Thread: "Eurasia"

I have a question about the term "Eurasia" as it is apparently sometimes used to describe collectively Russia and all the other former Soviet republics.

For instance, Wikipedia says: "Eurasia is also sometimes used in geopolitics as a neutral way to refer to organizations of or affairs concerning the post-Soviet states, in particular Russia, the Central Asian republics, and the Transcaucasian republics. A prominent example of this usage is in the name of the Eurasian Economic Community, the organization including Kazakhstan, Russia, and some of their neighbors, and headquartered in Moscow and Astana."

Couple of questions about this: do citizens of Russian often understand and use the term "Eurasia" this way? What about citizens of other former Soviet Union countries? What about citizens of central or western Eurpoean nations? Do they think of themselves as "Eurasian" or is this something that becomes stronger the farther east you go? As a resident of North America, I just assume Eurasia refers to the whole land mass, from France to India to China, so I'm interested in this more specialized usage.

Also one more question...besides Eurasia, is there any other commonly used terms that could be used to describe the former Soviet Union as a region?

Thanks!

E

Originally Posted by esauder

besides Eurasia, is there any other commonly used terms that could be used to describe the former Soviet Union as a region?

I think this one might be more appropriate: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Commonweal ... ent_States

I'm not in Russia, but I'd add to what you said that "Eurasia" as a geographical term is the European-Asian landmass. In geopolitics, it's most likely referring to former Soviet countries. An "institute for Eurasian studies" (there is a few of those where I live) would probably be an institute studying geopolitics of former soviet republics.

Of course everybody knows that Eurasia is the landmass including Europe and Asia. But in countries like Russia, Kazakhstan and Turkey (independently) there are some political ideas about being something intermediate between Europe and Asia. They say: there are European civilization and Asian civilization, though we are neither of them but something special, which can be a kind of cultural bridge between Europe and Asia. We are the Euro-Asian civilization (in short - Eurasian).

This is not the same as xUSSR countries. These three countries (Russia, Kazakhstan and Turkey) actually compete for the honorary degree of the Best Euro-Asian Civilization.

Originally Posted by it-ogo

These three countries (Russia, Kazakhstan and Turkey) actually compete for the honorary degree of the Best Euro-Asian Civilization.

I'm getting tired of this bullsh!t.

Eurasia - a continent.

Russia - European nation (ethnically Slavic) wich colonized a huge part of Asian subcontinent.

Kazakhstan - a country located mostly in Asian steppe, historically populated by nomad Asian tribes (Kazakhs), large part of it was colonized by Russian cossacks.

Turkey - Asian nation (ethnically Turks), wich annexed a bit of European subcontinent (a small part of Balkan peninsula).

Sometimes, people in Russia use the term Asiope (Азиопа). It's a mocking term, though, not very serious.

Originally Posted by it-ogo

But in countries like Russia, Kazakhstan and Turkey (independently) there are some political ideas about being something intermediate between Europe and Asia. They say: there are European civilization and Asian civilization, though we are neither of them but something special, which can be a kind of cultural bridge between Europe and Asia.

Разве это не поляки (а следом и ющенки) говорили?

Originally Posted by BappaBa

Разве это не поляки (а следом и ющенки) говорили?

Возможно, многие такое говорили эпизодически. Но принципиально и последовательно такую позицию проталкивают власти и/или крупные общественные течения только в трех странах, насколько я знаю.

Поляки, кажется, претендуют иногда на то, чтобы быть мостом между Западной и Восточной Европой. На Азию их уже не хватает. На отдельную "цивилизацию" - тоже.

Originally Posted by Ramil

It's a mocking term, though, not very serious.

Especially considering that it rhymes perfectly with "*опа" - an @ss (and the effect is intended).

All European counties (including Eastern European) are strongly opposed to being called "Eurasian", since Asia is perceived for some reason as "uncivilized". There's even an unofficial competetion between a few Eastern European countries to be called a "center of Europe".

Russians do not consider themselves Asian either, at the same time many of them are reluctant to name themselves Europeans. You most likely will hear "Eurasia" only in a serious political discussion, though. People usually prefer to use less ambigous geopolitical terms, such as "former Soviet republics", "the near/close abroad" (which also means former Soviet republics), European countries, Eastern Europe, Central Asian states, etc.
Personally for me "Eurasia" is more of a geographical term (as in Eurasian continent).