ABSTRACT
This chapter begins by taking stock of democratic reforms in the Central Asian states, following with a discussion of the main explanations of the obstacles to democratization in Central Asia. Kazakhstan exemplifies a durable nondemocratic regime, effectively combining authoritarian features with formal democratic elements. The chapter aims to critically engage the extant scholarship on political institutions and processes in postindependence Central Asia. In the early 1990s, Kyrgyzstan earned a reputation as an "island of democracy" in the ocean of authoritarianism due to its rapid economic and political liberalization, assisted by democracy promoters and donors from the West. Until 2015, Tajikistan was the only Central Asian republic that allowed religious parties to legally operate in the state. Uzbekistan and Turkmenistan are the only Central Asian states designated as the countries of particular concern engage in "systematic, ongoing and egregious violations of religious freedom". Finally, the chapter assesses international efforts at promoting democracy and autocracy in Central Asia.
