Przeciwdziałanie ekstremizmowi islamskiemu i terroryzmowi a konsolidacja autorytaryzmu w państwach Azji Centralnej

Central Asian states pay particular attention to the threat posed by Islamic extremism and terrorism. The purpose of this article is to examine the consequences of the global war on terrorism for the non-democratic regimes of Central Asia. The main thesis is that the new political-legal situation after 9/11 at the international level created favourable conditions for the strengthening of authoritarian governments. The security arrangements of the dictatorships derive from the colonial past and the persisting neo-colonial influence and power ambitions of the local ruling elite. The article consists of five sections. The first section discusses how neo/colonial discourses present Islam as a threat to the security of Central Asia. The second section describes the evolution of the right of peoples to struggle for self-determination and the fight against terrorism at the international level. The next two sections focus on the anti-extremist and anti-terrorist policies in the Central Asian states and how these policies are deployed to consolidate authoritarianism. The final section highlights selected aspects of the community of interests shared by the power elite of the centre and the periphery.