THE SILK ROAD AND THE POLITICAL ECONOMY OF CENTRAL EURASIA

This course examines economic, political and cultural interactions along the Silk Road countries from Korea to Turkey across the Eurasian continent. As empires rose and fell, religions, trade, and war flowed back and forth continuously across this vast space. Today, the fall of the Soviet Union and China's reforms have opened up new opportunities for economic, political and cultural interaction. Most of those Silk Road countries go through a period of fundamental changes and confront many economic / geopolitical / ideological challenges. Subsequently, the course will address these ongoing changes and challenges by taking in consideration their institutional heritage, historical legacy, internal politics, political economy and foreign policies. On completion of this course, students will be able to understand not only major political issues and challenges along the Silk Road but also identify the major political institutions, political culture and foreign policies in each of those countries. Consequently, students will be equipped with necessary knowledge to compare and contrast their development since the end of the Cold War. METHOD

On completion of this course, students will be able to understand not only major political issues and challenges along the Silk Road but also identify the major political institutions, political culture, and foreign policies in each of those countries. Consequently, students will be equipped with the necessary knowledge to compare and contrast their development since the end of the Cold War.

• The format of the course is a combination of lectures and class discussions/presentations • There are approximately 20 to 30 pages of reading assigned each week • Students are expected to read the assignments thoughtfully before class. A more detailed, updated, and colorful version of the syllabus will be available on CTL in the first week of the semester. * All tentative and subject to change.