Energy, Wealth and Governance in the Caucasus and Central Asia

Energy, Wealth and Governance in the Caucasus and Central Asia
Author: Richard Auty
Publisher: Routledge
Total Pages: 327
Release: 2006-08-21
Genre: Political Science
ISBN: 1134194145

Drawing upon recent progress in development economics and political science, the book provides fresh analysis of the Caucasus and Central Asia (CCA) countries transition to a market economy by tracing the impact of natural resource endowment. The book examines the synergies between energy-rich and energy-poor states and highlights the practical consequences of both well-managed and poorly-managed deployment of energy. Featuring contributions from prominent specialists on resource-driven economies, the book argues that unless CCA elites change the way in which they deploy natural resource, revenues regional development will fall short of its potential with possible disastrous consequences. The contributors apply the experience of the developing market economies to demonstrate that the region still holds considerable potential to become an important, stable supplier of raw materials and a source of industrial demand to the global economy. However, the CCA is equally likely to become a threat to the global economy as a consequence of the misuse of energy revenues to promote the interests of predatory political elites.

Energy, Wealth and Governance in the Caucasus and Central Asia

Energy, Wealth and Governance in the Caucasus and Central Asia
Author: Richard Auty
Publisher: Routledge
Total Pages: 305
Release: 2006-08-21
Genre: Political Science
ISBN: 1134194153

Drawing upon recent progress in development economics and political science, the book provides fresh analysis of the Caucasus and Central Asia (CCA) countries transition to a market economy by tracing the impact of natural resource endowment. The book examines the synergies between energy-rich and energy-poor states and highlights the practical consequences of both well-managed and poorly-managed deployment of energy. Featuring contributions from prominent specialists on resource-driven economies, the book argues that unless CCA elites change the way in which they deploy natural resource, revenues regional development will fall short of its potential with possible disastrous consequences. The contributors apply the experience of the developing market economies to demonstrate that the region still holds considerable potential to become an important, stable supplier of raw materials and a source of industrial demand to the global economy. However, the CCA is equally likely to become a threat to the global economy as a consequence of the misuse of energy revenues to promote the interests of predatory political elites.

Engaging Central Asia

Engaging Central Asia
Author: Bhavna Dave
Publisher: CEPS
Total Pages: 196
Release: 2008
Genre: Political Science
ISBN: 929079707X

"In July 2007, the European Union initiated a fundamentally new approach to the countries of Central Asia. The launch of the EU Strategy for Central Asia signals a qualitative shift in the Union's relations with a region of the world that is of growing importance as a supplier of energy, is geographically situated in a politically sensitive area - between China, Russia, Iran, Afghanistan and the south Caucasus - and contains some of the most authoritarian political regimes in the world. In this volume, leading specialists from Europe, the United States and Central Asia explore the key challenges facing the European Union as it seeks to balance its policies between enhancing the Union's energy, business and security interests in the region while strengthening social justice, democratisation efforts and the protection of human rights. With chapters devoted to the Union's bilateral relations with Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Turkmenistan and Tajikistan and to the vital issues of security and democratisation, 'Engaging Central Asia' provides the first comprehensive analysis of the EU's strategic initiative in a part of the world that is fast emerging as one of the key regions of the 21st century."--BOOK JACKET.

Migration and Identity in Central Asia

Migration and Identity in Central Asia
Author: Rano Turaeva
Publisher: Routledge
Total Pages: 245
Release: 2015-11-19
Genre: Social Science
ISBN: 1317430077

This book is an ethnographic and sociolinguistic study of Uzbek migrants in the capital city of Uzbekistan. The ethnographic details of the book represent post-Soviet urban realities on the ground where various forms of belonging clash and kinship ties are reinforced within social safety networks. Theoretically, it challenges the existing theories of identity and identification which often considered the relations between ‘We and Them’ taking the ‘We’ for granted. The book offers in-depth insights into the communication strategies of migrants, the formation of collective consciousness and the relations within the ‘We’ domain. Constructed around contradictions regarding Uzbek identity and how various groups relate to one another as different ethnic groups, the theoretical argument of the book is built through such methods and analytical tools as strategic rhetoric and discourse analysis, communication and identity theories, and the analysis of power and dependence. The book will be of interest to students and scholars of Central Asian Studies, Migration Studies, and Central Asian Culture and Society.

Handbook of Oil Politics

Handbook of Oil Politics
Author: Robert Looney
Publisher: Routledge
Total Pages: 473
Release: 2012-01-25
Genre: Business & Economics
ISBN: 1136966463

To many, oil markets and their linkages to a whole spectrum of events remain something of a mystery. Unfortunately, most of the easily obtained information on oil is deeply flawed. Whole web-conspiracy sites depict ruthless insiders and reckless dictators manipulating energy markets at will. The 30 essays in this volume, written by the leading experts in the field, attempt to set the record straight. While their assessments may lack the sensationalism of many popular pundits, serious readers will find their insights invaluable in the years to come in providing a framework for understanding many of the events of the day. The five sections: Politics of Oil Supply, Political Responses, Regional Dimensions, Country Case Studies and Key Issues for the Future give a comprehensive overview of the politics of oil world-wide.

Leadership and Authority in Central Asia

Leadership and Authority in Central Asia
Author: Otambek Mastibekov
Publisher: Routledge
Total Pages: 210
Release: 2014-05-16
Genre: Political Science
ISBN: 1135006822

This book explores the unfolding of world history in a remote corner of Central Asia: the region of Badakhshan. The history of this region has commonly been explored through the lens of the major superpowers who competed over its territory in the nineteenth and twentieth centuries, including Britain, Russia, and China. Here, we are offered a comprehensive overview of the history of the Ismaili community in Tajikistan. Leadership and Authority in Central Asia identifies traditional forms of religious authority within the network of religious functionaries at a range of levels and discusses the functions of Ismaili political leaders as they have evolved through time. Skilfully applying an interdisciplinary approach – drawing on historical sources, including unpublished materials, and ethnographic fieldwork data collected through interviews – and a perceptive analysis of political theories of leadership in communist and post-communist societies, this book challenges the ways religious and secular categories have been distinguished in recent scholarship Developing a structural explanation for the survival and evolution of religious and political authorities of Badakhshani Ismailis in times of radical social and political upheaval, this book will be of interest to scholars of Muslim societies, Political Science and Central Asian Studies.

The Management of Public Services in Central Asia

The Management of Public Services in Central Asia
Author: David Scott
Publisher: Routledge
Total Pages: 228
Release: 2016-03-02
Genre: Political Science
ISBN: 1317290135

The ending of the Soviet Union in 1991 had a major political and economic impact on Central Asia. Kyrgyzstan was one of the most severely affected countries, suffering a deeper recession than the other republics. During the first five or six years Kyrgyzstan followed the advice of the International Monetary Fund and was considered a model of both economic and political reform. This book analyses the ability of the newly independent government in Kyrgyzstan to create a realistic national vision, prepare a strategy, organise and control its public services to deliver the desired result. Covering a fifteen year period and using the case study of the educational sector – which declined even though the economic situation in Kyrgyzstan improved – the author throws light on many other aspects of a country in transition, in particular, on strategy, implementation and outcomes. Comparisons with other sectors such as roads and pensions, and in particular the health care sector are presented. A multifaceted approach using case studies, phenomenology, interviews, historical and comparative analyses offers a more complete picture of national management of public service and the structure of government administration. The book also investigates the contribution made by the international aid organisations. A detailed study of institutional transformation in Kyrgyzstan, this book is of interest to academics studying former socialist countries in transition, the history of the Soviet Union and Central Asian studies in general.

Identity and Memory in Post-Soviet Central Asia

Identity and Memory in Post-Soviet Central Asia
Author: Timur Dadabaev
Publisher: Routledge
Total Pages: 227
Release: 2015-08-11
Genre: Social Science
ISBN: 1317567358

Central Asian states have experienced a number of historical changes that have challenged their traditional societies and lifestyles. The most significant changes occurred as a result of the revolution in 1917, the incorporation of the region into the Soviet Union, and gaining independence after the collapse of the USSR. Impartial and informed public evaluation of the Soviet and post-Soviet periods has always been a complicated issue, and the ‘official’ descriptions have often contradicted the interpretations of the past viewed through the experiences of ordinary people. Identity and Memory in Post-Soviet Central Asia looks at the tradition of history construction in Central Asia. By collecting views of the public’s experiences of the Soviet past in Uzbekistan, the author examines the transformation of present-day Central Asia from the perspective of these personal memories, and analyses how they relate to the Soviet and post-Soviet official descriptions of Soviet life. The book discusses that the way in which people in Central Asia reconcile their Soviet past to a great extent refers to the three-fold process of recollecting their everyday experiences, reflecting on their past from the perspective of their post-Soviet present, and re-imagining. These three elements influence memories and lead to selectivity in memory construction, emphasising the aspects of the Soviet era people choose to recall in positive and negative lights. Presenting a broader picture of Soviet everyday life at the periphery of the USSR, the book will be a useful contribution for students and scholars of Central Asian Studies, Ethnicity and Identity Politics.

Conflict in the Former USSR

Conflict in the Former USSR
Author: Matthew Sussex
Publisher: Cambridge University Press
Total Pages: 265
Release: 2012-10-04
Genre: History
ISBN: 052176310X

This book examines a major concern in international security: the nature and causes of conflict in the former Soviet Union.

Sustainable Energy in Kazakhstan

Sustainable Energy in Kazakhstan
Author: Yelena Kalyuzhnova
Publisher: Routledge
Total Pages: 298
Release: 2017-07-06
Genre: Social Science
ISBN: 1351972650

Kazakhstan is rich in natural resources including coal, oil, natural gas and uranium and has significant renewable potential from wind, solar, hydro and biomass. In spite of this, the country is currently dependent upon fossil fuels with coal-fired plants accounting for 75% of total power generation leading to concerns over greenhouse gas emissions and impacts on human health and the environment. This book analyses the implications of the global shift to cleaner energy for a country whose economy has centred on hydrocarbon exports. The challenge is urgent for Kazakhstan, whose recent economic growth has driven increased demand for energy services, making the construction of additional generating capacity increasingly necessary for enabling sustained growth. In this context, renewable energy resources are becoming an increasingly attractive option to help bridge the demand-supply gap. Chapters written by experts in the field provide a comprehensive review of the current energy situation in Kazakhstan including fossil energy and renewable resources and analyses policy drivers for the energy sector. Emphasising that clean energy covers a variety of renewables, as well as cleaner use of hydrocarbons, this book argues that future technological change will affect the relative attractiveness of the various choices. Recognising technical, geographical and domestic and international political constraints on policymakers’ options, this book will be of interest to an interdisciplinary audience in the fields of resource management and clean energy, development economics and Central Asian Studies.