Eurasia as an area linked by vital interests and overlapping histories

Walcott, S. M. and Johnson, C. (eds.) (2013) Eurasian Corridors of Interconnection: From the South China to the Caspian Sea. 1st edn. United Kingdom: Routledge

Eurasian Corridors of Interconnection: From the South China to the Caspian Sea provides a comprehensive outlook on the Eurasian region set between the Caucasus countries and China.

This book focuses mainly on Chinese and Russian interests and activities in the region and in relation to its neighbours, as well as touching upon topics such as natural resources (where the Caspian Sea Countries figure prominently) and religion (as is the case with Muslims in otherwise secular societies). The book works in providing an overview of the region through a myriad of angles, most notably discussing the concept of borders and cross-border congruence, ultimately providing their own original concept of “Eurasia as an area linked by vital interests and overlapping histories” (Walcott and Johnson, 2013, p. 11). The book spends most of its pages dealing with Chinese interests and relationships with its neighbours, particularly Vietnam, the Himalayan Hinterlands and one of its Autonomous Regions. It then moves on to Russia, mapping its attempt at repositioning itself in this recent post-soviet arrangement of the region.

The Caspian Sea countries and their abundance of natural resources, namely oil and gas, gains a chapter of its own, followed by the discussion of Islam in the region as a way to elicit debate regarding the “transboundary demographic challenge from ethnic minorities feeling disempowered and discriminated against” (Idem, p.9). In summary, it is a far-reaching manuscript ideal to those that not only want to expand their knowledge into already established notions about the region, but also those looking for a new light on old topics.