Description: Mackinder argued that control of a 'pivot' or 'heartland' of Eurasia, including Central Asia, would prove key to the balance of global power. This idea has had profound effects on foreign policy debates, which are discussed in this timely volume
Review Quotes: "An excellent and engaging piece of work, which takes an innovative and ground-breaking approach to Mackinder's theories. It is a must-read for anyone with an interest in Mackinder's contribution to geopolitics and its contemporary readings. The kind of academic work to which so many aspire." -- Christopher Wyatt, author of Afghanistan and the Defence of Empire
"Approaching Central Asia through the theories of the imperial scholar-strategist Halford Mackinder (1861-1947), this book offers an impressive guide to multilingual universes of power, intrigue and geopolitics. And if you think you know Mackinder already, prepare to be astonished and to reappraise." - -James D. Sidaway, Professor of Political Geography, National University of Singapore"Central Asia in International Relations effectively re-evaluates and re-interprets Mackinder from the perspective of an international group of geographers and political scientists. ... [It is] an essential text for academics concerned with the relevance of Mackinder today, and will also find an audience with a broader readership interested in the emergence of the 'New Great Game' in Central Asia." -- Intelligence and Security'Nick Megoran and Sevara Sharapova's edited collection is a welcome and wide-ranging exploration of [Halford Mackinder's] thought and its relevance for Central Asia." -- International Affairs"The book's ten chapters have been contributed by thirteen authors ... It thus brings varied perspectives exploring the past significance and present relevance of Mackinder's theories as well as its current application in geopolitics ... It will be welcomed by students and scholars of geography and geopolitics in particular." --Najam Abbas, The Muslim World Book Review"This book's two editors and 11 authors form an impressive group of scholars that includes both "Western" and Eurasian experts offering the reader a tantalizing variety of perspective on Mackinder, Pivot, Heartland, and Central Asian international relations." -- Richard Fell, The Royal Society for Asian Affairs"[This] volume offers probably one of the most detailed accounts to date of the history and contemporary positioning of Central Asia in the study and practice of world affairs ... [T]he collection offers a rare but sophisticated and detailed consideration of Central Asia that challenges entrenched perceptions of the alleged passivity of the region. Instead, even though local (and localised), Central Asian affairs are profoundly and deeply enmeshed in global networks of relations ... The erudition and detail of the contributions included in this edited volume would therefore be of interest not only to scholars and students of Central Asian studies and political geography, but also to those engaged in geopolitical analysis, international affairs, comparative politics and global history." -- Political Studies Review