Rural Transitions in Mongolia and Central Asia : Pastoralism, Wellbeing and Economic Relations

Abstract

Focusing on pastoral and rural communities, this volume highlights ongoing transitions in rural Central Asia. Informed by in-depth case studies from Mongolia, Buryatia and Kyrgyzstan, the essays focus on themes in contemporary pastoralism, including the adaptation and resilience of rural pastoralist livelihoods during and after the Covid-19 pandemic; healing, food and wellbeing, including an examination of rural experiences of wellbeing and the re-invention and revival of traditional foods; and economic relations, including changing spatialisation of labour spurred by mineral extraction, the role of digital media and urban-rural dynamics. The volume presents insights into contemporary human geography and anthropology of the Inner Asian region; highlights the ongoing importance of scholarship on rural places; and offers a critical lens on broader processes of change affecting the region. A collaboration between scholars spanning Japan, Mongolia, Kyrgyzstan, the UK and the USA, the volume showcases work by diverse authors with longstanding engagement in Inner Asia.