Moving Ground: Talk About Residential Construction, Seismic Activity, Stability and Regulation in Bishkek

February 25, 2014

February 25, 2014

Amanda Wetsel, Stanford University

Abstract:  Bishkek is located near the Issyk-Ata fault system in an area with a large amount of seismic activity.  Earthquakes concern people buying, selling and renting houses and apartments, as well as professionals in construction, design and planning, government officials, and those who monitor seismic activity.  The presentation offered preliminary analysis of talk about building residences in a seismic zone heard during semi-structured interviews, public speeches, and informal interactions.  It  considered what talk about seismic activity and construction can reveal about understandings of stability, regulation, and quality in contemporary Bishkek.

Bio:  Amanda Wetsel is a Ph.D. candidate in the department of anthropology at Stanford University and a visiting scholar at CASI.  She has been conducting fieldwork in Bishkek since June, 2013 and will continue to conduct fieldwork in Kyrgyzstan until the end of March, 2015.   

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