Empires of Eurasia: How Imperial Legacies Shape International Security

Eurasian powers, such as China, Iran, Russia, and Turkey, are increasingly intervening across their borders and seeking to pull their smaller neighbors into their respective orbits. This is due to their status as heirs to vast terrestrial empires, whose collapse left them deeply entangled with the lands and peoples along their peripheries. Jeffrey Mankoff argues that imperial legacies play a significant role in shaping their power projection patterns.

Format: Hardback
Length: 384 pages
Publication date: 07 June 2022
Publisher: Yale University Press

Eurasian powers, namely China, Iran, Russia, and Turkey, are increasingly intervening across their borders and seeking to pull their smaller neighbors into their respective orbits. While analysts have focused on the leadership of figures like Vladimir Putin and Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, they have overlooked the role of imperial legacies in shaping these powers' behavior. In his book, "The Collapse of Empires: How the World Became Modern," Jeffrey Mankoff argues that these contemporary Eurasian powers share a common legacy as heirs to vast terrestrial empires that collapsed, leaving them deeply entangled with the lands and peoples along their peripheries but outside their formal borders.

Today, these powers have found new opportunities to project power within and beyond their borders, shaped by their respective imperial pasts. China, for instance, has been building infrastructure and economic projects in Africa and Asia, using its economic and political influence to shape regional dynamics. Iran has also been expanding its influence through its Shia Muslim ideology and support for proxy groups in the Middle East. Russia has been involved in conflicts in Ukraine and Syria, seeking to assert its influence and protect its interests. Turkey has been pursuing a more active foreign policy, including interventions in Syria and Iraq and efforts to join the European Union.

The collapse of empires has left a lasting impact on the geopolitical landscape, shaping the strategies and ambitions of these Eurasian powers. As they continue to navigate the complex and evolving international system, it will be important to consider the role of imperial legacies in shaping their actions and decisions.

Dimension: 235 x 156 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9780300248258