ABOUT THE BOOK

The region of Central Asia has become the focus of superpowers due to its rich energy resources and strategic location. It has    been confronted with various threats such as illegal drug trafficking and narcotic movements, extremism, terrorism, ethnic and civil conflicts, border tensions, water and transport disputes, crime against women and many others. Unfortunately  there has been limited regional cooperation and economic integration which makes it necessary to get a better understanding of economic integration and co-operation in other regions, particularly that of the EU. South Asia is the    region of greatest civilization, located between the region of hydro carbons on the left and the South East Asian region on the right. The dynamics of the Great Game, emergence of the New Silk route, transport corridors taking shape, have made the region of Central Asia more exposed to external players such as China, Russia, Iran, India, Pakistan, Turkey, USA including  Japan who have been trying to gain a foothold in Central Asia within the emerging volatile situation in its neighbourhood as a result of    the troops withdrawal from Afghanistan. This book envisages to provide a deeper and wider understanding of the region of Central and South Asia within the given perspective.  

ABOUT Author

Dr. Henrik Berglund Ph.D., is an Associate Professor at the Department of Political Science, Stockholm University, Sweden. His research  areas include democratization, development, civil society, religion and nationalism, as well as issues of globalization. Since 1993 he has been teaching at Stockholm University, mainly within the field of global development and politics. He is currently the co-ordinator of the Forum for Asian Studies, Stockholm University. His book publications include both monographs and edited volumes such as: Hindu Nationalism and Democracy (Shipra Publications, Delhi), and Gender, Religion and Democracy (Stockholm University).

Prof Mondira Dutta, Ph.D., was the former Chairperson at the Centre for Inner Asian Studies, School of International Studies, Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi from 2013 to 2015. She has been teaching for over three and a half decades. Her  fields of specialization include Gender Studies & Human Security in South Asia, Afghanistan and Central Asia. She was awarded the Lifetime Achievement Award, at the International Congress of Women for Justice, Equality, Peace and Progress on 7th March 2009. She has completed more than 18 research projects, many of which are internationally sponsored. She is currently engaged in a project on `Disaster Research` sponsored by the Ministry of Home Affairs and NIDM.

Dr. Per Hilding obtained his Ph.D. from the Department of Economic History, Stockholm University. He worked as Director of Studies for the advanced (master`s) level and is currently teaching at the same department. His research focuses on choice and transfer of technology, child labour, and regional development and cooperation. He has been a board member of SASNET (Swedish South Asian Studies Network), Nordic Centre in India, and the Forum for Asian Studies at Stockholm University. He was part of the Swedish delegation that prepared a MOU for Academic Exchange and Cooperation between Stockholm University and the Jawaharlal Nehru University in March 2009.