B0242 - CENTRAL ASIA BETWEEN RUSSIA AND CHINA: POLITICS AND CONFLICT

Conoscenze e abilità da conseguire

Students are expected to learn the geopolitical and cultural context of Central Asia, its relation with the Soviet legacy and its new geopolitical context in relation to the energy supplies and the network of pipelines. Therefore, the course will also allow students to learn how to relate the regional dynamics with the Great Powers interests, particularly USA, Russia and China.

Contenuti

 

ANNO ACCADEMICO 2023/2024

 

90509 - Central Asian Studies

ACADEMIC YEAR 2023/2024

 

Course Description:

The vast region of Central Asia—located in the heart of Eurasia and long cut out from the world by the Soviet iron curtain—has emerged from obscurity in recent decades not only to become a frontline in the global war against international terrorism, but to find itself on the intersection of emerging new transport corridors of enormous importance for global economy and geopolitics.

This course explores the political history of the region, as well as the main political trends and social issues that shape and influence the region’s governmental structures, foreign relations, and security. It explores the peculiarities of the imperial rivalry known as the Great Game in Asia, impact of the Russian colonization, the process and consequences of Sovietization and Moscow’s domination of Central Asia.

Analysis of contemporary issues in government and politics and the region’s role in global security balances represent the core of the course. Emphasis on the major powers rivalry, emergence of new alliances, U.S. involvement in the region after 9/11 and its subsequent withdrawal, role of political Islam, local clans, “managed democracy,” corruption and economic development, and energy and minerals politics. This course concentrates primarily on security challenges in Central Asia, uneasy equilibrium between the declining Russia and rising China and assessment of the role of key regional powers and global actors in shaping the geopolitics and security regimes in the region.

By focusing on major ethnic and social conflicts in specific states, analyzing the commonalities and divergences in political processes across the region, the course identifies major fundamental shifts taking place in the region and highlights global implications of the new strategic reemergence of the region in the beginning of the 21^st century.

Course contents

ANNO ACCADEMICO 2023/2024

Programma/Contenuti

Academic Year 2023/2024

Albert Bininachvili

University of Bologna

NEW

Dear Colleagues,

Welcome to the Caucasus and Central Asian Studies Program MIREES UNIBO. Discover the fascinating world of one of the last unexplored frontiers in the field of area studies.

We are pleased to announce that following its successful experimental launch in 2021/22 academic year

“THE CAUCASUS AND CENTRAL ASIA: SECURITY AND GEOPOLITICS”COURSE ANNUALLY TAUGHT AT THE FORLI CAMPUS WITHIN THE FRAMEWORK OF MIREES FOR OVER A DECADE IS PRESENTED NOW IN A NEW FULLY REVISED AND EXTENDED FORMAT OF TWO SEPARATE , ALTHOUGH HIGHLY COMPLEMENTARY MODULES (BO-167 POLITICAL HISTORY OF THE CAUCASUS-40 HOURS AND BO-242 CENTRAL ASIA BETWEEN RUSSIA AND CHINA: POLITICS AND CONFLICT-40 HOURS).

Given the high level of interconnectedness and complementarity of both courses the students  may consider enrolment in both modules.

This new format represents not just a routine modification, but reflects the strong outgoing commitment of the Caucasus/Central Asian Studies Program and its founder Professor Albert Bininachvili to further strengthen and consolidate the undisputable position of the MIREES and Bologna University as the leading Italian and one of the fore-front European Institutions in the field of the Caucasus and Central Asian Studies.

What primarily distinguishes the new “THE CAUCASUS AND CENTRAL ASIA: SECURITY AND GEOPOLITICS” MIREES program from similar programs offered by other institutions is among its other winning features, its extended regional format not confined by the former Soviet borders.

The introduction of the new independent CENTRAL ASIA module (40 hours) provides the students with a unique opportunity of not only gaining first hand acquaintance with the new sovereign states of post Soviet Central Asia, but to obtain deep understanding of complex geopolitical processes evolving in the conflict charged heart of Asia beyond the former borders of the USSR: in Xinjiang, Tibet, Mongolia, Kashmir, AFPAC area (Baluchistan, Vaziristan), Afghanistan, along the Sino-Indian frontier etc.

The current realities of Central Asia are analyzed within the framework of the renewal of its traditional cultural-civilizational context of the Islamic world and the Broader Middle East.

This innovative approach allows us to assist the students in developing indispensable multidimensional vision of the complex intertwined regional realities and their dynamics.

Among other things the students are offered a rarely obtainable in other similar courses balanced and adequate coverage of the issue of divided nationalities: Pashtuns, Turkomans, Baluchis, etc.), intra regional and extra-regional migrations and their implications.

The key research and analysis questions to be addressed in the course include among others:

What are the prevailing geopolitical trends in Central Asia?

The role of the major autocracies Russia and China in power projection to Central Asia.

US and European objectives and interests in the area;

Internal and regional threats to stability;

Regional security: local and extra-regional sources of instability;

What is the role of external powers in stability/instability in Central Asia. What is the role of regional actors in Central Asia?

Conflict management and Political Violence;

State-Building and Political Systems;

Islam and Nationalism;

How is the latest status of ISIS and other extremist groups in Central Asia?

How the regional countries can help to fight extremism?

Constitutional developments, democracy and human rights;

Narcotics and organized crime;

Water and energy issues. Environmental security;

What factors have affected the stability and security in Central Asia?

How are integration processes evolving in Central Asia?

Major developmental issues in Central Asia?

What are the Key essential factors in development of the region (Energy, Caspian sea, minerals extraction industries ..)

What kind of Western initiatives can be more effective for developing in Central Asia?

What is the perspective of regional integration via the existing mechanisms multilateral arrangements (SCO, OBOR,ECO, Eurasia Union, Organization of Turkic states, BRICS, .)?

How regional arrangements in Central Asia can help development, regional stability and security?

What are the essential measures to facilitate connectivity and trade in Central Asia?

What are the main factors affecting the stability and security in Afghanistan?

Why the fighting against drug trafficking has not been successful?

China’s policy towards ethnic minorities and situation with human rights in Xinjiang.

Learning outcomes

Upon successful completion of the course students are expected to obtain :

An advanced knowledge of Central Asia regions, including their geography, ethnic composition, main languages, religions, demographic distribution, political systems, economy, administrative division.

Broad understanding of present political, socio-economic and cultural developments as well as the nature of geopolitics, major conflicts and security concerns in the Central Asia region

A competent knowledge of how the domestic political factors, Russian and Soviet legacy and international actors, particularly China are defining the geopolitics, conflicts and security framework in Central Asia

A critical understanding of drivers and impediments of regional cooperation and integration

An analytical perspective that questions the prevalent myths and stereotypes about the region

ability to apply obtained knowledge of the geographical, political, socio-economic and cultural characteristics of Central Asia regions and political science concepts and theories as tools in further analyses of regional realities and prospects.

In this framework students will additionally learn how the stability of the newly independent states is affected, focusing on peculiarities of the power struggle, the role of the clans in local politics, corruption, democracy and human rights issues. Moreover, students are expected to learn the geopolitical and cultural context of Central Asia, its relation with the Soviet legacy and contemporary energy geopolitics.

Therefore, the course will also allow students to learn how to relate the regional dynamics with the major powers' interests, particularly those of Russia, China, EU and the USA.

 

Testi/Bibliografia

Testi/Bibliografia

Readings/Bibliography

Core Readings:

The [http://www.cacianalyst.org/]

Edward Alworth (ed.), Central Asia:130 Years of Russian Dominance, 1994

Olivier Roy, The New Central Asia, 2000

Adeeb Khalid, Islam after communism: Religion and politics in Central Asia (University of California Press, 2014).

Alexander Cooley, Great Games, local rules: The new great power contest in Central Asia (Oxford University Press, 2012).

Jeff Sahadeo & Russell Zanca (eds.): Everyday Life in Central Asia: Past and Present (Indiana University Press, 2007).

Kathleen Collins, Clan Politics and Regime Transition in Central Asia (Cambridge University Press, 2006).

Mariya Y. Omelicheva, Democracy in Central Asia: Competing perspectives and alternative strategies (University Press of Kentucky, 2016).

Sally N. Cummings: Understanding Central Asia: Politics and Contested Transformations (Routledge, 2012).

Thomas Stephan Eder, China-Russia relations in Central Asia: Energy policy, Beijing’s new assertiveness and 21st Century geopolitics (Springer, 2013).

Ghokay, Bhulent. Politics of Caspian Oil. Gordonsville, VA, USA: Palgrave Macmillan, 2001. (p.1-50)

Peimani, H. General Overview of the Caucasian and the Central Asian Countries at the Time of Independence. In: Failed Transition, Bleak Future? War and Instability in Central Asia and the Caucasus, Greenwood Publishing Group, 2002, (7-24.)

Charles Fairbanks, Fred Starr, eds., Strategic assessment of Central Eurasia, Washington, The Atlantic Council, 2001

Fred Starr, Authoritarian Rulers and Parliaments in Central Asia, Washington, 2006

Malcolm Dowling, Central Asian Economy: Mapping future Prospects to 2015, Washington, 2006

Erica Marat, The Tulip Revolution: Kyrgyzstan, Washington, Uppsala, 2006

Peacekeeping and conflict management in Eurasia, by P. Baev in “Security Dilemmas in Russia and Eurasia”,L.1998, pp.209-230

The Eastern Question Revived: Turkey and Russia Contend for Eurasia, by S. Blank, in “Central Asia Meets the Middle East”,L.1998, pp.16 8-190

The Ethnohistorical Dynamics of Muslim Societies within Russia and CIS, by S.Panarin, in “Central Asia and the Caucasus after the Soviet Union: Domestic and International Dynamics”, NY, 1994, pp.17-33

The” Internal” Muslim Factor in the Politics of Russia: Tatarstan and the North Caucasus, by M. Bennigsen Broxup, in “Central Asia and the Caucasus after the Soviet Union”, NY, 1994, pp.75-98

Iran and the Former Soviet South, by E.Herzig, L.,1995, 60 p.

The New Geopolitics of Central Asia and Its Borderlands, L.,1994

The course uses additional online resourses and articles of approx, 150 + 200 pages.

Most important journals recommended for the students on this course:

Asian Affairs

Cahiers d’Asie Centrale

CEMOTI: Cahiers d’études sur la Méditerranée orientale et le monde turcoiranien

Central Asia & the Caucasus

Central Asian Survey

Communist and post-Communist Studies

Critique: Critical Middle Eastern Studies

Demokratizatsiya: The Journal of post-Soviet Democratization

Eurasian Geography and Economics

Europe-Asia Studies

Journal of Eurasian Studies

Kritika: Explorations in Russian and Eurasian History

Nationalities Papers

Post-Soviet Affairs

Problems of post-Communism

The China & Eurasia Forum Quarterly

The International Journal of Middle Eastern Studies

The Iranian Journal of International Affairs

The Journal of the Royal Central Asian Society

The Middle East Journal

 

Metodi didattici

Metodi didattici

The course is designed as a full time flexible study. Learning activities include traditional lectures; mandatory assignments; interactive seminars and individual consultations. The substantial part of the student’s workload consists of independent reading and study.

Modalità di verifica e valutazione dell'apprendimento

Modalità di verifica e valutazione dell'apprendimento

COURSE REQUIREMENTS: final oral exam and substantial paper (10-15 pages).

The final grade will be based on the combined assessment of the constructive class participation (10%), oral exam(40%) and the essay (50%).

Topics must be chosen in consultation with the instructor prior to the beginning of the fourth week of class.

Strumenti a supporto della didattica

Strumenti a supporto della didattica

Whatever is considered necessary by the instructor.

Orario di ricevimento

Consulta il sito web di Albert Bininachvili [https://www.unibo.it/sitoweb/albert.bininachvili]

Orario di ricevimento

Consulta il sito web di Albert Bininachvili