Central Asian studies

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Central Asian studies is the discipline of studying the culture, history, and languages of Central Asia. The roots of Central Asian studies as a social science discipline goes to 19th century Anglo-Russian Great Game. During 19th century, Central Asia became a subject of systematical information collection and organization thanks to the numerous travels made by British and Russian agents, soldiers, scholars into the region. British Royal Geographical Society and Russian Royal Geographical Society published dozens even hundreds of travel books on the region.

Contemporary Central Asian studies have been developed by pioneers such as Denis Sinor, Alexandre Bennigsen, Edward Allworth and Yuri Bregel among others. Several American research universities have programs on Central Asia. The Department of Central Eurasian Studies at Indiana University has been the leading research and teaching program. Many scholars involved in Central Asia studies belong to the Central Eurasian Studies Society.