The Path of Least Resistance:Repression of Nonviolent Resistance through Isolation in Turkmenistan

Turkmenistan, unlike many of its neighbours, has never faced any organized resis-<br/>tance. Through a literature review, a series of interviews, and applying a multi-level<br/>framework of analysis on nonviolent resistance, we assessed which factors inhibited<br/>the development of nonviolent resistance, and why. The lack of resistance can pri-<br/>marily be explained by the Turkmen policy of pervasive, multi-level isolation. The<br/>regime’s policy of positive neutrality and a single-resource economy has insulated<br/>the country from destabilizing external influences, while the creation of alternative power structures has been halted through the systematic reshuffling and repression<br/>of officials, thereby guaranteeing obedience and preventing threats. This policy fosters fear and mistrust among citizens through harsh punitive measures, instrumentalizing citizens to keep each other in line. Studying Turkmenistan as a negative case of nonviolent resistance suggests that that connectivity is a critical factor in the development of nonviolent resistance.