Turkmenistan, Kazakhstan, Tajikistan, Kyrgyzstan, and Uzbekistan became free of the Soviet Union in 1991. But though they are new to modern statehood, this is a region rich in ancient history, culture, and landscapes unlike anywhere else in the world. Traveling alone, Erika Fatland is a true adventurer in every sense. In Sovietistan, she takes the reader on a compassionate and insightful journey to explore how their Soviet heritage has influenced these countries, with governments experimenting with both democracy and dictatorships. In Kyrgyzstani villages, she meets victims of the tradition of bride snatching; she visits the huge and desolate nuclear testing ground "Polygon" in Kazakhstan; she meets shrimp gatherers on the banks of the dried out Aral Sea; she travels incognito through Turkmenistan, as it is closed to journalists, and she meets German Mennonites that found paradise on the Kyrgyzstani plains 200 years ago. We learn how ancient customs clash with gas production and witness the underlying conflicts in new countries building their futures in nationalist colors. Once the frontier of the Soviet Union, life follows another pace of time. Amidst the treasures of Samarkand and the brutalist Soviet architecture, Sovietistan is a rare and unforgettable travelogue.

The acclaimed author of Sovietistan travels along the seemingly endless Russian border and reveals the deep and pervasive influence it has had across half the globe. Imperial, communist or autocratic, Russia has been—and remains—a towering and intimidating neighbor. Whether it is North Korea in the Far East through the former Soviet republics in Asia and the Caucasus, or countries on the Caspian Ocean and the Black Sea. What would it be like to traverse the entirety of the Russian periphery to examine its effects on those closest to her? An astute and brilliant combination of lyric travel writing and modern history, The Border is a book about Russia without its author ever entering Russia itself. Fatland gets to the heart of what it has meant to be the neighbor of that mighty, expanding empire throughout history. As we follow Fatland on her journey, we experience the colorful, exciting, tragic and often unbelievable histories of these bordering nations along with their cultures, their people, their landscapes. Sharply observed and wholly absorbing, The Border is a surprising new way to understand a broad part our world.

Kyrgyzstan isn't a country people generally know a lot about, but its exciting past and fascinating present are worth a closer look. That kind of in-depth focus is presented to readers in this detailed guide to the culture of Kyrgyzstan, featuring fun facts about its language, cuisine, leisure activities, and religious makeup. Readers discover important information about the political structure, economy, and environment of this former Soviet republic. With each turn of the page, colorful photographs, maps, and easy-to-follow recipes make this a cultural adventure unlike any other.

A journey along the seemingly endless Russian border - from North Korea in the Far East through Russia's bordering states in Asia and the Caucasus, crossing the Caspian Ocean and the Black Sea along the way. "Erika Fatland [is] shaping up to be one of the Nordics' most exciting new travel writers" National Geographic **SHORTLISTED FOR THE STANFORDS DOLMAN TRAVEL BOOK OF THE YEAR 2020** "A hauntingly lyrical meditation to the contingencies of history" Wall Street Journal "[An] impressive mix of history, reportage and travel memoir" Washington Post The Border is a book about Russia and Russian history without its author ever entering Russia itself; a book about being the neighbour of that mighty, expanding empire throughout history. It is a chronicle of the colourful, exciting, tragic and often unbelievable histories of these bordering nations, their cultures, their people, their landscapes. Through her last three documentary books - one about terrorism in Beslan, one about the 2011 terror attacks in Norway and one about post-Soviet Central Asia - social anthropologist Erika Fatland has established herself as a sharp observer and an outstanding interviewer at the forefront of Nordic non-fiction. Translated from the Norwegian by Kari Dickson

Translocality, Entrepreneurship and Middle Class Across Eurasia is a comprehensive, multi-sited ethnography about the unfolding of capitalism across Eurasia and the advent of a new middle class since the late Soviet era. Based on extensive fieldwork, the book follows three generations of ethnic Kyrgyz in three distinct eras and sites: The early bazaar traders of Novosibirsk (Russia), the post-2000 middlemen operating in Guangzhou (China) and the ‘new entrepreneurs’ who have emerged at home in Kyrgyzstan around 2015. The book advocates translocality as an innovative concept to better understand the dialectic of mobility and emplacement in contemporary livelihoods and value chains that transgress not only political borders, but also less tangible socio-cultural boundaries. Through this lens, the chapters forcefully demonstrate how ways of business-making align or conflict with notions of ethnic belonging, diaspora, sociability or gender, in and in-between various locations. Proposing the imaginary of commercial journeys, the book documents the aspirations, adjustments and struggles of an emergent middle class, whose neoliberal subjectivity is inspired by a flexible entrepreneurial spirit of ‘Kyrgyzness’, and who navigate in a market environment that recently has been shifting towards more actor diversification, service orientation and rule-based formalization. This book will be of interest particularly to scholars in the fields of (economic) anthropology, post-socialist studies, migration, mobility and area studies with a focus on Central Asia and Eurasia.

This book introduces students to cultural anthropology with an emphasis on environmental and evolutionary approaches, focusing on how humans adapt to their environment and how the environment shapes culture. It shows how cultures evolve within the context of people’s strategies for surviving and thriving in their environments.This approach is widely used among scholars as a cross-disciplinary tool that rewards students with valuable insights into contemporary developments. Drawing on anthropological case studies, the authors address immediate human concerns such as the costs and consequences of human energy requirements, environmental change and degradation, population pressure, social and economic equity, and planned and unplanned change. Impacts of increasingly rapid climatic change on equitable access to resources and issues of human rights are discussed throughout. Towards the end of the book the student is drawn into a challenging thought experiment addressing the possible impacts of climatic warming on Middle America in the year 2040. All chapters conclude with "Summary," "Key Terms," and "Suggested Readings." This book is an ideal text for students of introductory anthropology and archaeology, environmental studies, world history, and human and cultural ecology courses.

Where is Turkmenistan? What kind of government does it have? What do people do there for fun? The answers to these questions and many more are found in this detailed guide to life in this Central Asian nation. As readers dig deep into the history, economics, and culture of Turkmenistan, they'll examine full-color photographs of the different parts of this country. Maps help them visualize what they're reading about in the informative narrative and sidebars. Readers are presented with words and phrases common in Turkmenistan, fun facts about its festivals, and recipes for traditional foods.

This Silk Road guidebook is ideal for travellers seeking inspirational guides and planning a more extended trip. It provides interesting facts about the Silk Road's people, history and culture and detailed coverage of the best places to see. This Silk Road travel book has the style of an illustrated magazine to inspire you and give a taste of the Silk Road. The book is printed on paper from responsible sources, and verified to meet FSC's strict environmental and social standards. This Silk Road guidebook covers: China (Shaanxi, Ginsu, Xinjiang), Central Asia (Pakistan, Afghanistan, Kyrgyzstan, Kazakhstan, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan, Turkmenistan), Western Asia (Iran, Iraq, Syria, Lebanon, Turkey). In this Silk Road travel guidebook, you will find: Unique essays – country history and culture, and modern-day life, people and politics Silk Roadhighlights – Mingsha Shan and Crescent Moon Lake; Heavenly Lake Tianchi; Flaming Mountains near Turpan, China; Lake Karakul; Tajikistan's Pamir Highway; Hunza Valley, Pakistan; Tehran Bazaar; Sunday Market, Kashgar; Peshawar, Pakistan; Isfahan architecture; Xi'an city; Samarkand; Istanbul Practical travel information – getting there and around, budgeting, eating out, shopping, public holidays, information for LGBTQ+ travellers and more When to go to the Silk Road - high season, low season, climate information and festivals Insider recommendations – tips on how to beat the crowds, save time and money and find the best local spots Main attractions & curated places – narrative descriptions of where to go and what to see, covered geographically Tips and facts – interesting facts about the Silk Road and useful insider tips High-quality maps of the Silk Road – must-see places cross-referenced to colourful maps for quick orientation Colour-coded chapters – each place chapter has its own colour assigned to aid easy navigation of this Silk Road travel guide Striking pictures – rich, inspirational colour photography on all pages, capturing attractions, nature, people and historical features Fully updated post-COVID-19 This Silk Road guidebook is just the tool you need to get under the skin of the destination and accompany you on your trip. It also makes a great gift because of its premium quality. This book will inspire you and answer all your questions while preparing a trip to the Silk Road or along the way. It will also remain a beautiful souvenir after your trip.

An ambitious and magnificent new travelogue by bestselling and prize-winning author Erika Fatland (The Border and Sovietistan), on a journey along the Himalaya. The Himalaya weave through five very different countries, where the world religions of Islam, Buddhism and Hinduism are mixed with ancient shamanic religions. Countless languages and vastly different cultures live in the secluded mountain valleys. Modernity and tradition collide, while the great powers fight for influence. We have read about mountain climbers on their way up Mount Everest and about travellers on the spiritual quest for Buddhist monasteries. But how much do we know about the people living in the Himalaya? Fatland invites us into close encounters with the many peoples of the region, and at the same time takes us on a dizzying journey at altitude through incredible landscapes and dramatic, unknown world histories - all the way to the most volatile human conflicts of our times.

The Ukrainian crisis that dominated headlines in fall 2013 was decades in the making. Two great schisms shaped events: one within Ukraine, its western and southeastern parts divided along cultural and political lines; the other was driven by geopolitical factors. Competition between Russia and the West exacerbated Ukraine's divisions. This study focuses on the historical background and complex causality of the crisis, from the rise of mass demonstrations on Kiev's Maidan Nezalezhnosti (Independence Square) to the making of the post-revolt regime. In the context of a "new cold war," the author sheds light on the role of radical Ukrainian nationalists and neofascists in the February 2014 snipers' massacre, the ouster of President Viktor Yanukovych, and Russia's seizure of Crimea and involvement in the civil war in the eastern region of Donbass.