Description
Book SynopsisConflict and Cooperation in the South Caucasus Region: From Theory to Policy combines IR theory and policy in a readable format. Houman A. Sadri discusses the distinctive challenges of the South Caucasus region and offers a survey of relevant IR theories. Armenia, Azerbaijan, and Georgia are covered in-depth since independence
These former Soviet republics have experienced major conflicts and cooperation since independence in the early 1990s. The 2008 Russian invasion of Georgia and the Armenian-Azeri Wars captured headlines and affected markets, but the completion of energy pipelines exposed the complexity of cooperation in connecting the regional and global political economy.
Conflict and Cooperation in the South Caucasus Region has three major purposes :1) To provide a survey of the major developments of the Caucasus States, 2) To analyze the application of IR prominent theories, and 3) To offer practical policy options for policymakers seeking to understand the South Caucasus region.
What does the remainder of the 21st Century hold for Armenia, Azerbaijan, and Georgian? Where are the main sources of threats? How can these threats be effectively dealt with?
Trade ReviewA highly-informed, comprehensive and balanced historical and comparative analysis of a highly-contested but crucial region. An invaluable resource for those unfamiliar with the South Caucasus and a fount of wisdom and objective analysis for old hands in the field.
-- Richard Sakwa, University of Kent
"Professor Sadri’s latest book contains the most comprehensive and innovative analysis of the complex affairs of our region that I have encountered. His frequent visits to the region as well as his extensive interactions with the local population inform his work with a deeper understanding of our region’s politics than the typical foreign observer.”
-- Phikria Asanishili, Tbilisi State University
"In Conflict and Cooperation in the South Caucasus Region, Houman Sadri cogently analyzes the foreign and domestic policies of Armenia, Azerbaijan and Georgia within the broader context of Caucasian history and the Eurasian security environment. He effectively argues that major theories of international relations can provide only partial explanations for the complex dynamics of this mountainous area. Utilizing perspectives from both comparative politics and international relations, this comprehensive, readable work on an understudied region will be appreciated by undergraduate students and specialists alike."
-- Charles E. Ziegler, University of Louisville
“From politics to foreign policy, and from history to present-day developments, Conflict and Cooperation in the South Caucasus Region paints a comprehensive and detailed picture of Armenia, Azerbaijan, and Georgia individually and as parts of the volatile neighborhood caught in geopolitical jostling. Informed by decades of the author’s work on South Causes, the book offers all you need to know about the region.”
-- Mariya Y. Omelicheva, Professor of Strategy, National War College, National Defense University
“This book is an insightful study of the complex interactions among three states of the South Caucasus region—Georgia, Armenia, and Azerbaijan—and the ways in which geopolitics and geoeconomics intersect in a new ‘Great Game’ for influence and strategic advantage that has drawn in global and regional powers. Written in an accessible style, Sadri offers an excellent historical review and a theoretically informed and empirically grounded analysis of contemporary developments that will be of value both to the general reader and to experts in the field.”
-- Vidya Nadkarni, University of San Diego
“Houman Sadri’s comprehensive account, based both on published material and on private interviews during many field trips, sheds light on past and likely-future conflicts in the three states of the strategically vital Southern Caucasus. Apart from analyzing the many tensions that prevail in a critical region, Sadri’s book uses the region as a case study to show students how to test the explanatory power of various theories of international relations.”
-- Robert H. Donaldson, University of Tulsa
“For centuries consigned to the margins of empires, the Caucasus states have emerged as a centerpiece of the geopolitical struggle between Russia, China, and the West. Sadri, a long-time observer of the region, offers a masterful analysis of the role these three countries have played, and will increasingly play, in this dynamic. This work will prove to be a valuable resource for layman and specialist alike and should be mandatory reading for anyone seeking to grasp the character of this crossroads of Eurasia.”
-- Reuel Hanks, Oklahoma State University
Houman Sadri provides an insider’s perspective on previously unexplored issues and sources in the South Caucasus region. The book stands as one of most comprehensive records available concerning conflict and political shifts within this turbulent region. By amalgamating theoretical and empirical approaches, the research illuminates complex dynamics of local conflicts in Nagorno-Karabakh, Abkhazia, and South Ossetia. It derives substantial theoretical conclusions alongside a perceptive exploration of both internal and external factors contributing to security dilemma concerns. In addition to its advancement in theoretical understanding, nuanced empirical analyses, and insider’s scrutiny, the book merits broad readership and frequent citation.
-- Zinaida Bechná, Masaryk University
Table of ContentsForeword
Chapter 1: Security & the Caucasus States
Chapter 2: Azerbaijan
Chapter 3: Armenia
Chapter 4: Georgia
Conclusion: Security and Stability in the South Caucasus
