Transformation and Development

This open access volume gathers studies on democratization, political and economic development, and security across the OSCE region and beyond. Contributors are researchers and specialists in human rights, security, and development, with a particular focus on post-Soviet and communist states. Together they assess how regimes have developed in various OSCE member countries, how those states perform on economic, security, and human rights measures, and which institutional reforms and transformations they have undergone. The countries covered include the United States, Canada, Germany, North Macedonia, Russia, Turkey, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, and Mongolia, and the studies also address the challenges facing these governments and their societies.

The work reflects the broader mission of the OSCE, which promotes minority protection, security, democratic development, and human rights, with guidance from its Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR). It also aims to strengthen security and development policy in Eurasia, Europe, Central Asia, and North America. Since the organization was founded in 1993, its bodies have inspired research on subjects ranging from economic development and election monitoring to human rights principles and securitization.

This is the 2019 installment of a compilation series produced by the OSCE Academy in Bishkek, founded in 2004. The Academy offers postdoctoral research fellowships and two master's programs, in Economic Governance and Development and in Politics and Security in Central Asia, and its work aims to build professional capacity in sectors important to Central Asian states and societies.