After twenty-five years of independence, there is little doubt that the five Central Asian states will persist as sovereign, independent states. They increasingly differ from each other, and are making their way in global politics. No longer connected only to Russia, they are now connected in important ways to Afghanistan, South Asia, China, Iran, and each other. This volume covers a wide range of issues and presents the work of emerging scholars authors well-known for their expertise in the region. The first part addresses social issues. Covering a wide range from HIV/AIDs to social media, the rebirth of Islam, outmigration, and problematic borders, this section follows two main currents: political development in the region and states' responses to transboundary challenges. The second part, addressing economics and security, provides analyses of new infrastructure, informal economies (from bazaars to criminal networks), energy development, the role of enclaves in the Ferghana Valley, and the development of the states' military structures. This section illuminates the interactions between economic developments and security, and the forces that could undermine both. The final part, comprised of five case studies, offers a "deeper dive" into a specific factor that matters in the development of each Central Asian state. These cases include Kazakhstan's foreign policy identity, Kyrgyzstan's domestic politics, Tajikistan's pursuit of hydropower, foreign direct investment in Turkmenistan, and the perception of everyday corruption in Uzbekistan.

After twenty-five years of independence, there is little doubt that the five Central Asian states will persist as sovereign, independent states. They increasingly differ from each other, and are making their way in global politics. No longer connected only to Russia, they are now connected in important ways to Afghanistan, South Asia, China, Iran, and each other. This volume covers a wide range of issues and presents the work of emerging scholars authors well-known for their expertise in the region. The first part addresses social issues. Covering a wide range from HIV/AIDs to social media, the rebirth of Islam, outmigration, and problematic borders, this section follows two main currents: political development in the region and states’ responses to transboundary challenges. The second part, addressing economics and security, provides analyses of new infrastructure, informal economies (from bazaars to criminal networks), energy development, the role of enclaves in the Ferghana Valley, and the development of the states’ military structures. This section illuminates the interactions between economic developments and security, and the forces that could undermine both. The final part, comprised of five case studies, offers a “deeper dive” into a specific factor that matters in the development of each Central Asian state. These cases include Kazakhstan’s foreign policy identity, Kyrgyzstan’s domestic politics, Tajikistan’s pursuit of hydropower, foreign direct investment in Turkmenistan, and the perception of everyday corruption in Uzbekistan.

CONTENTS Preface Acknowledgments In the Tracks of Tamerlane: Central Asia's Path to the 21st Century The Politics of Central Asia: National in Form, Soviet in Content Political Reform Strategies: Early Starters, Late Starters, and Non-Starters Legal Reform in Central Asia: Battling the Influence of History Human Rights in Central Asia Democracy-Building in Central Asia Post September 11 Islam in Central Asia: The Emergence and Growth of Radicalism in the Post-Communist Era The Rise of the Post-Soviet Petro-States: Energy Exports and Domestic Governance in Turkmenistan and Kazakhstan Cooperative Management of Transboundary Water Resources in Central Asia Central Asian Public Health: Transition and Transformation From Rio to Johannesburg: Comparing Sustainable Development in Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, and The Kyrgyz Republic Land Privatization and Conflict in Central Asia: Is Kyrgyzstan a Model? Environmental Management in Independent Central Asia The Future of Electrical Power in the Republic of Kazakhstan Forging Relationships, Preventing Proliferation: A Decade of Cooperative Threat Reduction in Central Asia Building Security in Central Asia: A Multilateral Perspective Who's Watching the Watchdogs?: Drug Trafficking in Central Asia Migration Trends in Central Asia and the Case of Trafficking of Women Beyond the Battle of Talas: China's Re-emergence in Central Asia Regional Security Cooperation and Foreign Policies in Central Asia: A 21st Century "Great Game"? Friends Like These: Defining U.S. Interests in Central Asia About the Contributors Abbreviations and Key Terms