Review by Choice Review
The papers in this collection were presented at a 1999 conference sponsored by the Swedish Institute of International Affairs and several other organizations. The introduction and conclusion summarize the contents well; the papers are informative but often repetitive. The emphasis on meetings and agreements often overshadows the historic linkages and cultural bonds that the Russian Empire and Soviet Union interrupted for nearly 200 years. Central Asia existed long before Russia invaded and colonized it, and its future is more likely to be affected by its search for authenticity and equilibrium independent of the former imperial rule. The rush to create a "new regional order" in central Asia may have dire, unforeseen consequences, not unlike the results of the Ottoman Empire's break-up that have affected the Middle Fast and Eastern Europe ever since. The heavy emphasis on the Turkish language, variations of which are spoken from Turkey to parts of China, should not be allowed to overshadow the "Iranic" culture and Persian language (recognized only in passing) that is prevalent from Iran to Xinjiang, and embraced by many ethnic groups including the Uighurs in China. Readers may be interested in "Central Asia and the Natural Flow of History," in Persian Gulf beyond Desert Storm (1994). Recommended for upper-division undergraduates and graduate students. F. L. Mokhtari Norwich University
Copyright American Library Association, used with permission.
Review by Choice Review
