‍Central Asia and The Caucasus Journal

Abstract  
Seeking to counterbalance international unilateralism, Iran employs a strategy that combines domestic strengths with strategic partnerships, viewing institutions like BRICS as vital platforms. Motivated by a revisionist perspective on the global order, Iran actively cultivates relationships with emerging powers while opposing cooperation with established hegemonic forces. Key objectives, pursued through BRICS membership, include strengthening Iran's geopolitical position and working to delegitimize and contain perceived unilateralist hegemony.

Abstract       Continuous monitoring of the daily lives of citizens is one of the fundamental propositions of bio-theory. On a broader scale, continued security controls and strict oversight over neighboring countries are also enforced by countries that have some form of historical-civilization conflict with their neighbors. Russia, as one of the historical and political axes of Central Asia, has adopted different foreign policies than what is called the near abroad. However, the fundamental element that is most prominent in Russian foreign policy in its peripheral environment seems to be its overarching security approach and its imposition of regional hegemony. In this regard, the present study has investigated the foreign policy of Russia in the South Caucasus by using descriptive-analytical method and by using the theories of bio-political theory. The results show that Russian foreign policy lacks hegemonic burdens despite multiple layers of persistent flexibility. This lack is due to divergent histories, cultures and ideologies that exist in the region, and Russia has always tried to suppress them by maintaining its superior military doctrine. Russia's military doctrine, however, has been able to maintain its hardware hegemony over the South Caucasus, and the three countries Armenia, Azerbaijan and Georgia inevitably pursue a policy of alignment and alignment with Russia because of structural deficiencies.

Abstract The facts and figures as well as expert reviews of international politics prove that China is in the trend of a power rise as well as hegemony afterwards. The main issue is about the opportunities and obstacles that China will face in this trend, especially from the prism of geopolitics. The question is about the impact of geopolitics on China´s prospect hegemony. Since geopolitics is both an opportunity- maker and restrictive factor for hegemony, it would be both a trouble making and a break ahead for China. This literature not only provides a better understanding of main hindrances that China faces ahead in its power rise, but also serves as a source of explanation for understanding its regional foreign policy instruments. Trying to compose a theoretical framework for the relation between hegemony and geopolitics, the authors have studied possible symptoms of China´s prospect hegemony. China´s Belt - Road Initiative is assessed as an instrument for breaking through its geographical obstacles.

Abstract During the Post-Cold War era, Moscow used various tools to secure its interests in the Post-Soviet space. Although Russia's status as one of the world's great powers might have been questioned in theory and practice since the collapse of the Soviet Union, its determining role as a regional power among former Soviet republics has remained unquestionable. Authors hold that the concept of "regional hegemony" can be applied to understand Russia's relations with its neighbors. The continuity of a regional power’s hegemony despite its decline in terms of material capabilities may lead us to explore the role of non-material factors. Given the fact that Russia's material power resources have been declining to different extents and can hardly be enough to ensure the continuity of its regional hegemony, the authors investigate non-material elements and indicators of Russia's power. Using the theory of "Socialization and Hegemonic Power" which underlines the role of subjective elements in preserving hegemony, as well a descriptive – analytical research method, the authors try to tell why the research findings provide an answer to the following question: Why has Russia's regional hegemony survived the gradual decline of its material power resources and independent-minded policies of some post-Soviet states? The main hypothesis of the study underlines the role of cultural resources of Russia's power in forming post-Soviet elites' mindsets and supplementing military and economic elements and as a result perpetuating Russia's hegemonic status.  
 

Abstract The characteristics of the post-cold war International System and United States hegemony are not only the result of the changing structure of power, but the performance of agents and actors have also played an important role in the formation of principles of this era. Accordingly,  the anti-hegemonic acts such as the terrorist attacks of 9/11 and the role played by regional actors have increased the desire to confront the hegemonic power and provided grounds for an assertion of emerging powers,  shifting the international system to its current uni-multi polar form. In the meantime, the empowerment of China in the economic arena and its influence on the international system on the one hand and Russia’s attempt to protect its sphere of influence at a regional level and its confrontation with the hegemonic unilateralism on the other hand has brought forth the following question: what are the main components of Russia-China soft power balance and how do these components influence US hegemony? The hypothesis of this paper is that components such as delegitimizing the hegemony, economic reinforcement, utilizing regional organizations such as BRICS are the main components of Russia and China’s soft power balance that emphasize the indirect confrontation of the hegemonic power and challenge the United Sates. Through an explanatory-descriptive, and with data collective methods via library, internet statistics this paper further explores the components of Russia and China’s soft power balance in the field of economic power, utilization of organizations such as BRICS, delegitimizing hegemonic power, preventing the efficacy and performance of the United states in sensitive regions which have been effective in influencing US hegemonic power.