“The Handbook features leading European and international scholars studying Central Asia who bring rich insights from the region and offer robust analysis on a wide range of topics. It provides a useful guide to social science departments across continents.”
Erica Marat, College of International Security Affairs, National Defense University.
“A long-awaited pedagogical volume on a still unknown but key region in today’s world. A must-read for students and teachers on Central Asia.”
Marlène Laruelle, George Washington University, Elliott School of International Affairs.
“The Handbook contains rich material on various aspects of Central Asian past and current development. The multidisciplinary nature of the features, logical structure of the narration, as well as a team of leading European experts ensure a high quality of the handbook, which can be used not only for teaching, but also academic purposes.”
Ablet Kamalov, Turan University, Almaty; President of European Society for Central Asian Studies.
The Open Access e-book can be downloaded directly from the publisher’s webpage (ibidem Verlag). (Click on the button below, then click on “Open Access” and next on “PDF” to download the whole book (115 MB).
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This handbook is the first comprehensive teaching material for teachers and students of Central Asian Studies with an actual strong pedagogic dimension. It presents 22 chapters, clustered around five themes, with contributions from more than twenty scholars, all leading experts in the field of Central Eurasian Studies. The book doubles as a reference work for scholars.
The book is framed to address post-colonial frameworks and, where possible, untangle topics from their ‘Soviet’ reference frame and point out pitfalls, myths, and new insights. Chapters aim to de-exoticize the region, drawing parallels to European or to historical European-occupied territories.
The goal is to provide solid background knowledge about Central Asia to readers, and intertwine this with an advanced level of insight to leave readers equipped with a strong foundation to approach more specialized sources either in classroom settings or through self-study. Authors (together with didactic experts and editors) took great care to explain concepts and provide (working) definitions.
In addition, the handbook offers a comprehensive glossary, concise atlas, didactic sections, info boxes, overviews of intended learning outcomes, and a smart index (distinguishing between: names, concepts, events and places). Online lectures (YouTube), recorded by the authors themselves, accompany the handbook either as instruction materials for teachers or as visual aids for students.