about who sets the terms of Central Asia’s relationship with China. Official accounts of high-level visits foreground the sums promised. They leave less space for…
The fifth Central Asian Think Tanks Forum took place in Astana on October 7-8, with gender and politics at the center of its agenda. Organized by Paperlab in partnership with…
When CAPS Unlock brought the Turn It Around! Climate Cards project to Central Asia, we knew we would hear from passionate young people. We didn’t anticipate the sheer scale and…
Central Asia is investing heavily in solar parks, wind farms, hydropower and even nuclear energy. But how do you actually get all that electricity to the people who need it?
CAPS Unlock invites research proposals on the evolving relationship between Central Asia and China. The program supports original, policy-relevant work that helps clarify how China’s growing presence is reshaping economic, political, and social dynamics across the region.
CAPS Unlock invites research proposals on the evolving relationship between Central Asia and China. The program supports original, policy-relevant work that helps clarify how China’s growing presence is reshaping economic,…
ASIAC and CAPS Unlock are thrilled to invite submissions for the conference “Local Voices, Global Debates: ASIAC Days in Central Asia”, the first ASIAC-sponsored conference in Central Asia dedicated to…
CAPS Unlock is inviting applications for the position of Research Fellow (Education Policy) at the junior-mid career level.
CAPS Unlock is seeking a Research Fellow (China Studies) at a junior–mid career level to support and expand the organization’s research and policy engagement related to China.
How much of what we consider “traditional” is actually inherited from the past, and how much has been reinvented along the way? For our next meeting of Between the Lines, we’ll explore how traditions are created, reshaped, and passed down through generations. Our starting point is Tailor-Made: How the Soviet Union Invented…
How much of what we consider “traditional” is actually inherited from the past, and how much has been reinvented along the way? For our next meeting of Between the Lines, we’ll…
The Carnegie Endowment for International Peace and CAPS Unlock invite you to a public panel discussion exploring how local agency shapes China’s overseas footprint. 🗓️ 20 October 2026🕘 09:30–12:00 (Almaty time, UTC+5)📍 In-person…
Join us to learn more about Uzbekistan’s changing political and social landscape through “Silk Mirage: Through the Looking Glass in Uzbekistan” by Joanna Lillis, Bloomsbury, in conversation with Dr Frank…
Join us to explore questions of identity, belonging and transnational communities through “Gone South Village: A Thai Family’s Pilgrimage to China”, a documentary by William A. Callahan (2026). Date: 07.09.2026Time:…
CAPS Unlock partners with On Think Tanks to amplify Central Asian voices in the 2025 State of the Sector Report.
As part of our mission to enrich Central Asia’s intellectual landscape, CAPS Unlock is making globally significant scholarship more accessible. By introducing key works from the international social sciences sector to local audiences, we aim to broaden perspectives on civilizations, economies, and geopolitical shifts over time.
The CAPS Unlock podcast is a weekly deep dive into political, economic, and social developments shaping Central Asia.
Turn It Around! is a card deck where youth challenge the status quo with art, text, and urgent calls.
The Central Asian Think Tanks Forum is a regional platform that brings together research and analytical organizations from the region to strengthen collaboration, exchange expertise, and address shared challenges. Launched in 2022, the Forum fosters long-term partnerships among non-profit think tanks, helping them grow, increase their influence, and promote democratic values in Central Asia. The […]
Regional Research Our regional research explores the flows, of goods, data, and ideas, that shape Central Asia’s future. We publish in-depth analyses of trade trends, barriers, and emerging opportunities across the region. We also examine digital connectivity, including Kazakhstan’s dependence on external internet routes and its implications for neighboring states. Beyond data, we serve as […]
The published studies are the first step in CAPS Unlock’s long-term effort to build a deeper, regionally grounded understanding of Central Asia-China relations.
The published studies are the first step in CAPS Unlock’s long-term effort to build a deeper, regionally grounded understanding of Central Asia-China relations.
CAPS Unlock partners with On Think Tanks to amplify Central Asian voices in the 2025 State of the Sector Report.
As part of our mission to enrich Central Asia’s intellectual landscape, CAPS Unlock is making globally significant scholarship more accessible. By introducing key works from the international social sciences sector to local audiences, we aim to broaden perspectives on civilizations, economies, and geopolitical shifts over time.
The CAPS Unlock podcast is a weekly deep dive into political, economic, and social developments shaping Central Asia.
Turn It Around! is a card deck where youth challenge the status quo with art, text, and urgent calls.
The Central Asian Think Tanks Forum is a regional platform that brings together research and analytical organizations from the region to strengthen collaboration, exchange expertise, and address shared challenges. Launched in 2022, the Forum fosters long-term partnerships among non-profit think tanks, helping them grow, increase their influence, and promote democratic values in Central Asia. The […]
Regional Research Our regional research explores the flows, of goods, data, and ideas, that shape Central Asia’s future. We publish in-depth analyses of trade trends, barriers, and emerging opportunities across the region. We also examine digital connectivity, including Kazakhstan’s dependence on external internet routes and its implications for neighboring states. Beyond data, we serve as […]
