Guest Lecture by Dr. Mayinu Shanatibieke

Dear Nazarbayev University Community,

As a part of "Culture and Society" lecture series, Sociology and Anthropology Department is pleased to invite you to a Guest Lecture by Dr. Mayinu Shanatibieke

Topic: "From Yurt to Country Villa: The Transformation of a Kazakh Village in Xinjiang over 70 years"

Dr. Mayinu Shanatibieke is Assistant Professor at Minzu University of China in Beijing and Visiting Scholar at NU.

Abstract. Since the 1950s, sedentarization policy has been implemented in Xinjiang’s pastoral areas, aiming to modernize mobile pastoralists. Sedentarization is seen by the government as a means to urbanize pastoralists and improve their access to health facilities and educational institutions. This lecture is based on the research material collected in Lastay village in Ili Kazakh Autonomous Prefecture between 2011 and 2023. The main focus is on the transformation of the housing conditions of Lastay Village at different historical stages. Following this case study Dr. Shanatibieke will demonstrate how sedentarization policy improves Kazakh pastoralists’ living conditions.

Hope to see you there!