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Niginakhon Saida

Niginakhon Saida is a scholar whose research interests focus on gender, Islam, and politics in Central Asia.

Nigina is a graduate of the OSCE Academy in Bishkek, where she studied politics and security (Central Asia). She is an adjunct professor at Webster University in Tashkent and teaches political science and sociology related classes. She is also a master’s student at the University of Glasgow in Eurasian studies. Her research interests focus on gender, Islam, and politics in Central Asia. Nigina has a degree in European Studies: Human Rights and Democratization in the Caucasus from Yerevan State University as well.

You can find her on Twitter.

Nigina was a Summer 2022 intern with The Diplomat’s Crossroads Asia section and is now a regular contributor to The Diplomat.

Posts by Niginakhon Saida

December 17, 2024

Uzbekistan Moves to Protect Rights of Uzbek Citizens in Russia

By Niginakhon Saida

As the Ukraine war drags on, Central Asian nationals, including Uzbeks in Russia – particularly those in Russian prisons – are increasingly vulnerable. Can Tashkent protect their rights?

December 02, 2024

How Do Uzbek Men Kill Women? Impulsively, Brutally, and Often at Home

By Niginakhon Saida and Svetlana Dzardanova

In Uzbekistan, women are often killed by men close to them – intimate partners and family members – and usually at their own homes, a space meant to be safe. Here is what our recent research reveals.

November 05, 2024

Russia Still a Cold Front for Central Asian Migrants

By Niginakhon Saida

Do Russian demands for stricter measures against labor migrants mark a shift in Moscow’s relationship with Central Asia?

October 28, 2024

A Close Call in Tashkent: Allamjonov Survives Assassination Attempt

By Niginakhon Saida

Allamjonov stepped down last month from his post in Uzbekistan’s Presidential Administration. A suspect has been arrested but authorities have not commented on a motive.

October 18, 2024

Pushed to the Edge: Why Women Kill in Uzbekistan

By Niginakhon Saida

Women commit far fewer murders than men in Uzbekistan. It’s important to understand who, why, and how they kill.

October 02, 2024

Central Asia’s War on Hijab

By Niginakhon Saida and Svetlana Dzardanova

As Central Asian governments tighten restrictions on the hijab in the name of upholding secularism, devout Muslim women find themselves forced to navigate an increasingly difficult choice between their faith and the law.

September 30, 2024

Uzbek Politician Alisher Qodirov Takes on Russian Chauvinism and Soviet Legacy

By Niginakhon Saida

Alisher Qodirov’s outspoken criticism of Russian chauvinism and the Soviet legacy marks a significant shift in Uzbekistan’s political discourse, sending a clear message to Moscow.

August 27, 2024

Uzbekistan’s Tightrope Between Individual Religious Expression and Secular Governance

By Niginakhon Saida

As Islamic practices rise in Uzbekistan, authorities do their best to maintain a secular public sphere.

July 23, 2024

What Explains the Declining Reputation of Higher Education in Uzbekistan?

By Niginakhon Saida

There are many factors, but ultimately a college diploma no longer guarantees employment and the youth of Uzbekistan are skeptical of its necessity.

July 18, 2024

Brides Too Soon: The Rising Trend of Early Marriages in Uzbekistan

By Niginakhon Saida

Early marriages are on the rise, primarily driven by a growing scarcity of eligible brides.

June 27, 2024

New Amendments Target Parents Seeking Islamic Education for Children in Uzbekistan

By Niginakhon Saida

If enacted, a new draft law will add fines and possible jail time for parents that seek illegal Islamic education for their children.

June 05, 2024

Imams in Uzbekistan Asked to Stay off Social Media

By Niginakhon Saida

Uzbek imams and religious bloggers occupy an influential space online in Uzbekistan.