Culture and Foreign Policy: Islam and the Caspian Region

About

In recent years, many studies in International Relations have emphasized culture, religion, history and civilization as a main determinent of states' foreign policies. Following the September 11th events, many have again referred to the "clash of civilizations" and are asking themselves if Muslim states are fundamentally different in their policies than those in the West. Our discussion will look critically at the role of culture and religion in the foreign policies of Muslim states, specifically in the Caspian region.