Some of the material in is restricted to members of the community. By logging in, you may be able to gain additional access to certain collections or items. If you have questions about access or logging in, please use the form on the Contact Page.
The end of the Cold War forced the United States to formulate a new foreign policy that was no longer defined by the ideological struggle that dominated the latter half of the twentieth century. Although post-Cold War foreign policy represented a move away from ideologically motivated policy, traditional notions of Realism and Liberalism prevailed. This thesis argues that throughout the 1990s U.S. foreign policy became more practical in nature as relations were based on changing political and economic relations. The post-Soviet Caspian states are the focus of this thesis, as they represent a region with which the United States has managed to establish bilateral political and economic relationship since their independence. This thesis argues that there has been a reorientation of U.S. foreign policy following the attacks of September 11, 2001. Articulated in the current administration's foreign policy agenda, this shift represents a departure from established international relations theory. . Once a theoretical and practical understanding of post-Soviet U.S. foreign policy in the region has been established, this thesis will outline the internal political and economic situation in the Caspian states of Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan and Turkmenistan. There is also an examination of international interest in the Caspian region, looking at both state and non-state actors. Through examining the nature of prior U.S. foreign policy in the Caspian states as well as that of all parties involved, this thesis will show how the current direction of American involvement in the region threatens to undermine both broader U.S. foreign policy as well as that of other interests.
