In the Tracks of Tamerlane

In the Tracks of Tamerlane PDF Author: Daniel L. Burghart
Publisher:
ISBN:
Category : Asia, Central
Languages : en
Pages : 504

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In the Tracks of Tamerlane

In the Tracks of Tamerlane PDF Author: Daniel L. Burghart
Publisher:
ISBN:
Category : Asia, Central
Languages : en
Pages : 504

Get Book Here

Book Description


In the Tracks of Tamerlane

In the Tracks of Tamerlane PDF Author: Daniel L. Burghart
Publisher:
ISBN: 9781463735487
Category :
Languages : en
Pages : 498

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Book Description
When examining the ebb and flow of events in the region called Central Asia, one is struck by the magnitude of the impact that this area has had throughout history. Yet in spite of this record, very little is known about this part of the world today. Central Asia always has found itself wedged between Europe and Asia, and as such, has been at the crossroads of relations between the two. In physical terms, this can be seen graphi¬cally in the trade routes of the Great Silk Road. In philosophical terms, it is an area where Western beliefs met and mingled with Eastern ways, often resulting in unusual and unique hybrids of thought and culture. Nor has the area's significance been limited to that of providing a meeting place for other cultures. For over 100 years, between the thirteenth and fifteenth centuries, the armies of Genghis Khan and later Tamerlane spread from Central Asia to conquer and exert their influence over an area larger than the conquests of Alexander, Rome or Hitler. The repercussions of these conquests can still be seen today and serve as a reminder of the impact the region has had, and may again have, on world events.Great though this influence may have been, history dictated that after Central Asia's zenith, there followed a period of decline. During this time, the region seemed to slip from the world stage, surpassed in importance by other areas, such as the newly discovered Americas. Though the reasons for this decline are many and varied, the end result was that the region seemed to fall from the attention of most scholars, political leaders and the public in general. That the region still held importance for its resi¬dents goes without saying; that it continues to be important to the major regional actors bordering the area will be shown. Still, little was known or written about Central Asia after the time of Tamerlane, other than that it was a far off and mysterious part of the world that few people traveled to or cared about. This remained the case throughout most of the twentieth century, until events following the breakup of the Soviet Union brought the region into new prominence and focus.Many events can be pointed to as affecting the status of the region; however, three stand out beyond all others as having an impact both on the peoples of Central Asia and, in turn, their relations with the rest of world. The breakup of the Russian/Soviet Empire, just as with the fall of other great empires, sent shockwaves through the area and beyond. The opportunity for the region to rule itself, as opposed to being ruled by oth¬ers, has meant significant changes in the politics, economy and social fab¬ric found there. Yet as important as these changes have been, they would have little meaning or impact on the rest of the world were it not for the second major event associated with Central Asia: the discovery of poten¬tially extensive reserves of gas and oil. Although the size of these stores is debated and in truth has yet to be determined, they are significant enough to warrant global attention and interest as an alternative fuel source in a world concerned with the dwindling stocks of hydrocarbons. These reserves hold the promise of economic development and prosperity, but as has been seen elsewhere in the world, this promise can be a two-edged sword with as many downsides as benefits. Finally, in the aftermath of Sep-tember 11, the potential of terrorism both originating from and affecting the region need hardly be elaborated. For all these and other reasons, the world is showing renewed interest in Central Asia.

In the Tracks of Tamerlane

In the Tracks of Tamerlane PDF Author: Daniel L. Burghart
Publisher:
ISBN: 9781410222954
Category : Political Science
Languages : en
Pages : 504

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Book Description
CONTENTS Preface Acknowledgments In the Tracks of Tamerlane: Central Asia's Path to the 21st Century The Politics of Central Asia: National in Form, Soviet in Content Political Reform Strategies: Early Starters, Late Starters, and Non-Starters Legal Reform in Central Asia: Battling the Influence of History Human Rights in Central Asia Democracy-Building in Central Asia Post September 11 Islam in Central Asia: The Emergence and Growth of Radicalism in the Post-Communist Era The Rise of the Post-Soviet Petro-States: Energy Exports and Domestic Governance in Turkmenistan and Kazakhstan Cooperative Management of Transboundary Water Resources in Central Asia Central Asian Public Health: Transition and Transformation From Rio to Johannesburg: Comparing Sustainable Development in Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, and The Kyrgyz Republic Land Privatization and Conflict in Central Asia: Is Kyrgyzstan a Model? Environmental Management in Independent Central Asia The Future of Electrical Power in the Republic of Kazakhstan Forging Relationships, Preventing Proliferation: A Decade of Cooperative Threat Reduction in Central Asia Building Security in Central Asia: A Multilateral Perspective Who's Watching the Watchdogs?: Drug Trafficking in Central Asia Migration Trends in Central Asia and the Case of Trafficking of Women Beyond the Battle of Talas: China's Re-emergence in Central Asia Regional Security Cooperation and Foreign Policies in Central Asia: A 21st Century "Great Game"? Friends Like These: Defining U.S. Interests in Central Asia About the Contributors Abbreviations and Key Terms

 PDF Author:
Publisher: IOS Press
ISBN:
Category :
Languages : en
Pages : 10439

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Irregular Migration from the Former Soviet Union to the United States

Irregular Migration from the Former Soviet Union to the United States PDF Author: Saltanat Liebert
Publisher: Routledge
ISBN: 1135230536
Category : Business & Economics
Languages : en
Pages : 164

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Book Description
This is the first book in English to examine irregular migration from former Soviet states to the United States. It discusses reasons for migration; the profile of migrants; how the process works, how migrants obtain U.S. visas; where they work once arrived; and if they intend to return home.

The United States and Asia

The United States and Asia PDF Author: Robert G. Sutter
Publisher: Rowman & Littlefield
ISBN: 153812646X
Category : Political Science
Languages : en
Pages : 363

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Book Description
Now in a fully revised and updated edition, this cogent book provides an overview of the historical context and enduring patterns of U.S. relations with Asia. Noted scholar Robert G. Sutter offers a balanced analysis of post–Cold War dynamics in Asia, which involve interrelated questions of security, economics, national identity, and regional institution building. He demonstrates how these critical concerns manifest a complex mix of realist, liberal, and constructivist tendencies that define the regional order. He describes how the United States has responded to Asia’s growing strength and importance while at the same time trying to maintain its leading position as an Asian power despite China’s rising influence. Considering the most important transition in American policy toward Asia since the end of the Cold War, Sutter assesses the growing U.S.-China rivalry that now dominates both regional dynamics in the Asia-Pacific and U.S. policy in the region.

Rivista Processi storici e politiche di pace n. 7-8 2009

Rivista Processi storici e politiche di pace n. 7-8 2009 PDF Author: Alfredo Breccia
Publisher: Edizioni Nuova Cultura
ISBN: 8861344585
Category : History
Languages : en
Pages : 246

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Book Description
In questo numero PROBLEMI E RIFLESSIONI / PROBLEMS AND ISSUES Il Parlamento Europeo di fronte alle nuove sfide del XXI secolo, Gianni Pittella L’Alleanza Atlantica a sessant’anni dal Trattato di Washington. Intervista al Presidente del Comitato Militare della NATO, ammiraglio Di Paola, e all’ambasciatore degli Stati Uniti in Italia, Thorne, a cura di Luca Ratti Il processo di pace israelo-palestinese: vecchi ostacoli e nuove opportunità. Intervista al Prof. Moshe Ma’oz, a cura di Maria Teresa Mammì e Silvia Masci La difesa dei diritti umani in Colombia. Protagonisti, metodi e percorsi a confronto, Davide Berruti STUDI E RICERCHE / STUDIES AND RESEARCH Attualità del pensiero di Sturzo nella ricerca di un nuovo ordine internazionale, Alfredo Breccia The U.S. Senate, the Military, and the North Atlantic Treaty: the Struggle over America’s Cold War Alliance Strategy, Jason Davidson Civilization on Trial - Again. Civilization and the Study of World Politics: Reading Arnold Toynbee today, Derrick Fiedler, Bjørn Thomassen EU Crisis management role in water conflicts in central Asia: Open Opportunities or Lost Causes?, Darya Pushkina La politica mediterranea dell’Unione Europea dal Processo di Barcellona all’Unione per il Mediterraneo (1995-2009), Paolo Wulzer DOCUMENTI / DOCUMENTS FATTI / CHRONOLOGY LIBRI / BOOKS

Russia and its Near Neighbours

Russia and its Near Neighbours PDF Author: M. Freire
Publisher: Springer
ISBN: 0230390161
Category : Political Science
Languages : en
Pages : 258

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Book Description
Russia has recently re-emerged as the dominant political, economic and military actor in former Soviet nations. Kanet and Freire bring together a stellar cast of contributors to consider Russia's recent return as a major regional and international actor and its likely future policy toward its neighbours.

Power and Water in Central Asia

Power and Water in Central Asia PDF Author: Filippo Menga
Publisher: Routledge
ISBN: 1317194314
Category : Social Science
Languages : en
Pages : 250

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Book Description
Water is an irreplaceable and transient resource, which crosses political boundaries in the form of rivers, lakes, and groundwater aquifers. The collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991, led to the birth of fifteen countries including the five Central Asian republics, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan. When the USSR ceased to exist, so did the centralised Soviet resource distribution system that managed the exchange and allocation of water, energy, and food supplies. A whole new set of international relations emerged, and the newly formed Central Asian governments had to redefine the policies related to the exchange and sharing of their natural resources. This book analyses the role of state power in transboundary water relations. It provides an in–depth study of the evolution of interstate relations in Central Asia in the field of water from 1991-2015. Taking as a case study the planned construction of the Rogun and Kambarata dams in Tajikistan and Kyrgyzstan, the author examines various forms of overt and covert power shaping interstate relations and the way hegemonic and counter-hegemonic measures are put in place in an international river basin. He argues that the intimate correlation between the concepts of power and hegemony can offer key insights to the analysis and understanding of transboundary water relations. While the analytical focus is placed on state power, the book demonstrates that hegemonic and counter-hegemonic tactics represent the ways in which power is wielded and observed. Offering fresh theoretical interpretations to the subjects of power and counter-hegemony in the Aral Sea basin, this book puts forward the original circle of hydro-hegemony, an analytical framework in which the various forms of power are connective in the function of hegemony. It will be of interest to scholars in the field of water and environmental politics and Central Asian Studies.

Weapons of the Wealthy

Weapons of the Wealthy PDF Author: Scott B. Radnitz
Publisher: Cornell University Press
ISBN: 0801466148
Category : Political Science
Languages : en
Pages : 356

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Book Description
Mass mobilization is among the most dramatic and inspiring forces for political change. When ordinary citizens take to the streets in large numbers, they can undermine and even topple undemocratic governments, as the recent wave of peaceful uprisings in several postcommunist states has shown. However, investigation into how protests are organized can sometimes reveal that the origins and purpose of "people power" are not as they appear on the surface. In particular, protest can be used as an instrument of elite actors to advance their own interests rather than those of the masses.Weapons of the Wealthy focuses on the region of post-Soviet Central Asia to investigate the causes of elite-led protest. In nondemocratic states, economic and political opportunities can give rise to elites who are independent of the regime, yet vulnerable to expropriation and harassment from above. In conditions of political uncertainty, elites have an incentive to cultivate support in local communities, which elites can then wield as a "weapon" against a predatory regime. Scott Radnitz builds on his in-depth fieldwork and analysis of the spatial distribution of protests to demonstrate how Kyrgyzstan's post-independence development laid the groundwork for elite-led mobilization, whereas Uzbekistan's did not.Elites often have the wherewithal and the motivation to trigger protests, as is borne out by Radnitz's more than one hundred interviews with those who participated in, observed, or avoided protests. Even Kyrgyzstan's 2005 "Tulip Revolution," which brought about the first peaceful change of power in Central Asia since independence, should be understood as a strategic action of elites rather than as an expression of the popular will. This interpretation helps account for the undemocratic nature of the successor government and the 2010 uprising that toppled it. It also serves as a warning for scholars to look critically at bottom-up political change.