Energy, Economics, and Politics in the Caspian Region Dreams and Realities

Subjects:

• Political Science » International Relations
• Political Science » Political Science (General)
• Political Science » Comparative Politics
• Science » Science (General)

Reviews:

• This volume's central theme is the legal status of the Caspian Sea relative to international designs on its role as a transit for the 200 billion barrels of oil reserved in the countries surrounding it. Crandall correctly notes that the Caspian region may potentially add more fuel to the flame of global and regional military, ethnic, and religious conflicts. Now, in addition to Russia and Iran, other countries such as Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, and Turkmenistan are directly involved in such conflicts. Moreover, the dramatic rise of oil and gas consumption in China and India has increased their stakes in the region. Turkey also has been attempting to make independent claims and policies with respect to the Caspian region. Meanwhile, Western corporate interests there have become ever more vital, particularly for the US. Crandall tries to shed light on this complex matter, yet by and large she focuses almost exclusively on "internal factors" to explain the region's endemic corruption and abject poverty. However, she does not fully correlate the effects of global economic dynamics upon regional politics so as to show how Russia, China, and Iran are collectively trying to counter US influence over the Caspian region. Recommended. Comprehensive research collections.
  —Choice December 2006
• Crandall takes a close look at the countries surrounding the Caspian Sea for their potential as oil and gas producers, arguing that oil reserves and future production levels in the Caspian region have been overestimated. She examines the stakes involved, including forecast revenues and their potential uses, and discusses issues of governance affecting the disposition of these revenue streams. She also examines environmental considerations, local leadership, and the political situation in the region.
  —Reference & Research Book News November 2006

• Endorsement From Leonard L. Coburn
  International Energy Consultant and Former Director of Russian and Eurasian Affairs, U.S. Department of Energy: Dr. Crandall has written a comprehensive book on energy development in the Caspian with a focus on the region's vast oil and gas resources and the problems associated with producing these resources and transporting them to world markets. While many analysts and experts have written about the increasing energy importance of this region, Dr. Crandall puts it all together in a manner suitable for both the beginner and the expert. Anyone new to the region will come away with a better understanding of the political dynamics that drive energy development. For the expert, Dr. Crandall provides a resource that can be delved into over and over to gain new insights and nuances from a region where politics and resource development are so inextricably intertwined. Moreover, Dr. Crandall's writing is superb and quite approachable, making the book especially valuable for all readers.
• Endorsement From Charles Collier, Ph.D.
  Duke University
  Energy Analyst
  U.S. Department of Energy: Maureen S. Crandall has written the book that I believe is the best one available on Caspian Sea oil and gas resources and prospects for development and prospects for solving our energy security problem. The book works superbly on two levels. On one level, if you are not yet a specialist in the area, this book is an excellent introduction to the Caspian and its issues. On the other level, if you are a specialist in the area--as I fancy myself to be--I guarantee that you will learn a lot of the details and facts. On either level, the book works.

Table of Contents:

• Introduction
• Caspian Energy: Prospects, Pipelines, and Problems
• The Inner Circle
• The Outer Circle
• Concluding Remarks
• List of Tables
• List of Figures
• Endnotes
• Bibliography