political geography; borders; identity; central asia

Neither the boundaries of ‘Central Asia’ as a geographical imaginary nor the meanings, values or identities associated with it have remained stable over time. ‘What is Central Asia?’ and ‘who are Central Asians?’ are questions whose answers are thus unsettled. This chapter will therefore pay special attention to the complex landscapes of identity that emerge from the negotiations between different groups over geographies of power and belonging at numerous scales. It begins by examining the different ways that Central Asia has been defined and re-defined, tracing the region’s integration into the Russian Empire, the delineation of borders during the Soviet period, and its emergence as a community of sovereign nation-states. Each of these historical moments produced new political and cultural geographies, which in turn fostered new forms of identity. Next, the chapter turns to how specific state borders operate in Central Asia today. Finally, the chapter closes with an examination of ‘other’ borders in the region, including media, accessibility and LGBTQ+ rights, all of which exert a profound influence on subjectivity and belonging.

Neither the boundaries of ‘Central Asia’ as a geographical imaginary nor the meanings, values or identities associated with it have remained stable over time. ‘What is Central Asia?’ and ‘who are Central Asians?’ are questions whose answers are thus unsettled. This chapter will therefore pay special attention to the complex landscapes of identity that emerge from the negotiations between different groups over geographies of power and belonging at numerous scales. It begins by examining the different ways that Central Asia has been defined and re-defined, tracing the region’s integration into the Russian Empire, the delineation of borders during the Soviet period, and its emergence as a community of sovereign nation-states. Each of these historical moments produced new political and cultural geographies, which in turn fostered new forms of identity. Next, the chapter turns to how specific state borders operate in Central Asia today. Finally, the chapter closes with an examination of ‘other’ borders in the region, including media, accessibility and LGBTQ+ rights, all of which exert a profound influence on subjectivity and belonging.