| Overview | Projects | Staff | Advisors | Partners | Publications |
NBR's vision of Eurasia as an integral part of Asia continues to generate
distinctive insights, and to open new opportunities for research on issues affecting
U.S.-Eurasian relations. The program looks at internal political and social trends
in Russia and Central Asia and their impact on regional stability and security;
the emerging international relations of the region, with a particular focus on Central
Asia's changing geopolitical environment; and the unique socio-political dimensions
to infrastructure networks and economic development in the region.
Mahin Karim, Director
Russian and Eurasian Security Network (RES)
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Russia and the WTO: A Progress Report Stephen E. Hanson, Philip Hanson, Juliet Johnson, Stephen K. Wegren, and Peter Rutland March 2007 |
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Russia's Economic Role in Asia: Toward Deeper Integration Strategic Asia 2006–07: Trade, Interdependence, and Security Peter Rutland, ed. by Ashley J. Tellis and Michael Wills September 2006 |
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Trade, Energy, and Security in the Central Asian Arena Strategic Asia 2006–07: Trade, Interdependence, and Security Dina R. Spechler and Martine C. Spechler, ed. by Ashley J. Tellis and Michael Wills September 2006 |
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Generational Change and Leadership
Succession in Uzbekistan NBR Program Notes, July 2006 |
See more publications on Eurasia | Top of Page
Russia's neglect of the human condition and investment in human resources, in favor of an increasing financial and foreign policy reliance on domestic natural resources, is disturbing. The combination of demographic decline, rent-seeking, petro-finance, ascending authoritarianism, and rekindled international ambitions characteristic of Russia's newly emerging political economy could have potentially grave humanitarian, economic, and strategic implications for both the Russian people and the international community. This new initiative will investigate and assess the complex interplay among social, economic, and political pressures impacting Russia's political economy today; their influence on Russia's emerging domestic and foreign policy environments; and the attendant implications for current and future U.S. policy toward Russia. The project will examine trends and challenges in Russia's demographic environment; human resources; health and educational policies; domestic natural resource development; international energy markets; public finance; democratization and civil society; and formulation of foreign and defense policy.
In 2003 NBR launched the "Central Asia in the 21st Century" initiative. Part of this project was the Central Asia Infrastructure (CAI) study, a one-year research project that explored the state of infrastructure in Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan, Turkmenistan, and Tajikistan. In 2005, NBR expanded the geographic scope of the project to Far Eastern Russia. This study developed a baseline assessment of the existing infrastructure and development challenges in that region. Project scholar, Dr. Vladimir Ivanov of the Economic Research Institute for Northeast Asia (ERINA), explored how development strategies might influence Russia’s social, economic, and political futures. The senior advisor on the project was Dr. Charles Ziegler, professor and chair of the Political Science Department at the University of Louisville.
In March 2006 the Eurasia Program hosted an invitation-only conference in Washington, DC that explored generational differences in Uzbekistan, their potential impact on political succession, and the attendant implications for U.S. policy toward Uzbekistan. With over 50 percent of the Uzbek population currently younger than 25 years of age, and over 35 percent in the 15 to 35 age cohort, dynamics among future elites in Uzbekistan will have significant implications for U.S. strategic interests in the region. Conference panelists sought to identify defining events and experiences that shape the worldviews of the 25 to 50 generational age cohort in Uzbekistan, demarcate political generations, and identify influences on the current and future political leaderships in Uzbekistan. Panelists were intimately familiar with Uzbekistan and represented a wide range of expertise, including businesspeople and academics. More information on the conference as well as select conference papers are available below:
In 2004, NBR launched an initiative on "Islam in the Former Soviet Union." Part of this initiative was a one-year study of Islamic Leaders in Uzbekistan. The study explored the nature and influence of independent Islamic leaders in Uzbekistan today, and the implications for the country’s future stability. This year, NBR is overseeing a study investigating trends in Islamic leadership in Kyrgyzstan, and the implications for the country’s post-revolution political culture and future stability. The study will examine emerging independent Islamic leadership in Kyrgyzstan and their impact on security, political, and economic developments at the local and regional levels, and assess their implications for the region as well as U.S. strategic interests in Central Asia. Dr. Eric M. McGlinchey, Assistant Professor of Government and Politics at George Mason University, is principal investigator on this study. Dr. McGlinchey is also author of a paper on "Islamic Leaders in Uzbekistan" published in NBR’s Asia Policy journal.
The Eurasia Studies Program recently expanded the Russia-WTO Forum, a private e-mail discussion and information group, which it has hosted since 2002. The forum is now the Russia, WTO, and Globalization Forum, and covers both Russia’s WTO accession bid and a range of other issues that reflect how globalization is affecting Russia’s economy and politics. Policies concerning economic reform, foreign investment, intellectual property rights, and foreign relations, including proposed regional trade agreements and the WTO-accession bids of Ukraine, Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, and Belarus, are frequently addressed in forum postings.
Forum participants represent a cross-section of specialists from the academic, business, and policy communities. Members receive regular updates with news items and reports that they can track and discuss online with other forum members. Members of the forum’s Contributing Board and the moderator shape the forum’s general agenda, but all members are welcome to initiate discussion and/or suggest new topics for postings. To participate in the forum, please contact mkarim@nbr.org.
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