Rephonic
Artwork for Turan Tales
Central Asia
Kazakhstan
Uzbekistan
Tajikistan
Kyrgyzstan
Turkmenistan
Russia
China
Women's Rights
Shavkat Mirziyoyev
Emomali Rahmon
Kloop
Soviet Union
Almaty
Gulnara Karimova
Dariga Nazarbayeva
Oguljahan Atabayeva
Press Freedom Index
Astana
Ukraine

Turan Tales is a weekly podcast covering underreported stories of people, politics and social change in Central Asia by journalist and author Agnieszka Pikulicka turantales.substack.com

PublishesWeeklyEpisodes55Foundeda year ago
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Latest Episodes

Tajikistan has emerged as a leading advocate for global water cooperation. Yet as the water crisis worsens across Central Asia and beyond, finding solutions has become increasingly urgent.

Get full access to Turan Tales at turantales.substack.com/s... more

YouTube

In the last interview before the summer break, we speak with Bagila Bukharbaeva, the author of The Vanishing Generation: Faith and Uprising in Modern Uzbekistan. We discuss Uzbekistan’s turn toward religion, unpack the events that led to the Andijan ... more

YouTube

This week, we discuss the craft of akyns and aitysh, their poetic duels. We look into the history of this art form, its historical functions, and how these have changed during the Soviet era and since the collapse of the USSR. We also examine the soc... more

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This week, we look at cannabis economy in Kyrgyzstan: how the harvesting began, who benefits from it, and how local authorities respond to the phenomenon. Is there any incentive in Kyrgyzstan to legalise the crop?

Joining us is Gulzat Botoeva, Asso... more

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This week, we're joined by Mark Reese - translator of Abdulla Qodiriy's Bygone Days from Uzbek to English, academic and entrepreneur. We talk about the cultural and social significance of Bygone Days, the message it conveyed about the past, present, ... more

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This week, we’re diving into the fascinating history of Central Asian cinema and the ways Central Asia and Central Asians have been portrayed in foreign films. We’ll explore colonial tropes in portrayals of the region during Soviet times, how these r... more

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In the 1940s, Tashkent became an unlikely centre of Yiddish culture as Eastern European Jews were evacuated to Soviet Central Asia during World War II. Yet the story has remained largely forgotten.

Get full access to Turan Tales at turantales.subs... more

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The word Turan, which appears in the title of this podcast, has Persian linguistic and literary origins -- something we’ll be talking about today. We’ll look at Persian influences in Central Asia, how the language spread across such faraway lands, wh... more

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Recent Guests

Akylai Otkulbek-Kizy
Researcher focusing on Aytish as living civic and epistemological practice
University/Researcher (as discussed)
Episode: Episode 42: Why Central Asia still needs akyns - the poets who speak truth to power
Gulzat Botoeva
associate professor of criminology at Swansea University
Swansea University
Episode: Episode 41: Hashish and survival in rural Kyrgyzstan
Mark Reese
Translator of Bygone Days; IP rights advocate
Independent translator/author
Episode: Episode 40: Abdulla Qodiriy's "Bygone Days" and the fight for intellectual property rights
Assiya Issemberdiyeva
Kazakh film critic and researcher
Queen Mary University of London
Episode: Episode 39: What cinema can tell us about Central Asia
Ia Rudzicka
Survivor of WWII evacuation to Central Asia
Independent interviewee
Episode: Iya’s lifelines: A Jewish journey to survival in Central Asia
Ruben Nikoghosyan
lecturer in Middle, Classical, and Modern Persian Language and Literature
Ferdowsi School of Persian Literature, Isfahan State University (former)
Episode: Episode 38: Inside Turan. The Persian legacy in Central Asia
Yan Matusevich
Journalist and Ph.D. candidate focusing on Russian exiles in Central Asia
CUNY Graduate Center
Episode: Episode 37: What has become of Russia's Wartime exiles in Central Asia?
Hugo Estecahandy
PhD in Geography and Geopolitics; researcher on geopolitics of cryptocurrencies
Geopolitics of the Datasphere project; CNRS
Episode: Episode 36: Why is crypto growing in Central Asia - and who benefits?
Aksana Ismailbekova
Kyrgyz anthropologist and research fellow at the Leibniz-Zentrum Moderner Orient
Leibniz-Zentrum Moderner Orient
Episode: Episode 35: Who is crying for Tashiev? The end of Kyrgyzstan's ruling duo

Hosts

Agnieszka Pikulicka-Wilczewska
Journalist and host, focused on Central Asia and underreported stories.
Diora Rafieva
Uzbek lawyer and human rights activist with focus on urban development and civil rights.

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Talking Points

Recent interactions between the hosts and their guests.

Episode 41: Hashish and survival in rural Kyrgyzstan
Q: What does the situation look like now when it comes to harvesting hashish and selling hashish?
By the later period, police raids increased and the practice became more restricted; fewer people and more men traveling to fields changed the dynamics, with some professionals emerging while others stopped, and communities still relying seasonally on hashish for income.
Episode 41: Hashish and survival in rural Kyrgyzstan
Q: So, how did the cultivation of cannabis for illicit profit begin?
Cannabis harvesting in Issyk-Kul was mostly a harvesting activity rather than large-scale cultivation; most people collected wild or readily available plant material and sold it, often because of economic desperation after the 1990s transformations.
Episode 40: Abdulla Qodiriy's "Bygone Days" and the fight for intellectual property rights
Q: Why pursue the IP case, and what does this mean for Uzbekistan's future creative economy?
To push for accountability and to establish a precedent that protects translators and authors; the case highlights the need for robust IP enforcement and transparent, fair treatment of rights holders as Uzbekistan seeks to attract investment and cultural exchange.
Episode 40: Abdulla Qodiriy's "Bygone Days" and the fight for intellectual property rights
Q: How did your experience translating Uzbek literature in the Karimov era compare to today?
The Karimov period was dangerous for foreigners; there was fear, visa pressure, and limited collaboration opportunities. Today there is more openness, but challenges remain around protection of rights and accessing archival material.
Episode 40: Abdulla Qodiriy's "Bygone Days" and the fight for intellectual property rights
Q: What is so special about Bygone Days, and is it true it was the first Uzbek novel translated into English?
Yes, it is the first full-length Uzbek novel translated into English, and it serves as a foundational text for understanding national identity and the Jadids' reformist impulse in Central Asia.

Audience Metrics

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Frequently Asked Questions About Turan Tales

What is Turan Tales about and what kind of topics does it cover?

This show concentrates on underreported stories from Central Asia, spanning politics, society, culture, and human rights. Episodes frequently dissect governance, geopolitical dynamics, urban transformation, and social change, often through first-person accounts and expert analysis. A standout pattern is linking local experiences—such as reforms, protests, media freedom, and cultural shifts—to broader regional trends, producing a nuanced picture of life in Central Asia. The conversations regularly feature researchers, journalists, lawyers, activists, and scholars who bring on-the-ground insights and historical context, making complex issues accessible to policy professionals, researchers, and listeners seeking deeply reported regional perspe... more

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Which podcasts are similar to Turan Tales?

These podcasts share a similar audience with Turan Tales:

1. CAPS Unlock Podcast
2. Spotlight on Central Asia
3. In Moscow's Shadows
4. Hold Your Fire!
5. The Foreign Affairs Interview

How many episodes of Turan Tales are there?

Turan Tales launched a year ago and published 55 episodes to date. You can find more information about this podcast including rankings, audience demographics and engagement in our podcast database.

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What guests have appeared on Turan Tales?

Recent guests on Turan Tales include:

1. Akylai Otkulbek-Kizy
2. Gulzat Botoeva
3. Mark Reese
4. Assiya Issemberdiyeva
5. Ia Rudzicka
6. Ruben Nikoghosyan
7. Yan Matusevich
8. Hugo Estecahandy

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