HTRA01303U Introduction to Central Asia: history, peoples, cultures

In recent decades Central Asia has experienced a renaissance both in international politics and in academic discourse. Interest in the region is due to a number of factors, such as its geo-political position on the frontiers of great powers, its rich energy resources and the dominance of Islam. Historically speaking, this region was part of the legendary Silk Road, thus connecting East Asia with Europe, was scene of the emergence and demise of many great nomadic empires and it was also here where the famous power struggle of the colonial empires known as the Great Game unfolded in the 19th century. The course offers an introduction to this vast region which, in addition to the independent Republics which emerged in the wake of the demise of the Soviet Union, culturally also includes neighbouring territories, such as the vast area of the Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region of the People’s Republic of China. The course offers a general overview of the complex history of the region from the earliest times to the present day, focusing on both continuities and change which accompanied the social transformations caused by political upheavals.