This innovative study presents an in-depth political and sociological analysis of the internal power politics and imperial forms developed by the Russian neo-eurasianists and the neo-conservatives in the United States. It traces the growth of nationalism and the concept of 'Empire' in relation to the ideologies and foreign policy of both Russia and the USA.

Beginning with a genealogy of the two movements, the authors present the intricacy of imperial rhetoric and nationalist ideologies in modern states compared with the distinctive definition of Empire as a politico-historical form. The extent to which these ideas have shaped the foreign policy of Russia and the USA is then related to events in Central Asia, Afghanistan, Iran, Iraq, Saudi Arabia and Turkey. The analysis of each case provides a better understanding of the imperial character of these foreign policies in relation to their nationalist foundations.

The combination of political theory and geopolitics makes this cutting-edge research a must read to all interested in the evolving discourse surrounding Empire.

Contents: Introduction; Part I The Apostles of the Empire: Intellectual Genealogies: Neoconservatives, old and new; From Eurasianism to neo-Eurasianism, nostalgia for the Empire. Part II Imperial Calling and Nationalism: Anatomy of the Empire: imperial nationalism?; American history through the neoconservative looking glass: imperial calling derived from nationalism; The Empire, neo-Eurasianists and Russian nationalism. Part III Geopolitics of Imperial Invocations: Between Cynicism, Ideology and Incoherence: Islam; Turkey and central Asia; The Middle East; Conclusion: the impossible Empire of ressentiment; Afterword: changing people, continuing patterns?; Selective and thematic bibliography: Index.