The Completion of Eurasia ? : Continental convergence or regional dissent in the context of ‘historic turns’

The construction of Eurasia is a challenge for analysts due to its rapid progress from a Europe Asia Meeting (ASEM, 1996+) to a Eurasian Economic Union (EAEU, 2015+), an applied cross-continental Land New Silk Road since 2013-2015. Yet, in the same period, the crisis around Ukraine (2014+), a gradual then hasty withdrawal from Afghanistan by ISAF forces (2011-2021), the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action with Iran (2015), now a full member of the SCO since 2021… diplomatic decisions and interstate practical schemes seem to exceed the capacity of observers to theorise quickly enough what is happening. Conceptually, Eurasia is experiencing a mix of centripetal evolutions at its peripheries – Europe and East-Asia – and a launch of centrifugal dynamics from its core – Russia and Central Asia.

The present book’s ambitious title The Completion of Eurasia ?, which could be subtitled in the face of pressing challenges, explores a concentration of diverse – yet equally complex – issues grouped into four main clusters: organisational and diplomatic competition, logistical and infrastructural challenges, grasping the concept of Eurasia, making sense of historic turns. It provides a multi-dimensional and multi-sectoral understanding of what Eurasia “is” in its essence, despite historical turmoil and pressing insecurity issues.

This book completes a series of publications by the Europe-Asia research network formed in the late 2000s. Originally based in Europe (Le Havre, France), this network is moving to Central Asia (Almaty, Kazakhstan).