YEREVAN, Armenia — On May 29-30, the American University of Armenia (AUA) hosted the international conference, “The Return of the Great Game: Geopolitical and Geoeconomic Developments in the Heartland,” organized by Director of the Turpanjian Institute of Social Sciences (TISS) Professor Stephan Astourian.
Held in the University’s Manoogian Hall, the two-day conference brought together world-renowned scholars, policymakers, and regional experts to examine the geopolitical and geoeconomic transformations reshaping what British early 20th-century geographer and founder of modern geopolitics Sir Halford Mackinder called the “Heartland” — the vast regions stretching from the borders of Eastern Europe to China. Over the past decades, the South Caucasus has gradually become an extension of that Heartland as a result of various connectivity and energy-related projects. Conference discussions focused on regional stability, sustainable development, and international cooperation but also tensions amid intensifying global competition among great and regional powers.
AUA President Dr. Bruce Boghosian welcomed participants in his opening remarks, emphasizing the importance of international academic collaboration in addressing complex global challenges. He also highlighted the University’s commitment to advancing scholarship in international relations and public affairs through the work of TISS.
“This is the second international conference organized by TISS,” said Dr. Boghosian. “We are pleased that the newly formed Turpanjian Institute is continuing to expand its activities and create synergies with AUA’s graduate programs, including the Master of International Relations and Diplomacy and the Master of Public Affairs. One of AUA’s goals, and one of the goals of TISS, is to eventually establish a major center for international relations in this region and help educate a new generation of international relations specialists. In this regard, the conference also provides an excellent opportunity for our graduate students to engage with rigorous and diverse analyses of the major issues facing the world in general, and the South Caucasus and Armenia in particular.”
Professor Astourian addressed attendees, highlighting the conference’s central themes and the need for informed scholarship on the region’s rapidly evolving geopolitical and geoeconomic landscape.
The conference examined how shifting global dynamics have renewed strategic competition across the Eurasian Heartland. Participants discussed the region’s growing geopolitical importance driven by its energy resources, transportation corridors, and strategic location connecting Europe and Asia. Discussions also addressed major connectivity initiatives, including China’s Belt and Road Initiative, the Middle Corridor, and the Trump Route for International Peace and Prosperity (TRIPP), as well as their implications for the South Caucasus.
Across a series of sessions, participants explored Armenia’s place within the changing regional order, the role of major powers in Eurasia and the South Caucasus, questions of sovereignty and security, ongoing regional conflicts, and emerging geoeconomic initiatives. Each session concluded with Q&A discussions that allowed participants to further engage with presenters and examine the issues in greater depth.
By placing contemporary developments in historical context, the conference sought to deepen understanding of the political, economic, and strategic forces shaping the Heartland and the South Caucasus, while fostering dialogue on the opportunities and challenges facing the region.
The video recording of the conference is available online.
Founded in 1991, the American University of Armenia (AUA) is a private, independent university located in Yerevan, Armenia, affiliated with the University of California, and accredited by the WASC Senior College and University Commission (WSCUC) in the United States. AUA provides local and international students with Western-style education through top-quality undergraduate and graduate degree and certificate programs, promotes research and innovation, encourages civic engagement and community service, and fosters democratic values.
