Next month, the Eur-Asian Border Lab heads to Central Asia for a week-long exploration of border concepts in motion. From 2-6 June 2025, the Border Lab Summer School will take place in Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan, bringing together a dynamic group of researchers and scholars from across the world.
Hosted in collaboration with the American University of Central Asia (AUCA), this year’s Summer School is designed to push the boundaries, literally and conceptually, of how borders are studied, theorised, and lived. Participants will engage in lectures, field visits, and small-group workshops focused on border-related research across regions and disciplines.
With over 600 applications received, the selected cohort represents a truly global and interdisciplinary community. Confirmed speakers include renowned scholars such as Shairbek Dzhuraev, Willem van Schendel, Madeleine Reeves, Nick Megoran, and Asel Murzakulova.
The program will spotlight border-related issues across Europe and Asia while creating space for comparative and collaborative inquiry. From theoretical discussions to grounded fieldwork, participants will critically examine how border concepts travel, shift, and adapt across space and context.
We’re looking forward to an intense and inspiring week in Bishkek, one that will deepen dialogue and strengthen networks in the field of border studies.
Stay tuned for updates from the field!