The 32 Session of Eurasian Online Seminar with Andrey Kazantsev

On Tuesday, January 18, 2022, the Department of International Relations and the International Laboratory on World Order Studies and the New Regionalism held the 32nd session of Eurasian Online Seminar.

Our guest was Andrey Kazantsev, leading Russian expert on Central Asia, Professor of the HSE Department of International Relations and Chief Researcher at Center for Political Elite Studies at Moscow State Institute of International Relations of the Russian Foreign Ministry (MGIMO University). The topic of his talk was “Russia’s Policy in Greater Central Asia.”

Professor Kazantsev talked about a number of pressing issues including Russia’s policy in Afghanistan after the US troops withdrawal and Russia’s position on the current crisis in Kazakhstan. Professor Kazantsev analyzed the main components of the “winter revolution” in Kazakhstan and emphasized the importance of the issue of Islamic radicalism. Professor Kazantsev identified two Russian policies towards the Taliban*: a policy of dialogue with the moderate wing and a policy of defense in Central Asia.

Link to the video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LtwSH6kRCzQ

* A terrorist organization that is banned in Russia.