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| Author: | Marcia L. Sprules, Deputy Director |
|---|
January 15, 2003
Library Journal Reviews
Minahan, James. . 4 vols. Greenwood. 2002. 2241p. permanent paper. index. LC 2001033691. ISBN 0-313-32109-4. $475. REF
Expanding his 1996 Nations Without States by at least 50 percent, freelance researcher Minahan now presents information on over 300 ethnic groups. His criteria for inclusion are that individuals within the group identify themselves as a separate nation, have adopted at least some trappings of a state (especially a flag), and have formed a nationalist or political organization. A few groups will be familiar from news sources (e.g., Chechens, Kurds, Basques); most will be unfamiliar but could appear in the news at any time. Readers might be surprised by some of the entries (Southerners and New Englanders in the United States, for example). In general, the entries provide enough background to supplement media reports. Each entry covers the group's national history, language, religion, and homeland occupied and provides both a population estimate and a few sources for further reading. Appendixes list geographical distribution, national organizations, and dates when independence was declared. While the sources credited include international organizations, scholarly societies, and a few U.S. government agencies, it is unclear how much input the leadership of various groups may have had in shaping the entries. Of interest to libraries with a news-conscious clientele.
Marcia L. Sprules, Council on Foreign Relations Lib., New York
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