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"By far the most intellectually stimulating book to emerge on this topic in the past year... " -- Foreign Affairs

This timely book focuses on the newly independent Muslim Republics of the former Soviet Union in Central Asia, especially Uzbekistan, Tajikistan, and Azerbaijan.

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When you decide to edit a volume on a particular topic, there's always one problem aside from the obvious one of getting the authors to submit on time and in the proper format.That is that each participant may repeat a lot of the same information, giving background to readers.Single articles need such background, of course, but those compiled in volumes do not.What am I talking about ?I am saying that if you read this book you are going to get a lot of information over and over again.A second caveat for readers is that the wirters cover the state of geopolitics in 1990-1993.We have moved on.Some observations seem pertinent fifteen years later, others do not.The expected roles of Turkey and Iran in Central Asia have not come to much, while Russia's cultural, political, and economic dominance continues.The elites, which must eventually transform into less Soviet-style groups, have not yet changed.America's role, after Sept. 11, 2001, changed dramatically, but not in a positive way.The cautious predictions made in this volume will startle no one; few of the problems described have been tackled, much less solved.

Readers interested in Central Asian geopolitics of the period may want to select Martha Brill Olcott's "Central Asia's New States" because it is better written and has the advantage of books by single authors---tight organization and no repetition.Olcott wrote a chapter for the present volume too, but the chapters I found most interesting were Muriel Atkin's on Tajikistan's relations with Iran and Afghanistan and Tadeusz Swietochowski's chapter on Azerbaijan.Both these provided information which I had not found elsewhere.Two chapters on Turkey's approach to the Caucasus and Central Asia and Iran's approach resembled some of the other chapters, but presented the material from a different point of view.In general, I thought that this book might have been prepared in a hurry back when it came out because there was a great dearth of material then.Not the case now.We may say that THE NEW GEOPOLITICS OF CENTRAL ASIA is out of date.
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Between February and September 1988, the Iraqi government destroyed over 2000 Kurdish villages, killing somewhere between 50,000 and 100,000 civilians and displacing many more. The operation was codenamed Anfal which literally means 'the spoils of war'. For the survivors of this campaign, Anfal did not end in September 1988: the aftermath of this catastrophe is as much a part of the Anfal story as the gas attacks, disappearances and life in the camps. This book examines Kurdish women's experience of violence, destruction, the disappearance of loved ones, and incarceration during the Anfal campaign. It explores the survival strategies of these women in the aftermath of genocide. By bringing together and highlighting women's own testimonies, Choman Hardi reconstructs the Anfal narrative in contrast to the current prevaling one which is highly politicised, simplified, and nationalistic. It also addresses women's silences about sexual abuse and rape in a patriarchal society which holds them responsible for having been a victim of sexual violence. ... Read more

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In 2000, a major international conference was organized by the Arab Planning Institute to identify, analyze and compare development challenges facing Arab countries at the dawn of the new millennium. An interdisciplinary team of scholars were brought together from the fields of regional science, development studies, economics, business and government policy and together they addressed global, regional and domestic challenges and their impact on the Arab region. This volume brings together the best papers presented at this conference. In doing so, it offers up-to-date insights into, and a clearer understanding of this region. It highlights issues including: economic and social implications of globalization; strategic alliances; the implications for Arab countries of emerging technological patterns; the impact of the European Monetary Union and the euro; Arab regional integration; education; and the development of individual Arab country's economies. ... Read more

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Names such as Dubai and Abu Dhabi have been emerging in the world's eye over the past decade as exotic hotspots, wealthy from oil production and advanced in the means of technology. However, at the same time, the Arab Gulf States have managed to maintain their traditional culture, adapting it to modern life. With complete coverage on Oman, Qatar, Bahrain, Kuwait, and the United Arab Emirates, Culture and Customs of the Arab Gulf States is a must-have for every high school and public library shelf. Clear and vivid descriptions of contemporary life in the Arab Gulf help students discover how traditions of the past have evolved into customs today. This exhaustive volume covers topics such as religion, festivals, cuisine, fashion, family life, literature, the media, and music, among many others. Up-to-date and comprehensive, this volume offers a unique and contemporary depiction of culture in some of the world's wealthiest, up-and-coming nations.

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Barranquilla, an industrial, portuary, and special district, is a city and municipality located in northern Colombia by the Caribbean Sea. The capital of the Atlántico Department, it is the largest industrial city and port in the Colombian Caribbean region, and the fourth largest city in Colombia. It lies strategically by the delta of the Magdalena River, serving as port for river and maritime transportation. It is also known as the cradle of Colombian aviation and for its carnival ... Read more

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