their independence in 1991, the former Soviet Republics have gone through difficult transition processes to achieve cultural, economical and political transformations. Diverse internal dynamics have produced diverse outcomes for the countries and peoples of the former Soviet space. While there are different results of transition, there are also similarities due to many common concerns and expectations.
The most important question is, What have these new states transformed into where democracy, free market, and functioning civil society are concerned? Or, Has the transformation led to greater polarisation in terms of rich and poor divide, authoritarianism and withdrawal of the state from providing social security, contested geopolitics and increasing external influence?
Apart from discussing the challenges that the post-Soviet states face and their coping strategies, the articles in this book also look at how the Eurasian countries participate in the globalisation process while using the energy and natural resources to their benefit.
Ajay Patnaik and Tulsiram
Dr. Ajay Kumar Patnaik is Professor and current Chairperson in the Centre for Russian & Central Asian Studies, School of International Studies, Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU), New Delhi. A Ph.D from JNU, Prof. Patnaik was Visiting Scholar in the Faculty of Social and Political Sciences, University of Cambridge, UK (1992-93), ICSSR Exchange Scholar at the Institute of Ethnography, Moscow (1999) and at the Institute of Oriental Studies, Moscow (2010), and visiting Solanki Professor and Scholar in Residence at Yadunandan Centre for Indian Studies, California State University, USA (2006). He has authored three books - ‘Nations, Minorities and States in Central Asia’ (2003), ‘Central Asia: Between Modernity and Tradition’ (1995) and ‘Perestroika and Women Labour Force in Soviet Central Asia’ (1989).
His other works include four edited volumes - ‘Traditional and Non-traditional Threats to Central Asian Security’ (2011), ‘Globalisation and Eurasia’ (2009), ‘Commonwealth of Independent States: Energy, Security and Development’ (2007), ‘Russian Civilisation’ (2007), and ‘Commonwealth of Independent States: Problems and Prospects’ (1995). Prof. Patnaik is also the Executive Editor of the journal ‘Contemporary Central Asia’ and is in the editorial board of several national and international journals. He has been a member of several academic bodies outside JNU, and was a Member of the Standing Advisory Committee on Area Studies Programme (ASCOASP) of the UGC of India.
Prof Tulsiram, currently the Director of the UGC’s Russian and Central Asian Area Studies Programme in the Centre for Russian and Central Asian Studies, Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi, was the former Chairperson of the Centre. Visiting Fellow at the Institute of Oriental Studies at Moscow and St. Petersburg, Prof. Tulsiram is a prominent critic on Indian Literature and Buddhism. Having a Master’s Degree in Political Science from Banaras Hindu University, Uttar Pradesh, he also has another Master in International Relations from the School of International Studies, JNU, and holds a Ph.D in Soviet Studies from the same School. At present, Prof Tulsiram is working on ‘Trans-Caucasia and Buddhism in Russia’, and is on the academic bodies of several universities in India.
Author of numerous research as well popular articles, Prof. Tulsiram has authored about seven books including an autobiographical book in Hindi named ‘Murdahiya’ published in 2011. His edited works include ‘Globalisation and Eurasia’, (Co-edited with Ajay Patnaik), published in 2009.
Political Science
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