In Conflict Zones, Janusz Bugajski enhances our understanding of the causes and consequences of the current conflicts in the North Caucasus and extrapolates likely scenarios in the region's development. He compares and contrasts conditions in the North Caucasus with the former Yugoslav federation in the Western Balkans, a multi-ethnic state structure that could not contain internally generated political and ethnic disputes.

The book examines five major dimensions of the conflict:

Relations between the central federal government and the constituent republics
The importance of ethnic identity in intercommunal relations
The significance and impact of religious allegiance and radicalism
The destabilizing regional potential of emerging states
The role of outside powers in dampening or exacerbating conflicts

The study concludes with a number of recommendations for U.S. policymakers.