Professor Luca Anceschi

Professor of Eurasian Studies (Political & International Studies)

telephone: 01413306559
email: Luca.Anceschi@glasgow.ac.uk
pronouns: They/them/theirs

Central & East European Studies, 69-73 Southpark avenue, G12 8LE

Biography

I am Professor in Eurasian Studies and Subject Group Lead for Central & East European Studies, where I have been teaching since September 2013.

My research agenda deploys innovative Area Studies methodologies to study authoritarianism in Eurasia.

My forthcoming book, Pandemic Politics in Central Asia—Authoritarian Contagion, showcases the findings of the intensive research work I conducted in and outwith Central Asia at the time of Covid, and interrogates the intersection between public health crises and authoritarian consolidation in Kazakhstan, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan.

Throughout my career, I have mainly pursued two lines of research. One of my key interests has related to the investigation of the processes of foreign policymaking at play in Central Asia. Here, my work has contributed to unveil the domestic power implications of policy frameworks designed to operate at the international level. I have authored two monographs delving into how foreign policy is made across Central Asia.

My first book, Turkmenistan’s Foreign Policy – Positive Neutrality and the Consolidation of the Turkmen regime (Routledge 2008), is the first book-length account of Turkmen foreign policy published in Western languages.
My second book—Analysing Kazakhstan's Foreign Policy - Regime neo-Eurasianism in the Nazarbaev era, also published by Routledge—contextualised in turn the roles that ideas and constructs associated with Eurasia have played in the making of Kazakhstani foreign policy.

Through a second line of research, I am developing a multi-stage investigation of personalist rule, both within and beyond Central Asia. Here, the findings of my research have appeared in article form in top Area Studies journals, including the Journal of Contemporary Asia and Post-Soviet Affairs and in Personalism & Personalist Regimes, a major edited collection that looked comparatively at contemporary forms of personalism and personalist rule across the world.

I am the editor of Europe-Asia Studies, which has been based at CEES since its establishment in 1949 and still remains the world’s premier academic journal for the study of the post-socialist countries of Europe and Asia.

For 2024-2028, I am the Glasgow-lead in the Shifting Global Polarities Network+, a major UKRI investment coordinated by the University of Birmingham bringing together colleagues from top Area Studies departments in the United Kingdom and beyond.

Research interests

The making of foreign policy in Central Asia
Personalism and personal rule in Central Asia

Research groups

Publications

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Jump to: 2026 | 2024 | 2021 | 2020 | 2017 | 2015 | 2014 | 2013 | 2012 | 2011 | 2010 | 2009 | 2008 | 2005

Number of items: 39.

2026

Anceschi, Luca ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-5382-540X (2026) Pandemic Politics in Central Asia: Authoritarian Contagion. Routledge. ISBN 9789048562190 (In Press)

Anceschi, Luca ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-5382-540X and Silvan, Kristiina (2026) Change for the sake of continuity? Élite politics in post-Nazarbayev Kazakhstan (2019-2023). Post-Soviet Affairs, 42(1), pp. 1-22. (doi: 10.1080/1060586X.2025.2606668)

2024

Anceschi, Luca ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-5382-540X (2024) The global history of the Atomic Steppe. Central Asian Affairs, 11(2), pp. 191-193. (doi: 10.30965/22142290-12340032)[Book Review]

Baturo, Alex, Anceschi, Luca ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-5382-540X and Cavatorta, Francesco (Eds.) (2024) Personalism and Personalist Regimes. Oxford University Press: Oxford. ISBN 9780192848567

Baturo, Alexander, Anceschi, Luca ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-5382-540X and Cavatorta, Francesco (2024) On 'new' and 'old' personal rule: concluding remarks. In: Baturo, Alex, Anceschi, Luca and Cavatorta, Francesco (eds.) Personalism and Personalist Regimes. Oxford University Press: Oxford, pp. 312-332. ISBN 9780192848567

Anceschi, Luca ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-5382-540X (2024) Personalist rule and regime continuity in Central Asia. In: Baturo, Alex, Anceschi, Luca and Cavatorta, Francesco (eds.) Personalism and Personalist Regimes. Oxford University Press: Oxford, pp. 205-230. ISBN 9780192848567

Baturo, Alexander, Anceschi, Luca ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-5382-540X and Cavatorta, Francesco (2024) Introduction: Personalism and Personalist Regimes. In: Baturo, Alex, Anceschi, Luca and Cavatorta, Francesco (eds.) Personalism and Personalist Regimes. Oxford University Press: Oxford, pp. 1-26. ISBN 9780192848567

2021

Anceschi, Luca ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-5382-540X (2021) After personalism: rethinking power transfers in Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan. Journal of Contemporary Asia, 51(4), pp. 660-680. (doi: 10.1080/00472336.2020.1772853)

2020

Anceschi, Luca ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-5382-540X (2020) Analysing Kazakhstan's Foreign Policy: Regime Neo-Eurasianism in the Nazarbaev Era. Series: Central Asia research forum. Routledge. ISBN 9780415711432 (doi: 10.4324/9781315674698)

Anceschi, Luca ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-5382-540X and Smith, David J. ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-3346-3824 (2020) From the Editors. Europe-Asia Studies, 72(1), pp. 1-2. (doi: 10.1080/09668136.2019.1705613)

2017

Anceschi, Luca ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-5382-540X (2017) Kazakhstani neo-Eurasianism and Nazarbayev’s anti-imperial foreign policy. In: Bassin, Mark and Pozo, Gonzalo (eds.) The Politics of Eurasianism: Identity, Culture and Russia’s Foreign Policy. Rowman & Littlefield International, Ltd., pp. 283-300. ISBN 9781786601612

Anceschi, Luca ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-5382-540X (2017) Turkmenistan and the virtual politics of Eurasian energy: the case of the TAPI pipeline project. Central Asian Survey, 36(4), pp. 409-429. (doi: 10.1080/02634937.2017.1391747)

2015

Anceschi, Luca ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-5382-540X (2015) The irreplaceables in Central Asia. Open Democracy, 2015, 24 Apr.

Anceschi, Luca ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-5382-540X (2015) The persistence of media control under consolidated authoritarianism: containing Kazakhstan’s digital media. Demokratizatsiya, 23(3), pp. 277-295.

2014

Anceschi, Luca ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-5382-540X, Gervasio, Gennaro and Teti, Andrea (Eds.) (2014) Informal Power in the Greater Middle East: Hidden Geographies. Series: Routledge Studies in Middle Eastern Democratization and Government. Routledge: Abindgon. ISBN 9780415624367

Anceschi, Luca ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-5382-540X (2014) Authoritarian informality: elite centralization in Turkmenistan. In: Anceschi, Luca, Gervasio, Gennaro and Teti, Andrea (eds.) Informal Power in the Greater Middle East: Hidden Geographies. Series: Routledge Studies in Middle Eastern Democratization and Government. Routledge: Abindgon, pp. 190-206. ISBN 9780415624367

Anceschi, Luca ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-5382-540X (2014) Dilemmas of compatibility: GCC-Kazakhstani relations. Journal of Arabian Studies, 4(1), pp. 1-19. (doi: 10.1080/21534764.2014.918466)

Anceschi, Luca ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-5382-540X (2014) The importance of (not) being a stan. Open Democracy,

Anceschi, Luca ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-5382-540X (2014) Regime-building, identity-making and foreign policy: neo-Eurasianist rhetoric in post-Soviet Kazakhstan. Nationalities Papers, 42(5), pp. 733-749. (doi: 10.1080/00905992.2014.928276)

Anceschi, Luca ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-5382-540X (2014) The tyranny of pragmatism: EU–Kazakhstani relations. Europe-Asia Studies, 66(1), pp. 1-24. (doi: 10.1080/09668136.2013.864101)

2013

Anceschi, L. ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-5382-540X (2013) Belusconi’s l’amico Nursultan, and the Shalabayeva affair. Open Democracy,

2012

Anceschi, L. ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-5382-540X and Symons, J. (Eds.) (2012) Energy Security in the Era of Climate Change: The Asia-Pacific Experience. Series: Energy, climate and the environment. Palgrave Macmillan: Basingstoke. ISBN 9780230279872

Anceschi, L. ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-5382-540X (2012) Central Asia: succession planning in dictatorships. Open Democracy,

Anceschi, L. ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-5382-540X (2012) Central Asian Islam: activism, radicalism, and opposition. Fair Observer,

Anceschi, L. ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-5382-540X (2012) Change put on hold in Nazarbayev’s Kazakhstan. Open Democracy,

Anceschi, L. ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-5382-540X (2012) Elections in Turkmenistan: Niyazovshchina redux? Fair Observer,

Anceschi, L. ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-5382-540X (2012) Energy governance and climate change: Central Asia’s uneasy nexus. In: Anceschi, L. and Symons, J. (eds.) Energy Security in the Era of Climate Change: The Asia-Pacific Experience. Series: Energy, climate and the environment. Palgrave Macmillan: Basingstoke, pp. 180-197. ISBN 9780230279872

Anceschi, L. ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-5382-540X (2012) When it’s not time for change: Russia, China and the Arab revolutions. In: Akbarzadeh, S., Isakhan, B. and Mansouri, F. (eds.) The Arab Revolutions in Context: Civil Society and Democracy in a Changing Middle East. Series: Islamic studies series. Melbourne University Press: Melbourne, pp. 131-152. ISBN 9780522861600

2011

Anceschi, L. ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-5382-540X (2011) Reinforcing authoritarianism through media control: the case of post-Soviet Turkmenistan. In: Freeman, E. and Shafer, R. (eds.) After the Czars and Commissars: Journalism in Authoritarian Post-Soviet Central Asia. Series: Eurasion political economy and public policy study series. Michigan State University Press: East Lansing, MI, pp. 59-77. ISBN 9781611860054

Anceschi, L. ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-5382-540X and Akbarzadeh, S. (2011) Central Asia: pragmatism in action. In: Akbarzadeh, S. (ed.) America’s Challenges in the Greater Middle East: The Obama Administration’s Policies. Palgrave Macmillan: New York, NY, pp. 217-235. ISBN 9780230112773

2010

Anceschi, L. ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-5382-540X (2010) External conditionality, domestic insulation and energy security: The international politics of post-Niyazov Turkmenistan. China and Eurasia Forum Quarterly, 8(3), pp. 93-114.

Anceschi, L. ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-5382-540X (2010) Integrating domestic politics and foreign policy making: the cases of Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan. Central Asian Survey, 29(2), pp. 143-158. (doi: 10.1080/02634937.2010.498231)

Anceschi, L. ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-5382-540X and Peyrouse, S. (2010) Turkmenistan. China and Eurasia Forum Quarterly, 8(3),

2009

Anceschi, L. ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-5382-540X, Camilleri, J.A. and Petito, F. (2009) Europe, the United States and the Islamic world: conceptualising a triangular relationship. International Politics, 46(5), pp. 505-516.

Anceschi, L. ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-5382-540X, Camilleri, J.A. and Petito, F. (2009) The Islamic world between Europe and the United States. International Politics, 46(5),

2008

Anceschi, L. ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-5382-540X (2008) Analysing Turkmen foreign policy in the Berdymuhammedov Era. China and Eurasia Forum Quarterly, 6(4), pp. 35-48.

Anceschi, L. ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-5382-540X (2008) Turkmenistan’s Foreign Policy: Positive Neutrality and the Consolidation of the Turkmen Regime. Series: Central Asian studies series. Routledge: London ; New York. ISBN 9780415454407

2005

Anceschi, L. ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-5382-540X (2005) Asia Centrale post-sovietica: Cosa c’è dopo la pianificazione centralizzata? Oriente Moderno, 85(2-3), pp. 254-268.

Anceschi, L. ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-5382-540X (2005) La nottola di Minerva sull’Asia Centrale. Elezioni ed autoritarismo nel Kyrgyzstan post-sovietico (1990 – 2005). Meridione, 5(3), pp. 186-214.

This list was generated on Fri Jan 16 09:03:19 2026 GMT.

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