Source: Debidatta Aurobinda Mahapatra <arvind.mahapatra@gmail.com>
Seminar organized by the Centre for Central Eurasian Studies, University of Mumbai, India.
10-11 February 2010
In the ICSSR Conference Hall, University of Mumbai, Vidyanagari Campus, Mumbai
Synopsis:
Any study of Central Eurasia connecting the two happening continents in a fast changing world order is a challenging task. Central Eurasia is broadly a generic term; its location, situation, ethnic character, rich resources and past experiences have made it a theatre of grand designs and games. The region often associated with terms such as great game, new great game, grand chess board, suddenly surfaced in international political arena aftermath of the 9/11, and then the urgency to bring the knowledge of the region gained ground. The region as a bridge between east and west has further reinforced its centrality in the post-cold war, post-Soviet world scenario.
Central Eurasia has recently become an arena of hot politics, pursued by various players, global, regional as well as local. The region's emergence into the global framework is of nascent origin. The region's geo-strategic location and its noteworthy features as space of intermixture of diverse empires and cultures have made the region special, more so after the end of cold war, and subsequent collapse of the Soviet Union. It was, however, after the global surge against terrorism that the region received the global attention. While in the early 1990s, the region was talked about as a strategic theatre bordering a bygone super power, the recent emphasis on its huge energy resources, communication routes and its possible emergence as a breeding ground of terrorism have increased international attention towards the region.
In the evolving scenario India which has emerged as an Asian power is poised to play an important role in global affairs. India's role is determined by four factors: its traditional and Silk connections, its peaceful non-antagonizing policies, terrorism and religious fundamentalism and energy security.
The national seminar covering major dimensions of Central Eurasia appears timely and necessary. It aims at generating interest on the subject for further research. Unlike in the West the research on this important region is scant in countries like India. There is a paucity of relevant literature, especially from an Indian perspective. This seminar, hence, makes an attempt to fill this critical gap in the Central Eurasian discourse. It will also attempt to make a deeper probe as to what extent India can now be seen as a Central Eurasian player in the coming years.
The Conference is an academic exercise in unraveling the emerging dynamics of Central Eurasia. It will focus on the following themes:
* Emergence of Central Eurasia
* Nation Building Travails
* Great Game and New Great Game
* Regional Cooperation
* Energy Security
* Central Eurasia in Cultural Context
* Terrorism, Religious Fundamentalism and Drug Trafficking
* India-Central Eurasia Relations - Historical & Modern
The Centre for Central Eurasian Studies intends to provide a platform for deliberations on the above themes. The chosen themes have gained importance as Central Eurasia has been undergoing a tremendous churning process in international relations in post-cold war scenario.
The two day exercise will be academic in content and professional in attitude, should be academically rewarding and personally gainful to the participants. The ultimate objective is to generate an in-depth understanding of Central Eurasian from an Indian perspective, which would likely help formulating a framework for a better understanding of Central Eurasian polity, economy and emerging dynamics.
All are welcome.
For further information, contact:
Debidatta Aurobinda Mahapatra- arvind.mahapatra@gmail.com
Sanjay Deshpande- deshsanjay2001@gmail.com
Centre for Central Eurasian Studies,
University of Mumbai, India
Debidatta Aurobinda Mahapatra, PhD
Centre for Central Eurasian Studies,
University of Mumbai,
India-400098
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