Is There a Central Asia and Does It Matter?

Is there a Central Asia? The purpose of this chapter is to answer that question by systematically delineating patterns of state interaction using an analysis of state visitsState visits between the states (from 1991 to 2021) that are thought to make up the region and assess the extent to which such state visitsState visits reflect increasing regional commonality within the geopolitical space. State visits serve as indicators of foreign policy interests; the selectivity of state visits helps to determine regional boundaries based on this type of state interaction. The chapter focuses first on several theoretical approaches salient for determining the types of structures one might expect to find in Central AsiaCentral Asia. Then, an analysis of state visitsState visits is created to show patterns of duration and intensity in interstate interactions, consistent with these theoretical formulations. Based on these patterns an assessment is made about the existence and viability of a Central Asian region. It concludes, based on the visits network that Central Asia rather than being an autonomous region is better characterized as a Russian-centered subsystem, and will likely continue as long as Moscow continues to actively interfere in the region’s economic and political relations.