Rediscovering Central Asia

In his essay, Rediscovering Central Asia, S. Frederick Starr discusses the majesty and intellectual glory of ancient Central Asia and argues that in order to understand the region's modern day turmoil, "acquiring a deeper knowledge of [their]... past is an essential place to begin." (209). One method in which he moves his piece forward is his use of rhetorical questions. He asks, "Are there other solar systems out among the stars?" (195), "How important was religion to this explosion of creativity?" (201), "Why did the great age of Central Asia fade?" (203), and "Would this happen today in Central Asia?" (208). In fact, nearly every new section of the work begins with one such question. This allows the reader to gather her own thoughts and form her own opinions before delving into Starr's argument. He also juxtaposes ancient culture to the very different world in Central Asia today, making the discussion more modern, and therefore more relevant and also more interesting. At one point, for example, he talks about the fact that today, "In impoverished Afghanistan, traditionally considered the heart of Central Asia, U.S. forces are fighting a backward-looking and ignorant Taliban." (196). As a whole, the essay presents an interesting view into this highly controversial space and tries to convince of its wonder.