The tectonic evolution of the Western Tien Shan Intracontinental deformation usually is a result of tectonic forces associated with distant plate collisions. In general the evolution of mountain ranges and basins in this environment is strongly controlled by the distribution and geometries of preexisting structures. Thus predictive models usually fail in forecasting the deformation evolution in these kinds of settings. Detailed information on each range and basin fill is vital to comprehend the evolution of intracontinental mountain belts and basins. In this dissertation I have investigated the complex Cenozoic tectonic evolution of the western Tien Shan in Central Asia which is one of the most active intracontinental ranges in the world. The work presented here combines a broad array of datasets including thermo and geochronology paleoenvironmental interpretations sediment provenance and subsurface interpretations in order to track changes in tectonic deformation. Most of the identified changes are connected and can be related to regional scale processes that governed the…