CERES MA candidate Frédérick Maranda-Bouchard has published a new article through the Central Asia Program at The George Washington University in which he examines the Rogun dam. Once a never-ending standoff between Uzbekistan and Tajikistan, the construction of the Rogun dam went ahead with the approval of all involved actors despite the little amount of concessions made by Tajikistan. This change in position is closely linked with the rise to power of Uzbek President Shavkat Mirziyoyev, but the motivations behind such change are still unclear. Maranda-Bouchard’s paper argues that domestic politics, and more precisely changes in the ruling coalition, motivated Mirziyoyev to allow Tajikistan to go forward with the building of the dam. This can be seen with the simultaneous downfall of veteran powerful officials and their replacement with ones more likely to show loyalty to the new president. Read the full article here.