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New shop owners in old buildings: spatial politics of the apparel industry in Kyrgyzstan

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  • Regine A. Spector
  • Aisalkyn Botoeva

Abstract

This article adopts a political economy approach with insights from the political geography literature to illuminate how the apparel manufacturing sector in Kyrgyzstan has thrived in a region known for significant challenges in electricity access and availability. In contrast to studies that have analyzed the role of state policies and informal relations in promoting industrialization, we focus on how myriad shop owners gain access to elite-controlled, privatized urban infrastructure through owner–tenant relations in a new market economy. Drawing upon original interviews with Bishkek-based shop owners, we find that despite the challenges associated working in these spaces, including poor infrastructure and exploitative relationships with owners, they remain due to the constant provision of electricity and convenient location. We contribute to understanding how everyday shop owners make sense of and grapple with production challenges in a new market context, against the backdrop of Soviet infrastructural legacies and post-Soviet privatization processes.

Suggested Citation

  • Regine A. Spector & Aisalkyn Botoeva, 2017. "New shop owners in old buildings: spatial politics of the apparel industry in Kyrgyzstan," Post-Soviet Affairs, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 33(3), pages 235-253, May.
    • Handle: RePEc:taf:rpsaxx:v:33:y:2017:i:3:p:235-253
    DOI: 10.1080/1060586X.2016.1251024
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    Cited by:

    1. Castañeda Dower, Paul & Gerber, Theodore P. & Weber, Shlomo, 2022. "Firms, kinship networks, and economic growth in the Kyrgyz Republic," Journal of Comparative Economics, Elsevier, vol. 50(4), pages 997-1018.
    2. Yukimi Shimoda, 2022. "Unpacking the Influence of Business Approaches to Development on the Expansion of Women’s Choices and Empowerment: A Case Study of a Handicraft Business in the Kyrgyz Republic," Working Papers 231, JICA Research Institute.

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