The Diplomat | Author
Colleen Wood
Colleen Wood is a writer and educator based in St. Paul, Minnesota. She holds a PhD from Columbia University, where she studied activism and social media politics in Kazakhstan.
Colleen Wood is a writer and educator based in St. Paul, Minnesota. She teaches courses in political science at Century College and researches human rights and digital politics in Central Asia. She holds a PhD from Columbia University, where she studied activism and social media politics in Kazakhstan.
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March 21, 2019
Soviet Nostalgia Meets Kyrgyz Social Media
By Colleen Wood
Social media accounts specializing in historical photos of Kyrgyzstan reflect young people’s desire to learn about their country’s past.
February 28, 2019
Meeting the Kazakh Diaspora
By Colleen Wood
Recent documentaries explore the contours of the Kazakh diaspora and challenge mainstream assumptions about migration and assimilation.
February 22, 2019
In Central Asia, Politics By Way of Social Media
By Colleen Wood
New research on youth in Central Asia attempts to untangle young people’s political attitudes and preferences on their own terms.
January 30, 2019
Kyrgyzstan's Persistent Urban-Rural Divide in Reproductive Health
By Colleen Wood
Awareness about reproductive health and access to contraceptives are unevenly distributed across Kyrgyzstan.
January 25, 2019
Nothing to Spit at: Kyrgyzstan Penalizes ‘Negative Behaviors’
By Colleen Wood
Debate over a fine on spitting in public reveals the role of social media in developing civic participation.
December 29, 2018
Why Did Kyrgyz Stage a Protest Outside the Chinese Embassy?
By Colleen Wood
In Bishkek, Kyrgyz demonstrated against China’s mass detainment of Muslims, but other grievances are shaping protests too.
December 21, 2018
To Empower Women in Kyrgyzstan, Address Masculinity
By Colleen Wood
Gender violence is a pervasive problem in Kyrgyzstan. A local NGO is trying to address it by working with men.
November 30, 2018
Human Security Central in New Effort to Save the Aral Sea
By Colleen Wood
The United Nations has established a new Multi-Partner Trust Fund for the Aral Sea Region.
November 14, 2018
For Central Asian Migrant Workers, a Sense of Home is Only an App Away
By Colleen Wood
A vibrant digital ecosystem has developed to support Central Asian migrant workers navigating the challenges of living far from home.
October 26, 2018
Radicalization in Central Asia: 'Not In Our Name'
By Colleen Wood
A new documentary project filmed in Central Asia seeks both to document and counter violent extremism in the region.
October 17, 2018
Spectacular Cities and Urban Transformation in Central Asia
By Colleen Wood
Efforts to transform Central Asia’s urban spaces have long ignored input from local residents; grassroots efforts could change that.
September 29, 2018
Girl and the Nation: Central Asia’s Gendered Quest for National Identity
By Colleen Wood
The violent response to Zere Asylbek kyzy’ art reflects gendered expectations about women embodying the nation in Central Asia.