Muslim Modernisers on the Silk Road
Uzbekistan was a product of Islamic modernism and Soviet might. Free from the latter, the nation now seeks to foreground the Young Bukharans.
Asia
The Powers of Soviet Puppetry
The puppet theatres of Kazakhstan combined Soviet ideals with Kazakh traditions to educate the masses.
Asia and Africa Unite
In 1955, the Bandung Conference brought together post-colonial nations in the hope of forging a new solidarity. Could such disparate countries overcome their inherent differences?
Fight On
Why did Asia not have postwar peace?
Secrets of the Silk Road
The discovery of a cave full of manuscripts on the edge of the Gobi Desert reveals the details of everyday life on the Silk Road.
East Meets West
The historical currents that have shaped modern Central Asia.
The Mountain of Tongues
Is Caucasian history more byzantine than Europe’s?
The ‘Stans’ Turn 30
Is Kazakhstan 30 or 556 years old? As the five states of Central Asia celebrate three decades of independence, they prefer the glories of the ancient past to the legacy of Soviet rule.
Rebels in Rubber Soles
The denizens of an Asian underground who waged a clandestine struggle against European colonial powers.
The State of Myanmar
Myanmar’s colonial legacy includes racial hierarchies and authoritarian government. In the new nation state, not everyone is welcome.