Review by Choice Review
This interesting but disjointed collection suffers from the usual difficulties of a multiauthored volume: some contributions are useful, well researched, and clearly written, while others attempt to cover too much ground superficially or use so much social science jargon that the nonspecialist quickly loses interest. The volume grew out of a 2001 conference at University College, London, which sought to review the extent of academic knowledge about the "post-Soviet space" a decade after the USSR's collapse. Among the best essays are Vera Tolz's assessment of Russian nation building and the attempt to strengthen a Russian national identity among all citizens living in the Russian Federation; Bhavna Dave's review of ethnic relations in Kazakhstan, a country still without a majority of Kazaks living within its borders, let alone a majority of citizens who know the Kazak language well; and Philip Hansen's study of regionalism within Russia, focusing on the devolution of taxing and spending and the evolving regional administrative structure within the country. There are extensive footnotes but there is no separate bibliography. ^BSumming Up: Recommended. Upper-division undergraduates and above. J. S. Zacek Union College (NY)
Copyright American Library Association, used with permission.
Review by Choice Review
