Peripheral Histories and International Relations of the Eurasian Borderlands

The Evolution of Greater Eurasia: Geopolitical Imaginaries in Russian Foreign Policy

Over the past few years Russian officials have begun promoting a geopolitical project called “Greater Eurasia”. This is the latest in a series of “geopolitical imaginaries” that characterise post-Soviet Russian foreign policy, such as “Greater Europe” or the “Russian World”. This presentation discusses the emergence of  the Greater Eurasia concept, and seeks to explain why Russia develops these different spatial frameworks through which to articulate strategic thinking and foreign policy goals.

David Lewis is Associate Professor of International Relations at the University of Exeter. His research is in international relations and peace and conflict studies, with a geographical focus on Russia and Eurasia. He is currently an AHRC-ESRC Knowledge Exchange Fellow at the Foreign and Commonwealth Office. His new book, Russia’s New Authoritarianism: Putin and the Politics of Order, is forthcoming with Edinburgh University Press.