Podcast · News

Yurt Jurt

by Bashtan Bashta · English · News

Yurt Jurt - a podcast about decolonizing Central Asia and Beyond produced by Central Asian activists. Hosted by Dr. Diana Kudaibergen, Yurt Jurt dives deep into the decoloniality and decolonization of Central Asian and North Asian nations. Each episode brings insightful conversations that challenge

New episodes: Every two weeks
Typical length: 45 min
Latest: 2 Apr 2026
Language: English

Latest episode

2 Apr 2026 · 1 hr 20 min

Across Sakha and Beyond: Indigenous Voices Against Empire with Viliuia Choinova

In this episode of Yurt Jurt, host Diana Kudaibergen speaks with environmental engineer and Indigenous rights activist Viliuia Choinova about decolonisation, extractivism, and the realities of living within and resisting the Russian state. Viliuia speaks about land not as an abstract concept, but as a material and political space—one shaped by resource extraction, environmental destruction, and unequal power relations. The conversation confronts difficult questions: What does it mean to call Russia a federation when many of its regions lack real autonomy? How are Indigenous communities…

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Earlier episodes 24 most recent

S1 · E24 · 19 Mar 2026 · 51 min
Migration, Race, and the Postcolonial Shadow with Nodira Kholmatova
In this episode of Yurt Jurt, host Diana T. Kudaibergen speaks with political sociologist Nodira Kholmatova about how migration, power, and inequality shape the lived realities of Central Asians across borders. Working at the intersection of comparative political economy and migration studies, Nodira unpacks how migration governance produces social hierarchies and how migrants and their families navigate, resist, and rework these systems. Drawing on research spanning Central Asia, Russia, Serbia, and beyond, the conversation explores the racialization of Central Asian migrants, deportation…
S1 · E23 · 5 Mar 2026 · 37 min
Deep Freeze: Art, Memory, and Decolonial Resistance with Seseg Jigjitova
In this episode of the Yurt Jurt Podcast, host Diana Kudaibergen speaks with Seseg Jigjitova, a Buryat activist, illustrator, and writer based in Berlin, about decolonial thought, memory, and the power of storytelling. Seseg reflects on how her personal journey into decolonial activism began within her own family. Growing up in Kazakhstan, her father made a deliberate effort to preserve the Buryat language and traditions at home, a quiet form of resistance that later shaped her political and artistic work. Through illustration and visual storytelling, Seseg documents experiences of racism…
S1 · E22 · 19 Feb 2026 · 1 hr 28 min
When Anti-Imperialism Becomes Selective with Tereza Hendl
In this episode of Yurt Jurt, Diana Kudaibergen is joined by philosopher Tereza Hendl, whose work focuses on global health justice and decolonial thought, for a timely and unflinching conversation about the political moment we are living through. Together, they unpack the global rise of the far-right and examine how contemporary systems of capitalism, white supremacy, and Western-centrism continue to shape whose suffering is recognized, and whose is erased. They interrogate the dangerous narrative that formerly colonized peoples should feel “grateful” for modernization, a claim that glosses…
S1 · E21 · 5 Feb 2026 · 34 min
Praising Native Languages in a Post-Imperial World with Dinara Rasuleva
In this episode of Yurt Jurt, host Diana Kudaibergen speaks with Dinara Rasuleva - a Tatar poetess, writer, artist, and musician whose work sits at the crossroads of decolonial writing, experimental performance art, and multilingual expression. Until 2022, Dinara wrote exclusively in Russian. That shift became a turning point: she began to work consciously across languages, questioning the imperial connotations embedded in dominant literary forms and searching for new ways to write that feel ethically and politically grounded. Her recent Lostlingual project Travmagochi marks this transition…
S1 · E20 · 22 Jan 2026 · 41 min
Language, Memory, and Literature with Egana Djabbarova
In this episode of the Jurt Podcast, host Diana Kudaibergen is joined by writer and poet Egana Djabbarova for an intimate conversation about language, literature, and self-formation. Egana reflects on her books and poetic practice, exploring how language became a foundation for building her subjectivity and a powerful tool for self-reflection and decolonization. She speaks about writing not only as artistic expression, but as a way of reclaiming voice, memory, and agency within and against dominant narratives. The conversation also turns to the importance of theory for emerging writers.…
S1 · E19 · 8 Jan 2026 · 1 hr 2 min
De_colonialanguage and the Politics of Naming with Denis Esakov
In this episode of Yurt Jurt, host Diana Kudaibergen speaks with Denis Esakov, a linguist and activist from Kyrgyzstan and a member of De_colonialanguage, a Berlin-based initiative working at the intersection of language, power, and decolonial practice. Denis reflects on how colonial and imperial histories continue to shape everyday speech, naming practices, and ideas of “normative” language in post-imperial contexts. The conversation explores De:coloniaLanguage as both an initiative and a method, one that questions whose voices are legitimized, whose are erased, and how language can be…
S1 · E18 · 18 Dec 2025 · 1 hr 31 min
90s Shame, Kinship & Decolonial Futures with Zarina Mukanova
In this episode of Yurt Jurt, host Diana Kudaibergen sits down with cultural and social anthropologist Zarina Mukanova for a wide-ranging conversation about identity, memory, and what decolonization really looks like in Central Asia. Together, they unpack why so many Kazakh and Kyrgyz kids of the 1990s grew up feeling ashamed of who they were, had their names changed to Russian versions, internalized the idea that “modern” meant “not us,” and learned early that colonial hierarchies shape belonging. Zarina reflects on decolonization not as a fixed destination but as a continuous, shifting…
S1 · E17 · 11 Dec 2025 · 37 min
Bashkort Struggles and the Limits of Russian Liberalism with Ilyuza Mukhamediyarova
In this episode of Yurt Jurt, host Diana Kudaibergen sits down with Ilyuza Mukhamediyarova, a Bashkort activist whose work centers on Indigenous rights, political repression, and cultural survival in today’s Russia. Together, they unpack the Baymak protests in Bashkortostan and what they reveal about the long-standing tensions between Indigenous communities and the Russian state. Ilyuza reflects on the deep disconnect between how Russians use the term “Russian” as a default national identity and how non-Russian ethnic groups within the federation experience it as an erasure. They discuss why…
S1 · E16 · 4 Dec 2025 · 37 min
Memory as Resistance: Kamila Smagulova on the Jeltoksan Uprising
⚠️ Content Warning: This episode includes descriptions of violent repression and historical trauma. In this powerful episode of Yurt Jurt, host Diana Kudaibergen speaks with Kamila Smagulova, researcher, civil society activist, and PhD candidate in history at Leiden University, about the Jeltoksan uprising of December 1986. Kamila draws on her historical research and personal passion to explore how this protest echoes the broader history of suppressed dissent in Kazakhstan, particularly the roles of young people, and young women in particular, and how they were treated. Throughout the…
S1 · E15 · 27 Nov 2025 · 1 hr 3 min
Imperial Innocence and the Undignified Empire with Botakoz Kassymbekova
In this episode of Yurt Jurt, host Diana Kudaibergen sits down with historian and writer Botakoz Kassymbekova to unpack the concept of imperial innocence and explore themes from her upcoming book. Together, they reflect on how the Soviet Union was an undignified experience at every level, one that stripped people of agency and disguised domination as “friendship among nations.” Botakoz shares how this so-called friendship served as a colonial tool, reinforcing racial hierarchies, inequality, and systemic injustice across the Soviet space. The conversation also turns toward the RUTA…
S1 · E14 · 20 Nov 2025 · 50 min
Why We Reject ‘Post-Soviet’ - And What Uyat, Oruskul & the M-Words Really Mean to Us
Host Diana Kudaibergen is joined by Aisulu Toyshibek, Aizada Arystanbek, and Kamila Smagulova for a deep dive into the politics of language, shame, and identity in Central Asia. They unpack the true meaning of uyat, far more nuanced than its usual translation as “shame”- and explore how it has been reshaped by Soviet legacies, nationalism, and patriarchy. The guests also discuss the rise of M-words, the use of terms like oruskul to police belonging, and how labels fracture communities. The conversation challenges the widespread use of “post-Soviet” as a category that Central Asians rarely…
S1 · E13 · 6 Nov 2025 · 39 min
Beyond Borders: Rethinking Whiteness and Power with Terrell J. Starr
In this episode of Yurt Jurt, Aidai Aidarova speaks with Terrell J. Starr, journalist, podcaster, and political commentator. Aidai and Terrell discuss how conversations about colonialism and decolonization often remain trapped within African or Western frameworks, overlooking former Soviet and Central Asian experiences. Together, they explore how these global narratives are shifting and what it means to live, write, and think decolonially beyond borders and geography. Terrell shares how living in Ukraine reshaped his understanding of race, identity, and decoloniality. He reflects on his…
S1 · E12 · 30 Oct 2025 · 32 min
Reclaiming Knowledge: Dr. Asel Tutumlu on Decolonizing Central Asian Academia
In this episode of Yurt Jurt, Diana Kudaibergen speaks with Dr. Asel Tutumlu, Associate Professor of Political Science at Near East University in Northern Cyprus, whose work examines the political economy of authoritarian regimes in Central Asia. Tutumlu studies how informal power, patronage, and narratives of legitimacy sustain non-democratic systems and how these patterns are rooted in both former Soviet and colonial legacies. The conversation moves beyond political structures to the politics of knowledge itself. Tutumlu shares insights on epistemic violence - how dominant academic…
S1 · E11 · 23 Oct 2025 · 38 min
Patriarchy, Policy, and Nationhood with Aizada Arystanbek
In this episode of Yurt Jurt, host Diana Kudaibergen speaks with Aizada Arystanbek, a gender researcher whose work explores the intersection of patriarchy, policy, and nationalism in Kazakhstan. Aizada discusses how state media and digital cultures construct and enforce a hegemonic image of the “ideal Kazakh woman” - one defined by modesty, motherhood, and national purity. Together, Diana and Aizada unpack how these narratives not only sustain moral policing and gendered violence but also reinforce nationalist and colonial legacies under the guise of tradition and nation-building. This…
S1 · E10 · 16 Oct 2025 · 48 min
Reclaiming the Narrative: Elmira Kakabaeva on Decolonial Writing and Remembering
In this episode of Yurt Jurt, host Diana Kudaibergen sits down with Elmira Kakabaeva, writer, educator, and founder of the course “Family Ethnography: How to Decolonize Your Writing.” Through her course and her platform on Instagram, Elmira invites Central Asians to reconnect with their roots and rethink the narratives inherited from colonial history. Diana and Elmira talk about what inspired her to create the course, how living in Russia shaped her worldview, and what decoloniality truly means in the context of Central Asia. They discuss family trees and the traditional practice of…
S1 · E9 · 9 Oct 2025 · 1 hr 3 min
Whose History Is It? Kamila Narysheva on Memory and Empire in Central Asia
In this episode of Yurt Jurt, host Diana Kudaibergen sits down with Kamila Narysheva, artist and curator from Almaty. Together, they explore Kamila’s personal and academic journey from studying in Russia to researching the imperial legacies embedded in Kazakhstan’s history and historiography. Kamila shares how her work, which challenged dominant imperial narratives, was often met with bias and even poor grades from professors unable to evaluate her research objectively. The conversation moves beyond academia to the personal - what it means to be a Central Asian woman navigating postcolonial…
S1 · E8 · 2 Oct 2025 · 45 min
Rethinking Politics with Asem Zhapisheva: Oyan, Qazaqstan and The Kazakh Spring
In this episode of Yurt Jurt, host Diana Kudaibergen sits down with Asem Zhapisheva, journalist, activist, and a founding member of the civic movement Oyan, Qazaqstan (“Wake Up, Kazakhstan”). Together, they explore the themes of Diana’s book The Kazakh Spring and reflect on the demands of young Kazakhs for political change, transparency, and accountability. The conversation dives deep into the need for institutional transformation in Kazakhstan, the evolving role of new political actors, and how shifts in leadership affect the narratives of reform and “New Kazakhstan.” Asem also unpacks the…
S1 · E7 · 25 Sep 2025 · 23 min
Between Borders: Intizor Otaniyozova on Being Uyghur in Central Asia
In this episode of Yurt Jurt, host Diana Kudaibergen sits down with Intizor Otaniyozova, a multidisciplinary artist based in Central Asia, whose work moves between performance, film, and cultural memory. Together, they unpack the layered questions of identity and belonging: What does it mean to be stateless? What does it mean to be Uighur - both globally and within the Central Asian context? Intizor reflects on her creative journey, from producing a documentary about Uyghur experiences in Central Asia to the influence of Beyoncé on her path. Through her art and storytelling, she opens up a…
S1 · E6 · 19 Sep 2025 · 45 min
Oral Culture, Identity, and Storytelling Today: Aisulu Toyshibek
How does oral culture shape identity in Kazakhstan today? In this episode of Yurt Jurt, host Diana Kudaibergen sits down with Aisulu Toyshibek to explore the living traditions of Kazakh oral culture from the sharp wit of aitys (improvised roasting duels) to the humor of tamasha (Kazakh comedy shows). Aisulu also opens up about her own journey: what it means to be a Russian-speaking Kazakh, and how producing podcasts at BulBul Studio became a way to reclaim and reimagine her identity. Together, they reflect on how storytelling, laughter, and dialogue remain powerful tools for navigating…
S1 · E5 · 1 Sep 2025 · 33 min
No Longer Post-Soviet: Madina Tlostanova on Art, Academia, and Identity
What does it really mean to be “post-Soviet”? And is it time to leave that label behind? In this episode of Yurt Jurt, host Diana Kudaibergen speaks with Madina Tlostanova - decolonial thinker, writer, and Professor of Postcolonial Feminisms at Linköping University. Tlostanova is the author of What Does It Mean to Be Post-Soviet? and Postcolonialism and Postsocialism in Fiction and Art, and one of the leading voices on decolonial thought in Eurasia. They explore how Central Asian identities are still framed through the “post-Soviet” lens, the role of the nation-state in shaping…
S1 · E4 · 28 Aug 2025 · 55 min
Radioactive Legacy: Surviving Soviet Nuclear Colonialism with Aigerim Seitenova
What does it mean to inherit radioactive fallout? Aigerim Seitenova explains how nuclear testing shaped generations in Semey, and why the struggle isn’t over. For 40 years, the Soviet Union detonated 456 nuclear bombs in Semey, Kazakhstan. The fallout still shapes lives today. In this episode of Yurt Jurt, nuclear disarmament activist and filmmaker Aigerim Seitenova shares her story as a third-generation survivor. She explains how nuclear testing left deep scars on her community, why the struggle for justice continues, and how memory itself becomes resistance. With advanced degrees in…
S1 · E3 · 12 Dec 2024 · 54 min
Decoloniality and Justice: A Central Asian Perspective with Dr. Selbi Durdiyeva
In this episode, Diana sits down with Dr. Selbi Durdiyeva, a scholar originally from Turkmenistan who identifies as Central Asian. Selbi brings her unique perspective and expertise to discuss her academic work on reimagining the role of civil society in transitional justice processes, particularly in the context of Soviet repressions in Russia. Selbi delves into the complexities of decolonial thought and its relevance to Central Asia, offering thought-provoking insights into the region's history and future. She also shares a carefully curated list of essential books on decoloniality, making…
S1 · E2 · 14 Nov 2024 · 38 min
Aziza Kadyri and decolonial practices in art
Join us in the new episode of Yurt Jurt podcast where we are talking with transdisciplinary and translocal artist Aziza Kadyri. Aziza explores issues of decoloniality in art while at the same time, explores questions of translocal identity. How and where do we belong if we are Central Asian subjects? What does it feel to explore migrant identities and intersectionality that it inevitably invites? In her art Aziza Kadyri explores challenging questions of multiple belongings and the path to the real “home” many of us are constantly searching while in migration and exile.
S1 · E1 · 29 Oct 2024 · 25 min
What is Yurt Jurt?
In this first episode, we introduce ourselves and the mission behind the Yurt Jurt. We’re here to explore why the term "post-Soviet" doesn’t define us, why the USSR was a colonizer, and how our histories were rewritten. Join us as we dive into these foundational questions and set the stage for deeper conversations on decoloniality in Central Asia and beyond. #yurtjurt #yurtjurtpodcast

About Yurt Jurt

Yurt Jurt is a English news podcast from Bashtan Bashta. Melo plays each episode straight from the publisher's own feed — no ads added, no account needed — and remembers where you stopped, in this browser only.

Publisher: Bashtan Bashta
Language: English
Category: News
New episodes: Every two weeks
Typical length: 45 min
Latest episode: 2 Apr 2026
Feed: RSS — paste into any podcast app
Apple Podcasts: podcasts.apple.com/podcast/id1777181025

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