Clans and stability : informal networks in Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan

Central Asian states are often labelled as failing states by Western scholars because of their inability to overcome the patrimonial clan politics that appears rife throughout the government and societal institutions. Arguing that entrenched patronage networks lead to a corrupt and weak state, many theorists lament the persistence of clan networks in Central Asian states. Should these institutions be viewed in such a negative light? This thesis will explore a possibility that clans, i.e. the vibrant solidarity groups which exist in Central Asia, could be a positive influence in stabilizing the state and managing societal pressures as the post-Soviet republics of Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan continue to negotiate the current process of transition