David Gullette and Jeanne Féaux de la Croix

We invite papers for a proposed Central Asian Survey special issue focusing on the role of energy in people’s lives throughout Central Asia and beyond. Literature on energy in the region has largely focused on geopolitical issues and national policies. This collection goes further in asking how energy is understood as an everyday need and source of negotiations, frustrations, or even break-down in relationships. We seek a broad range of studies dealing with the production and use of energy forms such as oil, gas and uranium, but also hydropower, dried dung and alternative technologies. We welcome proposals enquiring (for example) into the role and views of oil workers, rural consumers illegally tapping electricity, communities displaced from areas in which energy infrastructures are built or small businesses struggling with an unstable electricity supply. Contributions may examine the legacy of Soviet energy policies, the role of alternative energy technologies, borders, development organizations, gender roles and notions of ownership in negotiating access to energy. We hope to reveal the distinctiveness and connectedness of Central Asia’s network of energy producers and consumers through analyses that also take account of neighbouring regions including Afghanistan, western China and the littoral states of the Caspian.

We welcome work in English and Russian, but the final versions will be published in English. Authors are asked to send an abstract of not more than 150 words to the editors David Gullette (davegullette@hotmail.com) and Jeanne Féaux de la Croix (jeannefeaux@yahoo.co.uk) by Thursday, 14 February 2013. Please be sure to include your name, title, title of paper and e-mail in the submission.