Why have international organizations largely failed to promote regional cooperation in Central Asia? This study addresses the issue of mixed results of organizations' activities in the region and the still-ambivalent patterns of cooperation between and among the Central Asian states. Using the case studies of the ADB and the EU, it assesses the impact of external actors on interstate cooperation at the levels of domestic and regional politics. The study is grounded in the insights from a number of IR theories rooted in both rationalism and social constructivism. While conceptualizing impact in terms of power the book develops an analytical approach to understanding how international organizations try to induce change and identifies three possible explanations for their failure. Detailed investigation of the interests and policies of the Central Asian states - based on the case studies of international transport and trade facilitation - offers another approach to studying cooperation from a "functional" perspective. The book will be of interest to students and scholars of Central Asia, international organizations, European studies and development studies.

Ch. 1. Uncovering the "new" Central Asia : the dynamics of external agency in a turbulent region / Emilian Kavalski -- ch. 2. NATO's partnership with Central Asia : cooperation à la carte / Simon J. Smith and Emilian Kavalski -- ch. 3. The OSCE in the new Central Asia / Maria Raquel Freire -- ch. 4. The European Union's new Central Asian strategy / Ertan Efegil -- ch. 5. The United Nations and Central Asia / W. Andy Knight and Vandana Bhatia -- ch. 6. China and the Shanghai Cooperation Organization : the dynamics of "new regionalism", "vassalization", and geopolitics in Central Asia / Michael Clarke -- ch. 7. Russia and Central Asia / Marlène Laruelle -- ch. 8. The United States and Central Asia / Matteo Fumagalli -- ch. 9. Turkey in Central Asia : Turkish identity as enabler or impediment / Brent E. Sasley -- ch. 10. Iran and Central Asia : the smart politics of prudent pragmatism / Pierre Pahlavi and Afshin Hojati -- ch. 11. India and Central Asia : the no influence of the "look north" policy / Emilian Kavalski -- ch. 12. Japan and Central Asia / David Walton -- ch. 13. The influence of external actors in Central Asia / Stephen Blank

This handbook-style edited volume discusses historical, but predominantly current political, economic, and societal trends in Central Asia comprising Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, and Turkmenistan. The five countries exhibit many cultural and historical commonalities and face similar internal and external challenges. Despite different transformation paths and frequent intra-regional tensions, a common regional identity has emerged in the countries since gaining their independence in 1991. Besides covering their political systems, a variety of topics such as human rights, media, terrorism, and civil society are addressed. As well, bilateral relations with seven external actors are examined. Lastly, the authors explore the opportunities and limitations of institutionalized regional cooperation in various fields of action.

This book focuses on Central Asia's place in world affairs and how international politics of state-building has affected the Asian region, thus filling the gaps in ongoing discussions on the rise of Asia in global governance. It also attempts to generalize and contextualize the “Central Asian experience” and re-evaluate its comparative relevance, by explaining the complex dynamics of Central Asian politics through a detailed analysis of the effects of major international actors — both international organizations as well as current and rising great powers.

This book examines the involvement of the European Union (EU) and China in Central Asia and critically assesses the implications this has for the region as a whole. The volume adopts a comprehensive, interdisciplinary approach, combining insights from International Relations, EU Studies, International Economics, International Law, Sinology, and History. It concentrates on three thematic levels: (1) historical and contextual, (2) geopolitical and geo-economic, and (3) socio-cultural and institutional. Paying particular attention to the role of the EU and the factors driving the EU’s and China’s relations with Central Asia, it looks at how the Central Asian countries position themselves vis-à-vis China’s growing influence, and how the balance of power between China, Russia, and the EU plays out. Contributors also explore the important historical context of the ‘Silk Routes’, as well as of the erstwhile connection of the Central Asian states with the Soviet Union. Critically analysing the potential areas for collaboration and synergy between the EU and China, the book also discusses the extent to which they share a common ground in Central Asia that could serve as a basis for long-term cooperation. It will be of interest to all scholars and students of International Relations, Economics, Sinology, and History.

From limited interactions in the early 1990s, the EU and Central Asia now consider each other to be increasingly important. This book includes 12 chapters written by seasoned and policy-engaged researchers from across Eurasia and the wider world that analyse multiple levels of mutual interactions, understandings and misunderstandings across a range of policy areas. It shows why and in what ways exactly the EU and Central Asia matter to each other and why policymakers and researchers should pay more attention to their interactions. Central Asia falls under the broader external relations and security agenda of the EU, and over years it provided a testing ground for many EU policies, including the priority ones of region-building and resilience promotion. Looking at the EU, in turn, informs as to how Central Asian actors interact with external partners of the region, and how that can influence national policy agendas and consequently everyday life – bringing new approaches, insights and evidence also to the wide field of EU studies. This book is of key interest to scholars, practitioners and students of Central Asian history and politics, EU foreign policy, EU-Central Asia relations, and more broadly of EU studies, International Relations, regionalism and interregionalism as well as security studies. The chapters in this book were published over three issues of Central Asian Survey.

China's commitments in Central Asia illustrate how regional foreign policy works and how long-standing principles of Chinese foreign policy might be revised in the near future. China's rise has 'moved' Asia, which is why it seems that what we have traditionally regarded as the geographic and political scope of Asia might actually considerably change in the near future. Nadine Godehardt gives crucial insights into the Chinese expert discourse on Central Asia - analyzing how Chinese experts define Central Asia when they talk and write about policy issues related to China's immediate Western neighbourhood. In this context, she gives an inside perspective on Chinese voices whose meanings are rarely examined in Chinese International Relations studies.