Understanding Central Asia: Politics and Contested Transformations

This text introduces students to the history, politics and international relations of Central Asia. The book explores both the domestic and foreign politics of the five independent states of post-Soviet Central Asia: Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan. The book is arranged thematically and assumes very little prior knowledge. It covers all the key issues facing the region, such as: history, state and nation-building, the role of Islam, economic and political reform, relations with the South, particularly Afghanistan, India & Pakistan, relations with Russia and the geopolitical role of Central Asia post-September 11th.

Sally N. Cummings teaches in the School of International Relations at the University of St Andrews, UK, where she is also Founding Director of the Institute of Middle Eastern, Central Asian and Caucasus Studies. Her publications include Sovereignty After Empire (co-ed., 2011); Symbolism and Power in Central Asia (ed., Routledge 2010); Kazakhstan (2005) and Oil, Transition and Security in Central Asia (ed., Routledge 2003).