JSPS Joint Covid Call - Comparative Research on Pastoral Societies in Post-Covid 19 Inner Asian Countries
Lead Research Organisation:
University of Oxford
Department Name: Geography - SoGE
Abstract
Covid-19 has upset development progress and paradigms in Mongolia and Kyrgyzstan. Yet the pandemic also has created new opportunities to innovate, evaluate and redirect policy and practice across rural communities and customary livelihoods in these steppe nations. To address post-Covid-19 challenges, experienced Japanese and UK researchers will combine their expertise, shared experience and insights to explore, evaluate and inform inclusive and sustainable policy responses in Mongolia and Kyrgyzstan. As lower-middle income countries, the pandemic intersects with complex environmental and socio-economic factors impacting traditional rural mobile pastoralists and agro-pastoralist livelihoods which are centers for food production and cultural heritage.
The project brings together eight Japanese universities with the University of Oxford, building on over 77 years of combined experience working in Mongolia and Central Asia. Original field research will center on rural livelihoods, governance and community engagement to understand the multi-scalar socio-economic and geographic dimensions of Covid-19 responses in rural areas. Challenges include citizen engagement and participation in decision-making, local government capacity, trade and markets, access and availability of information and public services, including health, restrictions on movement and financial support prioritising sustainable economic activity. By advancing a collaborative research agenda, our project aims to advance civic engagement, democratic participation, social well-being and an inclusive Covid recovery through evidence-based, collaborative and multi-stakeholder approaches and will empower researchers at every stage of their career through a comprehensive capacity building and skills development programme.
Joint research will identify post-pandemic opportunities to address key issues, transition and improve rural livelihoods, governance and support services. Through fieldwork-based evidence and engagement activities, the project will seek to empower rural communities as they transition into post-Covid response. Strengthened communication (ICT) and markets, sustainable lives and movement and more resilient and equitable systems will be emphasised. This includes opportunities for women, respect for herding and farming, viable education and lifestyle opportunities to build inclusive and enduring rural societies.
The project brings together eight Japanese universities with the University of Oxford, building on over 77 years of combined experience working in Mongolia and Central Asia. Original field research will center on rural livelihoods, governance and community engagement to understand the multi-scalar socio-economic and geographic dimensions of Covid-19 responses in rural areas. Challenges include citizen engagement and participation in decision-making, local government capacity, trade and markets, access and availability of information and public services, including health, restrictions on movement and financial support prioritising sustainable economic activity. By advancing a collaborative research agenda, our project aims to advance civic engagement, democratic participation, social well-being and an inclusive Covid recovery through evidence-based, collaborative and multi-stakeholder approaches and will empower researchers at every stage of their career through a comprehensive capacity building and skills development programme.
Joint research will identify post-pandemic opportunities to address key issues, transition and improve rural livelihoods, governance and support services. Through fieldwork-based evidence and engagement activities, the project will seek to empower rural communities as they transition into post-Covid response. Strengthened communication (ICT) and markets, sustainable lives and movement and more resilient and equitable systems will be emphasised. This includes opportunities for women, respect for herding and farming, viable education and lifestyle opportunities to build inclusive and enduring rural societies.
Organisations
- University of Oxford (Lead Research Organisation)
- Kagoshima University (Project Partner)
- Saitama University (Project Partner)
- Nagoya Gakuin University (Project Partner)
- Meiji University (Project Partner)
- Tokyo University of Foreign Studies (Project Partner)
- Tokyo Metropolitan Government (Project Partner)
- Rakuno Gakuen University (Project Partner)
- Ritsumeikan University (Project Partner)
Publications
Gantulga, M.
(2022)
'Niigiimiin ukhaani Chanariin Sudalgaa' Social Science Research Handbook
Toktomushev K
(2023)
Civil society, social capital and development in Central Asia
in Central Asian Survey
De Pinho J
(2022)
Drylands Facing Change - Interventions, Investments and Identities
De Bruijn M
(2022)
Drylands Facing Change - Interventions, Investments and Identities
Munkherdene G
(2023)
Shaping Urban Futures in Mongolia: Ulaanbaatar, Dynamic Ownership, and Economic Flux
in The Journal of Asian Studies
McCarthy C
(2024)
The forgotten middle Silk Road: Historical caravan route geographies between Mongolia and Tibet
in Journal of Historical Geography
| Description | Research Capacity Development for Mongolian, Kyrgyz and Japanese Scholars |
| Geographic Reach | Asia |
| Policy Influence Type | Influenced training of practitioners or researchers |
| Impact | Access to new resources for teaching research design in the social sciences. |
| Description | 'The Role of Women During COVID-19 in Three Regions of Kyrgyzstan' |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | Regional |
| Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
| Results and Impact | On 12th October 2023, Zalina Enikeeva, a researcher on the PPIA project from the University of Central Asia, gave a presentation at the Life in Kyrgyzstan 'LiK' conference. The conference was organised jointly by the University of Central Asia (UCA), Kyrgyz Republic; The Leibniz Institute of Vegetable and Ornamental Crops (IGZ), Germany; International Security and Development Center (ISDC), Germany and took place at the Park Hotel in Bishkek. As part of the Intra-Household Distribution and Female Well-Being session, Zalina's talk titled 'The Role of Women During COVID-19 in Three Regions of Kyrgyzstan' focused on the preliminary results of her ongoing research. The presentation involved discussion following the presentation from participants. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2023 |
| URL | https://www.ppia.ouce.ox.ac.uk/zalina-enikeevas-talk-at-the-life-in-kyrgyzstan-conference/ |
| Description | FCDO Expert Panel on Mongolia on 15 November 2023 |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A formal working group, expert panel or dialogue |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Policymakers/politicians |
| Results and Impact | This event consisted of external experts on Mongolia, and colleagues from across Whitehall who work on matters relating to Mongolia. Ariell Ahearn presented as an expert on Mongolia. The event was split in to two panels/discussions - the first focused on Mongolia's foreign policy, and then a second on Mongolia's energy and resources policies. The participants included former and current UK Ambassadors to Mongolia and was organised by the Foreign Office's Research Analysts. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2023 |
| Description | International Workshop on Camelid Pastoralism, held in Sadri, Rajasthan, India |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Policymakers/politicians |
| Results and Impact | This event consisted of the first international event of the International Year of Camelids and was called an International Workshop on Camelid Pastoralism (5 to 10 January 2024), held in Sadri, Rajasthan, India, hosted by Lokhit Pashu-Palak Sansthan (LPPS), the League for Pastoral Peoples (LPP) and the Godwar camel pastoralist milk producers. Participants represented Raika camel herders and other camel pastoralists from Rajasthan and Gujarat in India, camel herders from Mongolia and Kenya, and researchers and practitioners from India, Iran, Kenya, UK and Germany. Ariell Ahearn participated along with camel herder from Dundgovi, Mongolia named Khand Byambaa to represent the PPIA team. They were joined online by scientists and practitioners from Peru, Pakistan, UAE and USA. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2024 |
| URL | https://www.fao.org/camelids-2024/events/event-detail/international-workhop-on-camelid-pastoralism/e... |
| Description | Invited Talk - Rights to the 'Commons': Herders caught between privatisation and expropriation of public land in an extractivist state by Ariell Ahearn |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
| Results and Impact | The activity was an academic talk hosted by the Mongolia and Inner Asia Studies Unit at the University of Cambridge, as part of their termly seminar series. The even took place on Tuesday, 2 May, 2023 - 16:30 to 18:00 and was titled Rights to the 'Commons': Herders caught between privatisation and expropriation of public land in an extractivist state. The abstract for the event is as follows: Large-scale extractivism across Mongolia has emerged chaotically and with little regard for social safeguarding or attention to its social impacts on mobile pastoralists across the country. In this paper, I draw on 6 years of qualitative research on the interface between large infrastructure development such as mines, roads, and wind farms conducted in collaboration with the NGO, Steps without Borders across Omnogovi and Dornogovi provinces. We argue that Mongolia's state-owned land regime, which has successfully enabled and supported long-distance pastoralism across the country, now presents a primary threat to common use of natural resources and traditional mobility practices. The lack of hard, legally-protected land rights for herder use of their own nutag territories (legally classified as public land outside of ovoljoo and havarjaa camp possession contracts) for herders has come into sharp focus as the central government licenses large tracts of land for exclusive mineral extraction, export roads and new energy infrastructures. Forced resettlement and displacement is rife, violating international norms which recognise the value and importance of usufruct land rights. This situation presents a dilemma, as public lands remain vulnerable to land acquisition for mineral development while privatisation disables traditional pastoralist mobility and further fragments the commons. The answer may lie in legal innovation which can move beyond the 'sedentist imaginary' infused in contemporary understandings of space and territory. Drawing on recent analyses exploring rights to mobility and nomadic land use, as well as a legal analysis of Mongolia's current land laws, this paper tentatively explores ways to secure a national commons based on nomadic traditions and pastoralist livelihoods. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2023 |
| URL | https://www.miasu.socanth.cam.ac.uk/events/miasu-research-seminar-2-may-ariell-ahearn |
| Description | Invited lecture by Troy Sternberg at the Lisbon Geographical Society - 'Exploring connections between environmental and religious changes in Mongolia' |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
| Results and Impact | 32 participants attended the public lecture held by the Lisbon Geographical Society |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2023 |
| Description | Lecture at ISCTE - University Institute Lisbon - Spirituality, environment and pastoralism on the steppe: a Mongolian story |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Other audiences |
| Results and Impact | Spirituality, environment and pastoralism on the steppe: a Mongolian story. May 2023. Lecture, ISCTE - University Institute Lisbon, Portugal Participants: 12 Geographical reach: Portugal Audience: Academics, researchers |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2023 |
| Description | Lecture at Instituto Superior de Ciências Sociais e Políticas, University of Lisbon, Portugal - Mystical Natures: A comparative study of religious-environmental dynamics among Mongolian and Kenyan dryland communities |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | Local |
| Primary Audience | Undergraduate students |
| Results and Impact | Mystical Natures: A comparative study of religious-environmental dynamics among Mongolian and Kenyan dryland communities. April 2023. Lecture, Instituto Superior de Ciências Sociais e Políticas, University of Lisbon, Portugal. Participants: 26 Geographical reach: Portugal Audience: undergraduate students |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2023 |
| Description | Lecture at Tokyo Foreign Studies University - Does religious change lead to environmental change? A tale of two pastoral drylands - Kenya and Mongolia. |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Undergraduate students |
| Results and Impact | Does religious change lead to environmental change? A tale of two pastoral drylands - Kenya and Mongolia. February 2023. Lecture, Tokyo Foreign Studies University, Tokyo, Japan Participants: 10 Geographical reach: Japan Audience: Academics and students |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2023 |
| Description | Lecture by Troy Sternberg at Agronomia University, University of Lisbon, Portugal - 'Climate, environment and development in Asia's nomadic steppe: A Mongolian story' |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Postgraduate students |
| Results and Impact | 22 academics and post-graduates attended the lecture |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2023 |
| Description | Lecture by Troy Sternberg at NOVA School of Science and Technology, Tertulia, Portugal - 'The Nomadic Steppe: Life in Mongolian Time. April 2023. Lecture at NOVA School of Science and Technology' |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Postgraduate students |
| Results and Impact | 19 post-graduate students attended the leccture |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2023 |
| Description | Lecture by Troy Sternberg at Tokai University, Japan - 'Mystical Natures: Do religious changes impact environmental change in pastoralist drylands: Mongolia and Kenya' |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Undergraduate students |
| Results and Impact | 225 undergraduate students attended the lecture at Tokai University in Japan |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2023 |
| Description | National University of Mongolia-Oxford Social Science Research Training Summer School |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | Regional |
| Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
| Results and Impact | The activity consisted of a 5-day summer school focusing on hands-on training of participants in social science research design, research methods, and academic writing. Each segment of the summer school was filmed and made accessible to the general public via our project website. The workshop took place in Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia and involved 40 participants. The workshop was accessible in the Mongolian and English languages. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2022 |
| URL | https://www.ppia.ouce.ox.ac.uk/learn-with-us/ |
| Description | Nomadic Ethics and Intercultural Dialogue at Mongolian National University - Pastoral Khans: Mongolian herders' contribution to intercultural dialogue |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Undergraduate students |
| Results and Impact | Pastoral Khans: Mongolian herders' contribution to intercultural dialogue. June 2023. Nomadic Ethics and Intercultural Dialogue. Mongolian National University. Participants: 35 Geographical reach: International Audience: Academics, students |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2023 |
| Description | PPIA Project Website |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Engagement focused website, blog or social media channel |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
| Results and Impact | The PPIA website was created in 2022 to outline our project and to have a platform to publish blogs. It has had over 2500 views, with an average of 6 per day. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2022,2023,2024 |
| URL | https://www.ppia.ouce.ox.ac.uk/ |
| Description | Panel at World Congress of International Union of Anthropological and Ethnographic Sciences |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
| Results and Impact | The activity consisted of a panel convened and organised by our project team, including several papers presented by our members of our project. Panel number 007: CHANGE AND CONTINUITY OF INNER ASIAN PASTORAL SOCIETIES OF AFFECTED BY EXTERNAL FACTORS CONVENORS: TAKAHIRO OZAKI AND ARIELL AHEARN KANAD BHAVAN ROOM 116 (1ST FLOOR), University of New Delhi SESSION 1: 2:15 TO 3:45 Is small-scale dairy production in suburban areas sustainable? Characteristics and transformation of urban and rural relationships in Mongolia Takahiro Tomita Pastoralist Influencer: Entrepreneurship, Online Shopping and Social Trust in Rural Mongolia Munkherdene Gantulga Women herders' changing role in Gobi pastoralism Troy Sternberg Comparison between pastoralism of suburban and remote pasture in post COVID-19 pandemic Mongolian society Takahiro Ozaki SESSION 2: 4:15 TO 6:00 PM Drawing the relationship between Policy implementation ,informed choices and it's impacts on traditional communities Girdhari Chaudhary ESG in Kyrgyzstan: A New Way Forward? [CANCELLED] Kemel Toktomushev Maasai "meat camps" under lockdown: Embodying the nomadic values of reciprocity, solidarity and hospitality during a pandemic that kept people at home Joana Roque De Pinho Continuity and change of the Pastoral Societies in the North-West Himalayas: A study of Impact of Ecotourism on the Pastoral Communities in Kashmir region, India. Hilal Ahamd War Trust in Livestock Foods: A Report on Dietary Practices in Rural Mongolia During/After the Pandemic Moe Terao Resilience and Adaptation: The Drokpa Tribe's Response to External Factors Impacting Their Traditional Pastoral Societies NAVNEET KAUR, SHAZADA AHMAD, ADNAN SHAKEEL, MD. ABU TARIQUE, MD ISHTIYAQUE |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2023 |
| Description | Social Science Research Training at Osh State University in Kyrgyzstan |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | Regional |
| Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
| Results and Impact | From 15-16 August 2023, Ariell Ahearn and Troy Sternberg collaborated with the Osh State University to offer a Research Design and Publishing workshop for over 100 faculty and staff of the University. As part of the workshop, we reviewed papers for the members of staff and gave them specific advice and guidance on how to write up their results into publications. The event sparked active discussion and the Rector of the University discussed possibilities for reviewing how academics were reviewed (to be less stringent on the quantity of publications to focus more on quality). |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2023 |
| URL | https://oshsu.kg/public/index.php/en/news/1869 |
| Description | Social Science Research Training at the University of Central Asia |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Other audiences |
| Results and Impact | We organized a Social Science Research Training program for early and mid-career researchers from Kyrgyzstan, aimed at enhancing the research skills and knowledge of young research professionals. The program attracted 36 participants from Kyrgyzstan and Kazakhstan, representing institutions such as the University of Central Asia, Nazarbayev University, Kyrgyz Technical University, and Compass College. The training sessions were conducted by experienced researchers from the University of Oxford, Cambridge, the University of British Columbia, and Meiji University. This comprehensive training program took place from August 3 to August 5, 2023, in Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan. Following the main program, there was a writing retreat in Chon-Kemin, Kyrgyzstan, where researchers had the opportunity to work on their writing tasks and engage with senior international faculty in a more informal setting. The news coverage and media support for the aforementioned events were organized by the Communications team of the University of Central Asia and disseminated through UCA channels, ensuring that both internal and external stakeholders were informed about this collaboration. Furthermore, we adopted an unconventional approach to inform and engage with local stakeholders through our social media accounts. UCA's Senior Research Fellow, Kemel Toktomushev, utilized his personal Instagram account (which has 25k followers and an outreach of 1,000,000 accounts) to provide information about the UCA-Oxford joint project and the training conducted by the team. Subsequently, we received an immediate follow-up request from the Kyrgyzstan State Service agency, expressing their interest in having Oxford faculty plan an additional visit to work with Kyrgyz officials and researchers from the Academy under the management of the President of Kyrgyzstan, with a focus on organizing a training event for Kyrgyz civil servants in 2024. Furthermore, we have agreed to translate the Summer Training toolkit into the Kyrgyz language for wider dissemination among Kyrgyz faculty and researchers and to the Ministry of Education and Science of the Kyrgyz Republic. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2023 |
| URL | https://www.ppia.ouce.ox.ac.uk/2023/08/20/2023-summer-school-in-kyrgyzstan/ |
| Description | Talk by Ariell Ahearn at the Cambridge Mongolia Forum, titled "Filling a State-Shaped Gap? The Contested Governance Role of Mining Companies in Mongolia's Southern Gobi" |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A magazine, newsletter or online publication |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | Regional |
| Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
| Results and Impact | This was a talk given at the Cambridge Mongolia Forum, a two day conference at the University of Cambridge which took place from 15-16 December 2022. The audience consisted of experts in Mongolian studies from around the world - USA, Europe, Inner Mongolia (China), Mongolia, Russia and included participation from the Mongolian embassy in London. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2022 |
| URL | http://embassyofmongolia.co.uk/?p=4276&lang=en |
| Description | Talk by Munkh-Erdene Gantulga at the Mongolia Cambridge Forum, "Following the 4G: Modern Mobility of Pastoralists during Environmental Hazards in Mongolia." |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | Regional |
| Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
| Results and Impact | The project Co-I, Munkh-Erdene Gantulga, gave this talk during the Mongolia Cambridge Forum from 15-16 December 2022. The event took place at the University of Cambridge and included approximately 40 participants, including the involvement of the Mongolian Embassy in London. During the talk, Munkh-Erdene discussed his recent research in Mongolia. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2022 |
| URL | http://embassyofmongolia.co.uk/?p=4276&lang=en |
| Description | Talk by Troy Sternberg Mystical Natures: Exploring connections between environmental and religious changes in Mongolia. |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | Local |
| Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
| Results and Impact | Troy Sternberg presented his research at the Lisbon Geographical Society. January 13, 2023. 24 people - researchers and public attended the event. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2023 |
| Description | Talk by Troy Sternberg at ISCTE, University Institute Lisbon, Portugal - 'Sharing academic writing with the world: an example from a Mongolian Summer School' |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Other audiences |
| Results and Impact | 16 academics and researchers attended the talk that presented writing research findings and interests across Lisbon universities |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2023 |
| Description | Talk by Troy Sternberg at the National University of Mongolia, Mongolia - 'Degradation and desertification on the Mongolian steppe: where is the evidence?' |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
| Results and Impact | 40 academics, students and members of the general public attended the presentation and public discussion of land degradation and/or desertification in Mongolia. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2023 |
| Description | Talk for School for Advancement of Gender Equality (SAGE) Forum in Kazakhstan - Ariell Ahearn |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
| Results and Impact | This event took place in Almaty, Kazakhstan from 15-16 September 2023. Ariell Ahearn gave a talk called Research for Gender Advocacy. She also compiled a reading list and documents to share with the participants for their future usage. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2023 |
| URL | https://ucentralasia.org/schools/graduate-school-of-development/civil-society-initiative/csi-project... |
| Description | The 6th Oxford Interdisciplinary Desert Conference |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
| Results and Impact | The 6th OIDC brought together academics and non-academics who research, work and live across the world's desert and semi-desert regions for two days of vibrant talks, presentations, panels and networking opportunities. The interdisciplinary event encouraged social and physical scientists to exchange views, develop lasting collaborations and work towards a positive global impact. The conference was also an excellent opportunity for the PPIA team from four countries to meet, talk and plan our group research and outcomes. New working relationships, research collaborations, and events have emerged out of the OIDC, most notably with Ilse Kohler-Rollefson, Zsolt Molnar, and Sarah Lunacek. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2023 |
| URL | https://www.geog.ox.ac.uk/events/deserts/index.html |
| Description | Training called "Anthropological Theories in Modern Time" |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | Regional |
| Primary Audience | Postgraduate students |
| Results and Impact | Gantulga Munkherdene. Training called "Anthropological Theories in Modern Time" In Mongolia, 32 participants, 4 hours training, International Institute for the Study of Nomadic Civilisation" 2023.01.09 |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2023 |
| Description | Training called "Development Studies: Inequality and Neoliberalism" |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Third sector organisations |
| Results and Impact | Gantulga Munkherdene. Training called "Development Studies: Inequality and Neoliberalism" In Mongolia, 43 participants, 1 day training, Mon-Feminet national network NGO, 2023.02.13-15 |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2023 |
| Description | Training called "Development, Inequality and Research" |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | Regional |
| Primary Audience | Postgraduate students |
| Results and Impact | Gantulga Munkherdene. Training called "Development, Inequality and Research" In Mongolia, 22 participants, 2 hour training, Women for Change NGO, 2023.04.17. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2023 |
| Description | Training called "Quantitative Research Methods in Social Science" |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Postgraduate students |
| Results and Impact | Gantulga Munkherdene. Training called "Quantitative Research Methods in Social Science" In Mongolia, 18 participants, 3 hours training, Mongolian Academy of Sciences, 2023.01.23 |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2023 |
| Description | Training for Area Studies Division of the Foreign Service Institute at the U.S. Department of State by Ariell Ahearn on Nov 15 2023 |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A formal working group, expert panel or dialogue |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Policymakers/politicians |
| Results and Impact | This online training took place on Wed., Nov 15 2023 at 9:30 for the Area Studies Division of the Foreign Service Institute at the U.S. Department of State. The participants were incoming employees of the US Embassy in Mongolia who were undergoing trainings prior to their placement at the Embassy. The participants were keenly engaged and reported a change in understanding of pastoralism including mainstream representations that they had heard about from the media. The participants reported a more critically engaged understanding of the current dynamics involved in pastoralism today, including social changes and political issues. The Event description is below: Herder Governance and Democratic Principles This session will explore the relationship between mobile pastoralist (herder) ways of life and democratic principles in Mongolia. We will provide an introduction to environmental governance in rural Mongolia including traditional beliefs regarding decision-making and the political realm. We will trace the history of pastoralism and governance institutions during the socialist period (1924 to 1992) and the impacts of political and economic reforms through the 1990s. It will be argued that traditional forms of nomadic social organisation combined with the promotion of gender equality and high achievements in literacy during the socialist period enabled positive conditions for Mongolia's emergent democracy in the 1990s. Drawing on recent ethnographic case studies, we will explore how key principles of cooperation, open discussion and notions of public responsibility or duty are expressed and practiced within rural governance institutions. Also, we will explore how the Covid-19 pandemic impacted democratic decision making, including the increased utilisation of Facebook and cell phones as a key communication tool amongst herders. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2023 |
| Description | Workshop "Transformation of Urban-Rural Relationships and Well-Being in Contemporary Mongolia" at Kobe University, Japan |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | Regional |
| Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
| Results and Impact | This workshop was organised by the NIHU Global Area Studies Program East Eurasian Studies Project Institute for the Promotion of Intercultural Studies (Promis), Kobe University. It included 9 speakers and approximately 25 audience members. The talk was followed by a 1/2 day writing workshop led by Troy Sternberg. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2022 |
| URL | https://www.ppia.ouce.ox.ac.uk/2023/02/22/migration-in-mongolia-workshop-ppia-meets-eesp-in-kobe-jap... |