Course Details
Globalisation in Strange Places: Tyranny, Terrorism and Politics in Central Asia
28 Apr 2014
Personal Interest
Writing
Victoria University Community Continuing Education
This course is only offered in Wellington
More Than 1 Week
5 weeks, Mon 6:00 PM - 8:00 PM
5 weeks, Mon 6:00 PM - 8:00 PM
$140.00
Early Bird Discount available until 2 weeks prior to the course start date $126.00 incl GST
Early Bird Discount available until 2 weeks prior to the course start date $126.00 incl GST
Overview:
This course introduces the five young Central Asian states of Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan and their emerging roles in the world. Each session provides an overview of a particular state and uses its experiences to discuss important local and regional political, economic, social and security issues and their connections to the rest of the world. These issues include: the region’s role in the war in neighbouring Afghanistan, the drugs trade, the political economies of Central Asia’s gas and oil industries, US rivalry with Russia and China, the spread of political and militant Islam, and Western human rights promotion.
Target audience:
This course will be of interest to the general public and government employees who work on foreign policy issues.
Learning objectives:
By the end of this course, participants will have:
•learned about the five Central Asian states and their shared and unique experiences since achieving independence 22 years ago
•gained an appreciation of the region’s significance to the political, security and energy interests of major external powers
•analysed connections between security, energy and governance issues
•gained an appreciation of the influences of domestic issues and non-state actors on international relations.
Course outline:
Sessions include the following:
Session 1: Kyrgyzstan: Its contribution to the Afghanistan war; the Tulip Revolution; Western democracy promotion; and the importance of patronage networks
Session 2: Tajikistan: Its civil war; state weakness and authoritarianism; Central Asia’s only legal Islamist party; and the challenges of the cross-border drugs trade
Session 3: Uzbekistan: The rise, decline, collapse and revival of the US–Uzbek partnership; the Andijan crisis; and the challenges of Islamism
Session 4: Turkmenistan: Its gas; Russia’s energy weapon; and US engagement and isolation policies
Session 5: Kazakhstan: Its oil; Chinese investment; the Caspian territory dispute; US engagement; and final comments
Course format:
These two-hour sessions are held on Monday evenings over five weeks. Each session involves a lecture presentation with time set aside for questions and discussions.
There will be a short break half-way through each session. You are welcome to bring a drink or something to eat if you wish.
This course introduces the five young Central Asian states of Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan and their emerging roles in the world. Each session provides an overview of a particular state and uses its experiences to discuss important local and regional political, economic, social and security issues and their connections to the rest of the world. These issues include: the region’s role in the war in neighbouring Afghanistan, the drugs trade, the political economies of Central Asia’s gas and oil industries, US rivalry with Russia and China, the spread of political and militant Islam, and Western human rights promotion.
Target audience:
This course will be of interest to the general public and government employees who work on foreign policy issues.
Learning objectives:
By the end of this course, participants will have:
•learned about the five Central Asian states and their shared and unique experiences since achieving independence 22 years ago
•gained an appreciation of the region’s significance to the political, security and energy interests of major external powers
•analysed connections between security, energy and governance issues
•gained an appreciation of the influences of domestic issues and non-state actors on international relations.
Course outline:
Sessions include the following:
Session 1: Kyrgyzstan: Its contribution to the Afghanistan war; the Tulip Revolution; Western democracy promotion; and the importance of patronage networks
Session 2: Tajikistan: Its civil war; state weakness and authoritarianism; Central Asia’s only legal Islamist party; and the challenges of the cross-border drugs trade
Session 3: Uzbekistan: The rise, decline, collapse and revival of the US–Uzbek partnership; the Andijan crisis; and the challenges of Islamism
Session 4: Turkmenistan: Its gas; Russia’s energy weapon; and US engagement and isolation policies
Session 5: Kazakhstan: Its oil; Chinese investment; the Caspian territory dispute; US engagement; and final comments
Course format:
These two-hour sessions are held on Monday evenings over five weeks. Each session involves a lecture presentation with time set aside for questions and discussions.
There will be a short break half-way through each session. You are welcome to bring a drink or something to eat if you wish.
Teacher:
Ilya Levine completed a PhD about US interests in Central Asia at the University of Melbourne in 2013. He has travelled to the United States and Central Asia to carry out research and is currently working on a book based on his PhD thesis.
Ilya Levine completed a PhD about US interests in Central Asia at the University of Melbourne in 2013. He has travelled to the United States and Central Asia to carry out research and is currently working on a book based on his PhD thesis.