Drugs and Public Health in Post-Soviet Central Asia: Soviet-Style Health Management

The book Drugs and Public Health in Post-Soviet Central Asia: Soviet-Style Health Management explores the public health situation in the region, focusing on drug abuse, HIV/AIDS, and increased mobility. It draws on qualitative research conducted in Uzbekistan and Turkmenistan in 2010-2011 and 2012-2016, applying Foucault's concept of biopolitics to analyze Soviet-style health management. The book traces the genealogy of epidemics and drug politics to understand the historical path of drug abuse and the discursive genealogy of drug abuse. It is a valuable resource for scholars, practitioners, and students in public health, sociology, political science, anthropology, and anyone interested in the Central Asia region, drug addiction, or HIV.

Format: Paperback / softback
Length: 103 pages
Publication date: 28 August 2022
Publisher: Springer International Publishing AG

The book provides a comprehensive overview of post-Soviet health management in Central Asia,a region that has been largely overlooked in regional studies. While previous research has focused on states,politics,religion,and inter-ethnic relations,the health system within the region has received limited attention. This book seeks to rectify this gap by highlighting the public health situation of the region,particularly in the context of drug abuse,HIV/AIDS,and drug trafficking routes.
The empirical data for this book was collected through long-term fieldwork conducted in Uzbekistan and Turkmenistan in 2010-2011,as well as shorter stays in Uzbekistan between 2012 and 2016. The analysis of this empirical material draws heavily on the works of Michel Foucault,particularly his concept of biopolitics. By applying the Foucauldian genealogical method,the study aims to trace the genealogy of epidemics to understand the historical path of drug abuse in the region. This includes examining the discursive genealogy of drug politics and drug abuse,which sheds light on the ways in which these issues have been framed and contested over time.
In addition to tracing the genealogy of epidemics,the book also explores the formative and discursive trajectory of the institution of Uchyot,which was established in Uzbekistan in the 1980s as part of the Soviet-style health management system. The Uchyot institution was designed to control the total population and promote public health through a range of measures,including surveillance,propaganda,and forced treatment. By contextualizing the Uchyot institution within the historical legacy of Soviet-style governance and control,the book provides insights into the health governance methods that have historical roots.
This book is a valuable resource for academic specialists,practitioners/professionals,and advanced undergraduate and graduate students in public health,as well as a range of scholars and professionals in sociology,political science,and other related fields. It offers a comprehensive and interdisciplinary approach to understanding the complex relationship between drugs,public health,and governance in post-Soviet Central Asia. The book's rich empirical data and analysis provide a valuable contribution to the field of public health and shed light on the challenges and opportunities facing the region in the 21st century.

Weight: 209g
Dimension: 235 x 155 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9783031097027
Edition number: 1st ed. 2022