The Dilemma of Middlepowermanship in Central Asia: Prospects for Hegemony

Abstract

This article examines the shift in the balance of power in Central Asia in the context of the United States’ declining global hegemonic power. The authors analyze the hegemonic struggle between China, Russia, and the U.S. in Central Asia and its influence on the middle power formation in this region. The authors argue that although Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan have high economic potentials, by certain criteria they have not achieved the status of middle powers yet. “Middlepowermanship dilemma” is formulated to explain why a hegemonic order has not been established in Central Asia and why middle powers have not emerged in the region.