內亞（Inner Asia），又稱為中央歐亞（Central Eurasia）或內陸歐亞（Inner Eurasia）。它包括了從蒙古高原迄於東歐匈牙利草原之間的廣袤區域，以草原、沙漠、綠洲與極地為主。生活在內亞的民族主要屬阿爾泰語系、印歐語系與漢藏語系等等，主要的生業方式為遊牧、綠洲與灌溉農業，以及採集狩獵等等。在歷史上，許多龐大的帝國與文明都是由內亞民族所建立，諸如斯基泰、匈奴、突厥、回鶻、吐蕃、蒙古與滿洲等。這些內亞民族與帝國也留給了後世許多重要的政治與文化遺產。
　　本課程將從世界史角度來介紹自斯基泰人以降至蘇聯崩潰後的內亞，以講述學界現有研究成果為主，以史料閱讀為輔，並搭配相關影音材料，以激發學生對內亞諸文明的研究興趣。本課程預計先以十五周的時間講述內亞史的分期發展，搭配一周的專題討論。
Inner Asia, also known as Central Eurasia or Inner Eurasia, is used to describe the land between the Pontic-Caspian steppe and Mongol steppe. The natural environment of Inner Asia includes steppe, oasis, desert, and arid area. Most Inner Asian peoples are nomads and hunter-gatherers. Oasis dwellers can cultivate crops. In world history, many great empires and civilizations were built by Inner Asian peoples, including the Scythians, Xiongnu, Türks, Uighurs, Tibetans, Mongols, and Manchus. They had laid significant political and cultural legacies for the modern world.
This course will introduce the Inner Asian civilizations in world history. Students will read general works and some excerpts of historical sources on the Inner Asian civilizations. Videos will be used as teaching aids if needed. Following introductory lectures on the history and geography of the region, we will survey, in a chronological order, the historical developments in the region, both in the sedentary areas, and in the steppes, beginning with the rise of the Scythians and concluding in Inner Asia after the collapse of Soviet rule in fourteen weeks and explore one topic on Inner Asian history on the fifteenth week.