ASIAN 2240 - Introduction to Modern Central Asia

(crosslisted) HIST 2740
(GB) (HA-AS)

Spring. 3 credits. Student option grading.

J. Eden.

The Graveyard of Empires. The Crossroads of the World. The Pivot of History. For all its grand nicknames, Central Asia remains a region little-studied in the West. This course endeavors to separate fact from fantasy while providing an introduction to the social, cultural, and political history of Central Asia from the eighteenth century to the present day Considering Russian/Soviet and Chinese Central Asia as well as Afghanistan, we will explore the impact of cross-cultural contacts and the advance of neighboring empires on the region’s diverse societies in the modern era. (GE)