Central Asia as a Region

Abstract

Post-Soviet Central Asia is clearly distinct from the broader geographic space known as Central Eurasia. This distinction provides geographic and political boundaries of the research subject of the book. Interdependence, security and identity define Central Asia’s position as a region. At the same time, a number of constraints impede the continuous development of regional cooperation. The adjacent major powers play the key role in contributing both toward the drivers and toward the constraints to regional cooperation. Traditional approaches to studying regionalism do not explain interstate dynamics in Central Asia, but certain concepts of contemporary frameworks for studying regions are useful for analyzing multilateral cooperation in Central Asia. While higher dimensions of regional integration are not developed in Central Asia, the initial foundation of the coherent region, such as geographic proximity and transnational exchanges, are clearly visible. These dimensions are heavily dependent on existing and emerging transnational infrastructure. Furthermore, infrastructural projects of regional significance are reliant on the activities of the adjacent powers, Russia and China. Subsequently, the chapter demonstrates that understanding the nature of these projects sheds the light on the nature of the major powers’ engagement in Central Asia and the effects of this engagement on regional cooperation. The final section of the chapter provides a discussion of the key principles of the social constructivism approach, utilized in the analyses of interactions between major powers and the Central Asian states.