Illiberal vs Liberal Peace? Divergent Understandings of Grievance, Inequality and Conflict in Central Asia

This paper examines the divergent approaches to internal conflicts in Central Asia adopted by Russia, China, Western states, other major players and local actors in the Central Asian region. These regional responses to international security are partially based on different understandings of the drivers of conflict, including the significance of political and social cleavages and economic and social inequality. This paper unpacks these diverse view-points and examines how they inform the often competing policy responses to emerging conflicts and insecurities in the region.