Perspectives of Integration in Central Asia

Date of Graduation

Spring 2001

Degree

Master of Global Studies

Department

History

Committee Chair

Mehrdad Haghayeghi

Abstract

In the aftermath of the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991, the Central Asian republics of Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan joined the community of independent nations. In their search for a new model of development, Central Asian political leaders, with the exception of Turkmenistan, decided to unite their efforts and follow the example of the Post-World War II Western European integration. This thesis offers a comparative perspective on the integration process by focusing on the European and Central Asian experiences. Similar to the European Economic Community, Central Asian states established the Central Asian Economic Union in 1994, which serves as an institutional framework for regional integration. Many Western and Russian observers believe that despite some positive developments, integration process has not gone far enough, worse yet, it may never be realized. On the contrary, there are those Central Asian observers who argue that due to the voluntary nature of this Union, integration is not only possible but also very probable.

Subject Categories

International and Area Studies

Copyright

© Zamira Satarkulova

Citation-only

Dissertation/Thesis

Share

COinS