Mathematics plays a vital role in architecture, especially through concepts like scale and proportion. Ancient texts use the terms hiyal cadadi (numerical mechanic science) and hiyal handasi (geometrical mechanic science) for the application of number and measurement in craftsmanship. While hiyal handasi has been well studied, hiyal cadadi remains less explored. This study investigates numerical patterns in Timurid architecture, focusing on measurement systems and manuscript analysis. The mausoleum of Khwaja Ahmad Yasawi is the primary case due to its historical importance, serving as a basis for analysing dome space plans of other selected buildings. Due to limited sources, the research relies solely on written manuscripts and dome plans. Findings reveal a consistent structural sequence based on the smallest unit of 3 Gaz, with main dome spaces built on multiples of 6 Gaz.
Central Asian countries and their international partners have attempted to transform the region from a landlocked area with limited global connectivity into a transit hub. Despite major international initiatives like the Transport Corridor Europe-Caucasus-Asia (TRACECA) and the Belt and Road Initiative, this goal remains unachieved. This paper analyses the reasons for this failure, finding that the region's landlocked geography is exacerbated by sanctions and geopolitical tensions, creating a state of sanction-lockedness. This convergence constrains trade access and threatens economic stability by disrupting supply chains through Russia. Expert interviews indicate that the economically rational Northern Route is now strategically compromised. Consequently, the development of alternative corridors, particularly the Middle Corridor, is no longer a matter of cost-effectiveness but a strategic imperative for resilience. This research introduces the concept of the priority of strategic reliability, concluding that building resilience against geopolitical shocks now overrides traditional economic rationality, thereby driving regional transport cooperation.
This co/autoethnographic study examines the educational experiences of two women from rural Azerbaijan, focusing on how societal 'norms', gendered expectations and post-Soviet transformations shaped their access to education from the 1990s onward. Using a co/autoethnographic methodology, we draw on collaboratively narrated memories, reflective memos and thematic analysis to analyse lived experiences across childhood, adolescence and early adulthood. This qualitative approach allows us to situate rural educational narratives within broader socio-historical and political contexts, including the collapse of Soviet institutional support, armed conflict in Azerbaijani lands, and the resurgence of traditional gender norms. Guided by a post-colonial framework, the study explores how structural instability, cultural restrictions and gendered power relations contributed to persistent educational barriers, impostor syndrome and resilience-driven motivation for girls from peripheral regions. The article contributes to the literature on post-Soviet gender studies by offering an empirically grounded, insider perspective on women's education in rural Azerbaijan, an underrepresented context in existing scholarship. By linking autoethnographic data to national and regional gender dynamics, this study challenges static portrayals of post-Soviet transition and highlights the uneven, gendered consequences of social change. The findings underscore the importance of culturally sensitive, gender-responsive educational policies that address both structural inequalities and their long-term psychological effects.
This study evaluates the effectiveness of hedging strategies by Central Asian states in managing relations with China, focusing on economic resilience, political autonomy and domestic stability. Using a comparative case-study approach, it distinguishes between symbolic and substantive hedging, revealing that economic diversification, robust institutions and alternative partnerships are critical to success. Through a comparative analysis, the findings reveal significant variation in hedging strategies and the elements affecting them: Kazakhstan achieves substantive hedging through its resource wealth, multi-vector diplomacy, diversified partnerships and low dependency on China; Uzbekistan adopts emerging substantive hedging influenced by its reform-driven approach (including economic liberalization and institutional strengthening) and non-Chinese collaborations (such as partnerships with the EU, the US and regional actors); Kyrgyzstan engages in symbolic hedging constrained by its economic limitations and political instability, resulting in gestures that lack strategic impact; Tajikistan and Turkmenistan, limited by their economic dependence and authoritarian governance, achieve minimal success, reflect symbolic hedging, resulting in predominant alignment with China. By distinguishing between symbolic and substantive hedging, it refines hedging theory and offers practical insights for small states navigating great-power competition, emphasizing the need for material capabilities and diplomatic alternatives to achieve genuine autonomy.
Iran is trying to redefine its engagement in Central Asia and the South Caucasus against the backdrop of recent geopolitical developments. This article revisits its policies in the same region in a similar period of dramatic changes - the immediate aftermath of the Soviet collapse. It explains how Iranian visions of regionalism influenced its foreign policy in its newly emerged northern neighbourhood. The article shows how Iran tried to be recognized as a regional actor that could offer more than being anti-Western. At the same time, it put forward a vision of an independent region that was primarily articulated in the context of resisting Western presence. The analysis uses the cases of the Economic Cooperation Organization and the Caspian Sea to demonstrate how Iran oscillated between these two positions. Its proactiveness in regional affairs was undermined since it could not convey a clear and consistent message.
