Dr. Philipp Schroder's presentation of his book ‘Translocality, Entrepreneurship, and Middle Class Across Eurasia’

A highlight of the conference was Prof. Dr. Philipp Schroder's discussion of his newly published book, Translocality, Entrepreneurship, and Middle Class Across Eurasia. This comprehensive ethnographic study explores the evolution of capitalism and the emergence of a new middle class since the late Soviet era. The book examines the lives of three generations of ethnic Kyrgyz across different epochs and locations—early bazaar traders in Novosibirsk, Russia, middlemen in Guangzhou, China post-2000, and new entrepreneurs in Kyrgyzstan around 2015.

Prof. Schroder introduces 'translocality' as a lens to understand the interplay between mobility and emplacement, and how these factors influence contemporary livelihoods and value chains that extend beyond geopolitical and socio-cultural boundaries. His work offers profound insights into how entrepreneurial endeavors intersect with ethnic identity, diaspora dynamics, and societal norms, providing a rich narrative of the challenges and aspirations of the emerging Eurasian middle class.

This presentation and the discussions it spurred underline NURCE's commitment to deepening understanding of regional entrepreneurial impact and contributing to scholarly discourse on economic and social transformations in Central Asia and beyond.