This paper examines into the historiography of Central Eurasia, with particular emphasis on its relationship to world/global history. It concentrates on three primary aspects: first, a critical appraisal of the fields within Central Eurasian history; second, a concise introduction to several contemporary theoretical approaches in world history; third, an examination of specific research that serves as a case study for the application of these theories.
In the initial section, I scrutinize key issues in East Asian history, specifically the challenges of otherization and the reclamation of East Asian history from “Western” comparative frameworks. I discuss how these issues have influenced the history of Central Eurasian studies and the extent to which the field has surmounted these challenges. The subsequent section explores the ways in which novel theories pertaining to empire, religion, and ethnicity have impacted recent historical studies, and considers the potential ramifications for Central Eurasian Studies. Finally, as a series of case studies illustrating the application of these theories, I present several works that investigate the nature of the Mongol Empire and its religious dimensions.