DOCSLIB.ORG

The Kazakhs of Western Mongolia

Total Page：16

File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb

Download full-text PDF Read full-text
The Kazakhs of Western Mongolia This article was downloaded by: [Texas A&M University Libraries] On: 09 July 2013, At: 06:54 Publisher: Routledge Informa Ltd Registered in England and Wales Registered Number: 1072954 Registered office: Mortimer House, 37-41 Mortimer Street, London W1T 3JH, UK Asian Ethnicity Publication details, including instructions for authors and subscription information: http://www.tandfonline.com/loi/caet20 The Kazakhs of Western Mongolia: transnational migration from 1990–2008 Holly Barcus a & Cynthia Werner b a Geography Department, Macalester College, Saint Paul, MN, USA b Department of Anthropology, Texas A&M University, TX, USA Published online: 30 Jul 2010. To cite this article: Holly Barcus & Cynthia Werner (2010) The Kazakhs of Western Mongolia: transnational migration from 1990–2008, Asian Ethnicity, 11:2, 209-228, DOI: 10.1080/14631361003779463 To link to this article: http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/14631361003779463 PLEASE SCROLL DOWN FOR ARTICLE Taylor & Francis makes every effort to ensure the accuracy of all the information (the “Content”) contained in the publications on our platform. However, Taylor & Francis, our agents, and our licensors make no representations or warranties whatsoever as to the accuracy, completeness, or suitability for any purpose of the Content. Any opinions and views expressed in this publication are the opinions and views of the authors, and are not the views of or endorsed by Taylor & Francis. The accuracy of the Content should not be relied upon and should be independently verified with primary sources of information. Taylor and Francis shall not be liable for any losses, actions, claims, proceedings, demands, costs, expenses, damages, and other liabilities whatsoever or howsoever caused arising directly or indirectly in connection with, in relation to or arising out of the use of the Content. This article may be used for research, teaching, and private study purposes. Any substantial or systematic reproduction, redistribution, reselling, loan, sub-licensing, systematic supply, or distribution in any form to anyone is expressly forbidden. Terms & Conditions of access and use can be found at http://www.tandfonline.com/page/terms- and-conditions Asian Ethnicity Vol. 11, No. 2, June 2010, 209–228 The Kazakhs of Western Mongolia: transnational migration from 1990–2008 Holly Barcusa* and Cynthia Wernerb aGeography Department, Macalester College, Saint Paul, MN, USA; bDepartment of Anthropology, Texas A&M University, TX, USA The Kazakhs are the largest minority group in Mongolia, a relatively homogenous country dominated by Khalkh Mongols. Since 1991, Mongolia has transitioned politically and economically and witnessed significant changes in internal and international migration flows. The large-scale movement of ethnic Kazakhs from Western Mongolia to Kazakhstan represents one such emerging international flow. This migration is influenced by economic motivations, historical cultural ties to Kazakhstan, and immigration policies of both countries. This paper assesses the local and national circumstances that shape migration decision-making in Western Mongolia during the transition years and highlights changes in the characteristics and directions of migration flows during this time. We identify three periods of migration with each period characterized by changing economies and national policies in Mongolia and Kazakhstan, as well as changes in communications technologies and extensiveness of social networks among prospective migrants. These periods illustrate how transnational migra- tion flows evolve through time and are affected by national, local, and individual circumstances. Keywords: Kazakhs; migration; diaspora; repatriation; Mongolia; Kazakhstan Introduction and background Through the creation of national borders, individuals identifying strongly with one ethnic group have often been divided into two or more nation-states. Many ethnic groups have been further separated by migration as groups of individuals have left their home country and resettled in a new country for economic or political reasons. Downloaded by [Texas A&M University Libraries] at 06:54 09 July 2013 Physical separation, however, does not preclude the maintenance of strong ties. Glick Schiller et al. write that ‘. a new kind of migrating population is emerging composed of those whose networks, activities and patterns of life encompass both their host and home societies. Their lives cut across national boundaries and bring two societies into a single social field’.1 These ‘transnational migrants’ are often characterized as a new variety of migrant who make decisions in a much more globalized economic framework. Transportation and communication technologies facilitate connectedness between home and destination communities both at the individual or household scale as well as at the broader macro level scale. Such *Corresponding author. Email: [email protected] 1Glick Schiller et al., ‘Transnationalism’, 1. ISSN 1463-1369 print/ISSN 1469-2953 online Ó 2010 Taylor & Francis DOI: 10.1080/14631361003779463 http://www.informaworld.com 210 H. Barcus and C. Werner transnational connections can be equally important to diasporic identities, especially when some members of the group remain behind as others migrate to a territory they define as a homeland. Scholars of transnational migration argue that this type of migration needs to be approached from multiple scales (household and community, origin and destination) and to incorporate the influence of ‘macroeconomic forces and local economic trends and social practices’.2 Further, it is important to integrate both traditional models and understandings of migration behavior and the new global migratory realities. For example, the behavioral perspective on migration3 provides a framework in which we can understand the incremental migration decision from an individual perspective, while new global economic systems necessitate the framing of these decisions within broader national and global economic contexts. A key factor in the migration decision-making process is the acquisition and incorporation of new information by potential migrants. Social networks – and more recently in Mongolia, increased national and international television broadcasts, cellular phone coverage and internet access – has broadened awareness of world events and conditions. In a previous paper4, we highlight the importance of changes in communication and transportation technologies, and social networks to individual migration decisions focusing specifically on the choice not to migrate. Migration decisions, however, are also influenced by broader structural factors, such as changes in immigration policy in destination countries, economic fluctuations that privilege opportunity in one location over another and, as in the case of the Mongolian Kazakh diaspora, the availability of government-sponsored incentives to move. Numbering over 100,000, the Kazakhs are the largest ethnic minority in Mongolia. The majority of Mongolian Kazakhs live in the Western aimaq (province) of Bayan-Ulgii, a region that is near Kazakhstan yet separated by small strips of territory that belongs to Russia and China (see Figure 1).5 Before the fall of the Soviet Union, very few Mongolian Kazakhs had the opportunity to visit what was then the Kazakh Soviet Socialist Republic due to Soviet practices that controlled population movements and travel. In the post-Soviet context, the creation of new nation-states and national borders, the relaxation of restrictions on movement, and the opening of borders between east and west brought about mass population movements at both the regional and global levels.6 One of the striking developments is the post-Soviet movement of groups, such as the Mongolian Kazakhs, who find themselves separated from their re-imagined homelands. Since 1991, the recently independent country of Kazakhstan has become one of three countries in the world Downloaded by [Texas A&M University Libraries] at 06:54 09 July 2013 (including Israel and Germany) that established programs to repatriate kinsmen living abroad. The largest populations of Kazakhs outside of Kazakhstan can be found in Russia, Uzbekistan, China, Mongolia, Iran, Afghanistan, Turkmenistan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan and Turkey.7 While the migration flows have vacillated over 2Cohen, ‘Transnational migration in rural Oaxaca’, 955. This need for migration models that reflect the multiplicity of scales of analyses and factors is echoed by other scholars as well (e.g. Sirkeci, ‘Transnational migration and conflict’; Glick Schiller, ‘Transnationalism’). 3Golledge and Stimson, Spatial Behavior, 451–456. 4Werner and Barcus, ‘Mobility and Immobility in a Transnational Context’, 52–53. 5National Statistical Office of Mongolia, Mongolian Population in the XX Century, 367, 369. 6Flynn, Migrant Resettlement in the Russian Federation. 7UNDP, Status of Oralmans in Kazakhstan,4. Asian Ethnicity 211 Figure 1. The study area of Bayan-Ulgii, Mongolia. the years, over 464,000 Kazakhs have migrated to Kazakhstan in the post-Soviet period, including approximately 71,000 Kazakhs from Mongolia.8 The scope of this paper is limited to the migration of Mongolian Kazakhs. Previous studies note that following the initial migration to Kazakhstan, as many as one-third of the migrants have returned to Mongolia, disillusioned by their encounters with the homeland, including experiences with co-ethnics who view them as being ‘Other’ and label them as ‘Mongols’.9 Rather than assimilating fully into life in Kazakhstan,
Load more

Recommended publications
  • Temporary Workers from the Democratic People's Republic Of
    Temporary Workers from the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea in Mongolia Mitsuhiro Mimura (The Economic Research Institute for Northeast Asia) Yuji Fukuhara (University of Shimane) This presentation is based on fieldwork and interviews from 5 to 8 September 2017 in Ulan Bator, Mongolia. We went to construction sites and companies employing North Korean workers, and looked at the places of construction. We will report the contents of this fieldwork and discuss the significance of sending and receiving the North Korean workers from the viewpoint of Mongolia and DPRK relations. Mongolia has a population of 3 million whereas the DPRK has 24 million. Although North Korea is very small, it has 8 times more population of Mongolia. Ulan Bator is the only large city in Mongolia and has a population of 1.5 million. Because the economy is growing, there is a lot of construction work. In terms of history, Mongolia was established in 1924, and the DPRK was founded on 9 September 1948. After the USSR, the second country that established diplomatic relations with the DPRK was Mongolia in October 1948. During the Korean War, Mongolia supported North Korea together with the USSR and China, providing material support and horses. It also received many war orphans. From 1948 to 1989 was a honeymoon period for Mongolia-DPRK relations. North Korea had some flexibility about doing business with the USSR and China. Mongolia, on the other hand, was a landlocked country, located between the Soviet Union and China. Speaking bluntly, usually countries next to China don’t like China. Of course, the countries next to Russia don’t like Russia.
    [Show full text]
  • Infrastructure Strategy Review Making Choices in Provision of Infrastructure Services
    MONGOLIA Infrastructure Strategy Review Making Choices in Provision of Infrastructure Services S. Rivera East Asia & Pacific The World Bank Government of Mongolia: Working Group Technical Donors Meeting October, 2006. 1 Mongolia: Infrastructure Strategy The Process and Outputs Factors Shaping Infrastructure Strategy Demand Key Choices to discuss this morning 2 Process and Outcome The Process – An interactive process, bringing together international practices: Meeting in Washington, March 2005. Field work in the late 2005. Preparation of about 12 background notes in sector and themes, discussed in Washington on June 2006. Submission of final draft report in November, 2006 Launching of Infrastructure Strategy report in a two day meeting in early 2007. Outcome A live document that can shape and form policy discussions on PIP, National Development Plan, and Regional Development Strategy….it has been difficult for the team to assess choices as well. 3 Factors Shaping the IS • Urban led Size and Growth of Ulaanbaatar and Selected Aimag (Pillar) Centers Size of the Circle=Total Population ('000) Infrastructure 6% 5% 869.9 Investments ) l 4% ua nn 3% a Ulaanbaatar (%, 2% h t Darkhan w Erdenet o 1% r G n 0% o i -10 0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80 at l -1% Choibalsan Kharkhorin opu Ondorkhaan P -2% Khovd Uliastai -3% Zuunmod -4% Share of Total Urban Population (%) 4 Factors Shaping the IS: Connectivity, with the World and in Mongolia Khankh Khandgait Ulaanbaishint Ereentsav Khatgal Altanbulag ULAANGOM Nogoonnuur UVS KHUVSGUL Tsagaannuur ÒýñTes
    [Show full text]
  • ICS Mongolia
    Integrated Country Strategy Mongolia FOR PUBLIC RELEASE FOR PUBLIC RELEASE Table of Contents 1. Chief of Mission Priorities ................................................................................................... 2 2. Mission Strategic Framework ............................................................................................. 4 3. Mission Goals and Objectives ............................................................................................. 6 4. Management Objectives ................................................................................................... 11 FOR PUBLIC RELEASE Approved: August 07,2018 1 FOR PUBLIC RELEASE 1. Chief of Mission Priorities Mongolia is a key partner in the Asia-Pacific region, and our shared priorities with Mongolia are fully aligned with the Administration’s Indo-Pacific strategy. Mongolia’s continued and enhanced sovereignty is in our national interest. We are strengthening Mongolia’s independence through supporting its continued democratic development; facilitating strong, sustainable, inclusive economic growth; and strengthening our bilateral defense cooperation. Formerly a de facto Soviet satellite, Mongolia chose in 1990 to become a democracy and embrace free-market economic principles. Its achievements since then have been impressive, but in a tough geopolitical neighborhood with alternative political models, Mongolia is under constant pressure to deliver positive results from reform efforts to its citizens. While voter turnout has declined from a peak of 98
    [Show full text]
  • New Documents on Mongolia and the Cold War
    Cold War International History Project Bulletin, Issue 16 New Documents on Mongolia and the Cold War Translation and Introduction by Sergey Radchenko1 n a freezing November afternoon in Ulaanbaatar China and Russia fell under the Mongolian sword. However, (Ulan Bator), I climbed the Zaisan hill on the south- after being conquered in the 17th century by the Manchus, Oern end of town to survey the bleak landscape below. the land of the Mongols was divided into two parts—called Black smoke from gers—Mongolian felt houses—blanketed “Outer” and “Inner” Mongolia—and reduced to provincial sta- the valley; very little could be discerned beyond the frozen tus. The inhabitants of Outer Mongolia enjoyed much greater Tuul River. Chilling wind reminded me of the cold, harsh autonomy than their compatriots across the border, and after winter ahead. I thought I should have stayed at home after all the collapse of the Qing dynasty, Outer Mongolia asserted its because my pen froze solid, and I could not scribble a thing right to nationhood. Weak and disorganized, the Mongolian on the documents I carried up with me. These were records religious leadership appealed for help from foreign countries, of Mongolia’s perilous moves on the chessboard of giants: including the United States. But the first foreign troops to its strategy of survival between China and the Soviet Union, appear were Russian soldiers under the command of the noto- and its still poorly understood role in Asia’s Cold War. These riously cruel Baron Ungern who rode past the Zaisan hill in the documents were collected from archival depositories and pri- winter of 1921.
    [Show full text]
  • The Magic of the Mongolian West
    Magie de l'ouest Mongol Jours: 14 Prix: 1550 EUR Vol international non inclus Confort: Difficulté: Aventure, exploration et expédition Hors des sentiers battus Randonnée Minorité ethnique Aux confins de l'Asie Centrale, des peuplades Kazakhs vivent en harmonie avec leurs coutumes ancestrales. Sommets enneigés, glaciers, lacs cristallins et vallées luxuriantes, l'Altai Mongol est une des régions les plus reculées du Monde. Un circuit alternant découverte en jeep et journées de randonnée, pour les personnes souhaitant découvrir l'ouest du pays à un rythme modéré. Jour 1. Oulan-Bator, arrivée et visite de la ville Accueil par notre chauffeur à votre sortie de l'aéroport. Transfert à votre hôtel, installation et repos. Rendez-vous à midi à votre hôtel avec votre guide, qui vous amènera déjeuner dans le restaurant de votre choix. Plongeons au coeur de l'histoire mongole, au superbe musée d'histoire nationale. Trois étages d'un passé riche et glorieux, violent et noble, depuis la préhistoire jusqu'à la période soviétique, en passant bien sûr par la création du grand empire mongol par Gengis Khan. Oulan Bator Balade dans le centre ville d'Oulan-Bator. Découverte de la place centrale Gengis Khan, et du Parlement. À 18h00, spectacle traditionnel mongol au Tumen Ekh : danses folkloriques, contorsion et bien sûr khoomi, le chant diphonique. Hébergement Hôtel Nine Jour 2. Vol pour le far west mongol Oulan Bator - Khovd Nous quittons la trépidante capitale mongole pour embarquer sur un vol domestique à destination de Khovd. Khovd fut un centre commercial important situé au nord de la route de la soie, qui avait tissé des liens avec la Russie et la Chine.
    [Show full text]
  • Inner Mongolia Information Overview Inner Mongolia Is Located in The
    Inner Mongolia Information Overview Inner Mongolia is located in the northern region of China and shares an international border with Mongolia and the Russian Federation. Inner Mongolia is the third-largest subdivision of China and covers 12% of China's total land area. The main languages spoken here are Chinese and Mongolian. The province has a population of about 24 million people with the majority being the Han Chinese. The capital of Inner Mongolia is Hohhot and the largest city is Baotou. The region is known as “Inner” Mongolia, to distinguish itself from “Outer Mongolia”, or the independent state of Mongolia. Geography Inner Mongolia ties the province of Shaanxi in that is has the most neighboring provinces of any other Chinese province. Inner Mongolia borders Heilongjiang, Jilin, Liaoning, Hebei, Shanxi, Shaanxi, Ningxia, and Gansu. Due to the size of the province stretching from Northwest to Northeast, the region has a four-season climate to include long, cold, dry winters and very warm to hot summers. Economy Farming of crops such as wheat takes precedence along the river valleys. In the more arid grasslands, herding of goats, sheep and so on is a traditional method of subsistence. Inner Mongolia has an abundance of natural resources such as coal, cashmere, natural gas, and rare earth elements. The region also has more deposits of naturally occurring niobium, zirconium and beryllium than any other province in China. Demographics When the region was established in 1947, Han Chinese comprised about 83% of the population, while the Mongols made up about 14% of the population. The Han Chinese live mostly in the Hetao region as well as in central and eastern Inner Mongolia.
    [Show full text]
  • Wildlife Protection in Mongolia by R
    196 Oryx Wildlife Protection in Mongolia By R. A. Hibbert CMG Although the Mongolian People's Republic, last refuge of the Przewalski wild horse, is one of the most thinly populated countries in the world, the wildlife decreased considerably in the 30's and 40's. There has been some improvement in recent years, and the Game Law now gives protection to nearly all mammals—the few exceptions include the wolf, understandably in a country with vast herds of domestic animals. Mr. Hibbert, who was British Charge d'Affaires at Ulan Bator from 1964 to 1966, and has since spent a year at Leeds University working on Mongolian materials, assesses the status of the major species of mammals, birds and fish, and describes the game laws. HE Mongolian People's Republic is a huge country with a very T small population. Its area is just over H million square kilometres, its population just over 1,100,000. This gives an average population density of 0-7 per square kilometre or allowing for the concentration of nearly a quarter of the population in the capital at Ulan Bator, a density in rural areas of 0-5 per square kilometre. This seems to be a record low density for a sovereign state. The density of domestic animals—sheep, goats, cows and yaks, horses, camels—is much higher. There are some 24 million domestic animals in the herds, which gives an average density of 15 per square kilometre. Even so, the figures suggest that there is still plenty of room for wild life.
    [Show full text]
  • Mongolia and the OSCE Adiyasuren Jamiyandagva
    In: IFSH (ed.), OSCE Yearbook 2014, Baden-Baden 2015, pp. 155-162. Adiyasuren Jamiyandagva Mongolia and the OSCE Introduction to Mongolia Mongolia is located in the heart of Asia. It shares borders only with Russia (3,543 km) to the north and China (4,709 km) to the south. Mongolia is a landlocked nation with a surface area of 1.5 million square kilometres. In terms of territory, Mongolia is the seventh largest country in Asia and the 19th largest in the world. Mongolia has a continental climate with four sea- sons, and consists of a mixture of forests, steppes, deserts, and mountains. In 2013, Mongolia’s population was 2.93 million, making it the 139th most populous nation in the world. The latest census shows that 67 per cent of the population is under the age of 35, thus, making the country rather youthful compared to its neighbours. Mongolia’s official language is Mongolian, a language of the Altaic language family. Standard written Mongolian is based on the Khalkha dialect using the Cyrillic alphabet with slight modifications. The most common for- eign language used in Mongolia is English, followed by Russian. Mongolians, like other nomadic groups of Central Asia, mainly adhered to Shamanism until the rapid spread of Buddhism began in the 14th century. Nevertheless, Shamanism continues to be practised. According to the 2010 census, 53 per cent of citizens above the age of 15 identified themselves as Buddhists, three per cent as Muslims, three per cent as adherents of Shaman- ism, two per cent as Christians, and 39 per cent as atheists.
    [Show full text]
  • Mongolia: Severe Winter
    Emergency Plan of Action (EPoA) Mongolia: Severe Winter Emergency Appeal n° MDRMN006 Glide n° CW-2017-000001 Date of issue: 10 February 2017 Operation manager: Point of contact: Gwendolyn Pang Bolormaa Nordov, Head of IFRC Country Cluster Support Team in Beijing Secretary General of Mongolian Red Cross Society Operation start date: 2 January 2017 Expected timeframe: 10 months (to 2 November 2017) Operation budget: CHF 655,512 DREF allocation: CHF 177,349 Total number of people affected: Number of people to be assisted: 157,0001 people 11,264 people (2,740 families) Host National Society presence (n° of volunteers, staff, branches): Mongolian Red Cross Society (MRCS) has 33 mid-level and 703 primary level branches working in all provinces of Mongolia, it has 7,000 volunteers and 128,827 members including 75,000 junior and youth members. MRCS has six established regional disaster preparedness centres with 240 emergency response team members. Red Cross Red Crescent Movement partners actively involved in the operation: The National Society works with International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) in this operation as well as current Partner National Societies: Australian Red Cross, British Red Cross, Japanese Red Cross Society, Finnish Red Cross, and the Republic of Korea National Red Cross. Other partner organizations actively involved in the operation: Mongolia National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), local governments, USAID, UN and its agencies, World Vision International, Save the Children, Caritas Czech, People in Need, G-Mobile, World Animal Protection Organization. A. Situation analysis Description of the disaster Dzud (Mongolian term for a severe winter), which is a slow onset winter condition has now been affecting some 157,000 people (37,000 herder households) across 17 out of 21 provinces in Mongolia.
    [Show full text]
  • MONGOLIA: Systematic Country Diagnostic Public Disclosure Authorized
    MONGOLIA: Systematic Country Diagnostic Public Disclosure Authorized Public Disclosure Authorized Public Disclosure Authorized Public Disclosure Authorized Acknowledgements This Mongolia Strategic Country Diagnostic was led by Samuel Freije-Rodríguez (lead economist, GPV02) and Tuyen Nguyen (resident representative, IFC Mongolia). The following World Bank Group experts participated in different stages of the production of this diagnostics by providing data, analytical briefs, revisions to several versions of the document, as well as participating in several internal and external seminars: Rabia Ali (senior economist, GED02), Anar Aliyev (corporate governance officer, CESEA), Indra Baatarkhuu (communications associate, EAPEC), Erdene Badarch (operations officer, GSU02), Julie M. Bayking (investment officer, CASPE), Davaadalai Batsuuri (economist, GMTP1), Batmunkh Batbold (senior financial sector specialist, GFCP1), Eileen Burke (senior water resources management specialist, GWA02), Burmaa Chadraaval (investment officer, CM4P4), Yang Chen (urban transport specialist, GTD10), Tungalag Chuluun (senior social protection specialist, GSP02), Badamchimeg Dondog (public sector specialist, GGOEA), Jigjidmaa Dugeree (senior private sector specialist, GMTIP), Bolormaa Enkhbat (WBG analyst, GCCSO), Nicolaus von der Goltz (senior country officer, EACCF), Peter Johansen (senior energy specialist, GEE09), Julian Latimer (senior economist, GMTP1), Ulle Lohmus (senior financial sector specialist, GFCPN), Sitaramachandra Machiraju (senior agribusiness specialist,
    [Show full text]
  • Desertification Information Extraction Based on Feature Space
    remote sensing Article Desertification Information Extraction Based on Feature Space Combinations on the Mongolian Plateau Haishuo Wei 1,2 , Juanle Wang 1,3,4,* , Kai Cheng 1,5, Ge Li 1,2, Altansukh Ochir 6 , Davaadorj Davaasuren 7 and Sonomdagva Chonokhuu 6 1 State Key Laboratory of Resources and Environmental Information System, Institute of Geographic Sciences and Natural Resources Research, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, China; [email protected] (H.W.); [email protected] (K.C.); [email protected] (G.L.) 2 School of Civil and Architectural Engineering, Shandong University of Technology, Zibo 255049, China 3 Jiangsu Center for Collaborative Innovation in Geographical Information Resource Development and Application, Nanjing 210023, China 4 Visiting professor at the School of Engineering and Applied Sciences, National University of Mongolia, Ulaanbaatar City 14201, Mongolia 5 University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China 6 Department of Environment and Forest Engineering, National University of Mongolia, Ulaanbaatar City 210646, Mongolia; [email protected] (A.O.); [email protected] (S.C.) 7 Department of Geography, National University of Mongolia, Ulaanbaatar City 14201, Mongolia; [email protected] * Correspondence: [email protected]; Tel.: +86-139-1107-1839 Received: 22 August 2018; Accepted: 9 October 2018; Published: 11 October 2018 Abstract: The Mongolian plateau is a hotspot of global desertification because it is heavily affected by climate change, and has a large diversity of vegetation cover across various regions and seasons. Within this arid region, it is difficult to distinguish desertified land from other land cover types using low-quality vegetation information.
    [Show full text]
  • Realpolitik in Mongolia-US Relations
    Realpolitik in Mongolia-US Relations Ron A. PORTER Ritsumeikan Asia Pacifi c University Abstract The United States has, in recent years, touted the accomplishment of Mongolian democracy as a positive example to other nations in the region. The shift from socialism to democracy on the part of the Mongolians has dominated both academic discourse and political speeches alike on the growing friendship between these two countries. This article argues, however, that the growing relationship between the United States and Mongolia is one based on practical benefi ts to both parties instead of the ideals of liberal democracy. Hence, US- Mongolia relations are based in realpolitik, not ideology. Keywords: Independence, strategic interests, liberal economy, democracy, realpolitik. Introduction Mongolia’s declaration of independence from the Qing (Manchu) dynasty of China in 1911 was founded on Mongol nationalism that, at that time, fostered dreams of a comprehensive nation made up of Mongol inhabitants of territories that stretched from Manchuria in the east, to Tuva in the west, and what is now Inner Mongolia south of the Gobi desert.1 However, this comprehensive pan-Mongolian state never materialized and only what is known as Khalkha Mongol territory (excluding Inner Mongolia) was carved out and successfully made into an independent nation-state. Nevertheless, since its initiation in 1911 and its subsequent successful independence in 1924, the Mongolian state has been founded on the principal of Mongol “national” unity. Even the socialist revolution of 1924 refl ected Mongolia’s unique situation for social reform that was aided along, but not completely in line with, the Soviets’ world social revolution scheme.
    [Show full text]