The modern history of Kyrgyzstan resembles a
fascinating history of the Great Game (a term used to describe competition
between the British and Russian Empires for domination in Central Asia). For centuries
various great powers and nomadic Khanates attempted to establish an ultimate
control over this strategically important land. For centuries the land
populated by Kyrgyzs was fragmented between various political entities, and
only at the end of the 19th century the Russian Empire finally acquired control
over this region. In 1924 the Kyrgyz land was united into a single political
entity in the controversial and still widely debated border delimitation
process. In 1991 Kyrgyzstan declared its independence and began building a
democratic and market oriented state. However, very soon the newly independent
country found itself in the center of the political competition for influence
between such powers as China, Russia and the USA. This competition finally
landed the US and Russian military airbases in Kyrgyzstan's territory in what
some analysts describe as a new round of the Great Game.
This dictionary provides a concise yet comprehensive
overview of the historical development of Kyrgyzstan. The introduction and
chronology provide an overview of the Kyrgyz history, focusing on the history
of the country in the 20th century. The
author carefully assesses the key issues in Kyrgyzstan's attempt to develop
democratic and market oriented institutions and to keep militant elements at a
bay. He overviews the growth of political organizations and NGOs and the
struggle for power between various formal and informal political groups and
institutions.
This is the first comprehensive reference book on
Kyrgyzstan, which provides superb up-to-date details about the key players and
key issues in contemporary domestic and international politics of Kyrgyzstan.
The dictionary consists of approximately 300 entries and is cross-referenced to
make sure that it is easy to use by both experienced scholars and young
students interested in a complicated and captivating history of Kyrgyzs and
Kyrgyz land. The substantial bibliography will help readers to find materials
and resources in specialized subject areas.
Rafis Abazov is a visiting scholar at the Harriman Institute at
Columbia University, New York. He is the author of two books and numerous
articles in Kazakhstani, Russian, and other international academic journals. He
has contributed articles to the Encyclopaedia of Modern Asia, and the Encyclopaedia
of National Economies.
If you would like to review this book
for your publication, please contact
Nancy Hofmann at nhofmann@rowman.com
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