Please join the Center for Russian, East European, and Eurasian Studies for our final brownbag talk of the fall semester. Dr. Farkhod Abdurakhmonov (Associate Professor, Tashkent State University of Economics, Visiting Scholar University of Arkansas) will give a talk titled "Dynamics of Economic Integration in Central Asian Countries" on December 10 at 12pm in Bailey Hall room 318.

The people of Central Asia, who share a common language, history, culture, traditions, and religion, have faced significant economic, social, and political challenges over the past three centuries, largely due to conflicts among world empires and colonial policies. This region, unified by geographic proximity and cultural ties, was divided into five republics under Soviet rule, each centered around a designated administrative hub. Following the dissolution of the Soviet Union, these republics gained independence, and aspirations for regional integration emerged. However, these aspirations remained unrealized, hindered by the personal ambitions of individual leaders and the intervention of external powers. Recently, Central Asian countries have increasingly prioritized economic integration.

This talk examines the necessity, importance, and level of integration among Central Asian countries, alongside the challenges faced in this endeavor. It evaluates the economic potential of the region and explores integration theories as a foundational analytical method. The research employs resource-actor analysis, accounting for the specific foreign policy behaviors of key actors. The study also identifies critical points of contention among major external stakeholders and outlines possible avenues for cooperation. According to the author's conclusions, the success of economic integration in Central Asian countries largely depends on the political will of their governments, while other processes could be implemented in a shorter timeframe. 

ABOUT THE SPEAKER:
Farkhod Abdurakhmonov, DSc. in Politics. Currently he works as associate professor at the department of “World Economy and International Economic Relations” at the Tashkent State University of Economics. He received his higher education diploma from Tashkent State University of Economics in 1994. From 1994 to 2005 he worked in Uzbekistan's banking system and higher education institutions.

Winning an Indian government scholarship, he studied at Hyderabad University of India during 2005-2007 and obtained his master’s degree in Economics. From 2008 to 2010, he was a coordinator in the World Bank’s Project on “Health and Education Monitoring and Evaluation Capacity Building” in Uzbekistan. From 2010 to 2014 he worked as a Chief accountant in foreign companies. From 2014 to 2019 he was a Ph.D. scholar in Taiwan, at that time he won a grant of Erasmus+ and studied at the University of Bordeaux, France. He was awarded a Ph.D. in Social Research and Cultural Studies from the National Chiao Tung University in 2019.

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