Tariq Saeedi There is a peculiar habit in how the world writes about Central Asia. Almost every analysis, whatever its starting point, eventually drifts toward the same reference: the Great Game. It has become the default lens, the inherited grammar through which outside observers make sense of the region — a place perpetually being contested, courted, or divided by others, … [Read more...]
Central Asia’s Quiet Confidence: Forging a “New” Regional Identity in Turbulent Times
Tariq Saeedi In an era defined by great-power rivalry, supply chain disruptions, and climate upheaval, Central Asia is refusing to be a passive bystander. Once dismissed as a post-Soviet periphery or a theater for the latest “Great Game,” the region—comprising Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, and Turkmenistan—is increasingly viewing itself as a cohesive … [Read more...]