Nina Friess is a researcher at the Centre for Eastern European and International Studies (ZOiS) Berlin. She holds a PhD in Slavic Studies from the University of Potsdam. Konstantin Kaminskij works at the Department of Slavic Studies, Humboldt University of Berlin. He holds a PhD in Slavic Studies and Eastern European History from the University of Konstanz. He is also the founder and CEO of 'Central Asia and Caucasus School for Ecological Education'.