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From a critically acclaimed author-a comprehensive history of the part of the world currently making headlines

The former Soviet republics of Central Asia comprise a sprawling, politically pivotal, densely populated, and richly cultured area of the world that is nonetheless poorly represented in libraries and mainstream media. Since their political incorporation in Stalin's Soviet era, these countries have gone through a flash of political and economical evolution. But despite these rapid changes, the growth of oil wealth and U.S. jockeying, and the opening of the region to tourists and businessmen, the spirit of Central Asia has remained untouched at its core.

In this comprehensive new treatment, renowned political writer and historian Dilip Hiro offers us a narrative that places the modern politics, peoples, and cultural background of this region firmly into the context of current international focus. Given the strategic location of Central Asia, its predominantly Muslim population, and its hydrocarbon and other valuable resources, it comes as no surprise that the five Central Asian republics are emerging in the twenty-first century as one of the most potentially influential-and coveted-patches of the globe. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (4)

A Comprehensive and Useful Overview
I read Dilip Hiro's "Inside Central Asia: A Political and Cultural History of Uzbekistan, Turkmenistan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkey, and Iran" because I wanted to get a solid introduction to this region, and to this end the book was successful. Although Hiro discusses seven complicated countries, he manages to provide a very comprehensive and detailed overview. Some countries are discussed in greater detail than others (e.g., Uzbekistan gets 73 pages, Kyrgyzstan and Iran each get about 30) but all chapters provide a good starting place for those interested in studying any one country in greater detail. The "Summary and Conclusions" chapter was particularly useful.

Hiro's choice to include chapters on Turkey and Iran was logical, given the immense importance of these countries on the past, present, and future of the central Asian republics. Russia (and the Soviet Union), Afghanistan, the United States, and China are not given their own chapters, but they are intimately involved in all of the book's chapters. This is especially true of the Soviet Union, whose policies profoundly shaped Central Asia. The Soviet Union is discussed in detail, and I came away from the book with a much better understanding of its history and policies in the region. After the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991, Hiro explains how Russia continues to loom large in its so-called "near abroad" (this is particularly true given the large number of Russians who migrated to the region during the Soviet era). The United Stats enters the picture forcefully after 9/11, and its often ambiguous relations with the nascent republics, primarily concerning military bases and human rights, are well discussed. American relations with repressive regimes are especially complex and distressing, as America often turns a blind eye towards--or financially rewards--authoritarian abuses so as to secure reliable military partners in the "war on terrorism." In the troubling case of Uzbekistan, this relationship explodes following the mind-boggling Andijan massacre of 2005.

On that note, this book is also a useful study of how corrupt autocrats achieve and hold power through internal and external maneuvering. With the possible exception of Kyrgyzstan, all of the Central Asian Republics have been and still are ruled by strongmen who--having come to power during the collapse of the Soviet Union--have enriched themselves while oppressing dissent, religion, and anything resembling real democracy. Hiro provides interesting portraits of these leaders, who range from megalomaniacal and often amusing (Niyazov "Turkmenbashi" of Turkmenistan) and wildly corrupt (all of them) to utterly savage (Karimov of Uzbekistan).

My main gripe is that, despite its title, the book is primarily concerned with the politics rather than the cultures of this region. The role of religion in politics is discussed extensively, but, as another reviewer has mentioned, most cultural lessons take the form of sudden asides on this or that feature of Central Asian life. However, Hiro does a good job discussing the importance of national myth and history (fictive or otherwise) on the nationalist projects of different regimes. My interest occasionally flagged when Hiro presents detailed discussions of Soviet resource production, membership in political parties, and a sometimes bewildering parade of politicians in each country. Also, I couldn't help but notice that Hiro once inexplicably cites Wikipedia for a note on Iranian Jews (note 5, Chapter 7)! I would have liked more discussion of China's influence in the region, especially given that its sizable Xinjiang Uyghur population is frequently included in discussions of Central Asia (the Uyghurs are only mentioned once). Nevertheless, on the whole the book appears well researched and reasonable in its arguments.

Generally, if you are looking for an up-to-date and in-depth overview of contemporary Central Asia, "Inside Central Asia" delivers.

Good Account of Modern Central Asia
"Inside Central Asia", by Dilip Hiro, provides a good account of the "Stan" nations of Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Turkmenistan, Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan.There is a chapter on each of these nations.Each chapter gives a short history of the nation, but the focus of the narrative is on post World War II era politics and Post Cold War politics.It highlights the influence of the Soviet Union on the Central Asian nations while they were a part of the USSR, and their attempts to find individual paths after the fall of Soviet government in Moscow.It details the struggle of each nation's leaders with the renewed growth of Islam, and the influence from the Taliban in Afghanistan.He gives an excellent account of the mostly corrupt doings of the nation's leaders.Mostly, it explains the constant struggles between Russia, Turkey and Iran to wield overall influence in Central Asia.The book ends suggesting that Russian influence is again on the rise.While Turkish influence was greatest after the fall of the Soviet Union, their power to influence Central Asia waned as Islamism grew stronger in Ankara.Overall, this is a good read to understand modern Central Asia and its politics.

A 'must' for any library strong in Asian history and culture
INSIDE CENTRAL ASIA: A POLITICAL AND CULTURAL HISTORY OF UZBEKISTAN, TURKMENISTAN, KAZAKHSTAN, KYRGYZSTAN, TAJIKISTAN, TURKEY AND IRAN is a 'must' for any library strong in Asian history and culture, especially as these regions are typically given only cursory attention in favor of Japan, Korea and others. The former Soviet republics of Central Asia represent a politically pivotal region and are essential study for any who would understanding the pressures in the region. Political writer and historian Dilip Hiro's analysis of the politics and daily lives of the peoples of these countries is detailed and essential.

A useful overview of recent Central Asian history
This provides a thorough and often insightful account of the recent history of today's five Central Asian states: Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan.

The main focus is on the post-Soviet history of the new nations, but Hiro begins with an introductory chapter on the history of the region, starting from the earliest times and then providing increasingly detailed coverage of the Tsarist and Soviet periods up to 1950.

Each of the five nations is then covered in its own chapter, starting with its development in the final years of the USSR, then with its leap to independence, and then the subsequent years of nation building.There are many common themes, including the struggles to reassert (or create) a unifying national identity, to create functioning economies after the post-Soviet economic collapse, the tensions of overlapping ethnic groups, the resurgence of interest in traditional Islam, and a strong tendency towards authoritarian one-party rule.

The last twenty years have not always been easy in this region, and Hiro is willing to be fairly hard-hitting in discussing some of the difficulties, including the outright megalomania of Niyazov's personal rule in Turkmenistan, the regional rivalries behind the Tajikistan civil war, and the allegations of high-level corruption in Kazakhstan.He explains the background and consequences of ethnic tensions and Islamic movements in the Fergana valley, including the tensions that led to the tragic Andijon incident.

As well as the chapters on the five Central Asian nations, Hiro also includes chapters on Turkey and Iran.These are both useful short histories in their own right, but unfortunately the Turkish chapter is mostly unrelated to Central Asia, other than a few paragraphs noting Turkey's limited influence.The Iranian chapter is much more relevant, with an insightful explanation of how shared fears over the rise of the radical Sunni Taliban led to rapprochement between the generally secular Central Asian regimes and the strongly Shiite Iran.

While I found this work generally useful and readable, there are also some weaknesses.The writing quality is sometimes rather uneven and I got the impression that various parts of the book may have been written at different times, for different purposes.Especially in the chapter on Turkey, Hiro sometimes wanders off into strange side topics, such as the introduction of yogurt to 15th c. France. The two included maps are very weak (Kazakhstan's current capital is missing from both!).

But these quibbles aside, this is generally a very readable overview of the region.This is an area with a complex recent history, so having a single tightly written account is valuable.
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Turkmenistan has recently come to the attention to global strategic planners.This report puts these executives on the fast track.Ten chapters provide: an overview of how to strategically access this important market, a discussion on economic fundamentals, marketing & distribution options, export and direct investment options, and full risk assessments (political, cultural, legal, human resources).Ample statistical benchmarks and comparative graphs are given. ... Read more

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Customer Reviews (2)

needed something more
This book was decent for what it was.The author explores how the Soviets created Turkmenistan back in the 1920s and 1930s, and she did a great deal of research and used many good sources.However, I was hoping for more.She basically talks about this creation occuring in the 1920s and 1930s throughout the entirety of a not-very-lengthy book, and then has one 5 page chapter where she suddenly fast-forwards up to present day.I found this very disappointing, since it would've been interesting to know what happened between then and now, especially considering the fact that a second world war occurred, the cold war occured, and the USSR collapsed between then and now.I would imagine at least some of that had an effect on the creation and continued building of Turkmenistan as a country.

Helpful original work on Central Asia
This new and original contribution to texts on Central Asia under the Communist empire is necessary, original, insightful and typically liberal.The irony of the liberalism here is that in the 1930s and 1970s the same liberalism was used to describe how Soviet Communism would triumph over western capitalism.Then the academics heralded the progress in central asia, whereby women were no longer stoned for adultery, whereby women could actually show their faces in public, whereby women could go to school and, worst of all perhaps for the touchy `culture' women might actually speak their minds, vote, enroll in the military and get divorces.

Today those liberal triumphs are condemned by the same liberals for being against the culture.One thing can be sure, if you read through the lines of this book, Communism did reform the backward cultures, it brought light to people who only 40 years before had never had Veils, but had created a Veil in response to Sufi missions, and then Communism came and removed the degrading Veils.It was an assault on a fake culture that had never existed.The communist obsession with finding tribal identities amongst the many turko-mongolian peoples of Central Asia is perhaps more interesting and less biased.And for these two topics this is worth reading, but be careful not to be taken in by the idea that wearing a veil is somehow liberating to a women, because actually it just makes women into objects.

Seth J. Frantzman
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Product Description
Provides a concise overview of the historical development of Turkmenistan. The introduction and chronology provide a summary of the Turkmen history, focusing on the 20th century, political and economic development, ethnic policies, and nation building. This is the first comprehensive reference book published in English that provides comprehensive up-to-date details about the contemporary history, economy, and culture of Turkmenistan. The dictionary consists of approximately 300 entries and is cross-referenced to make sure that it is easy to use by international consultants, NGO activists, policy makers, experienced scholars, or students interested in a history of the country. The substantial bibliography helps readers to find materials and resources in specialized subject areas. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (3)

IT HAS FILLED THE GAP
Historical Dictionary of Turkmenistan gives a panoramic view of Turkmenistan's past and kaleidoscopic vista of its present. It provides valuable information on important personalities, dynasties, institutions and events. It also gives a clear perception of the Turkmenistan culture, economy, geography and politics. The introduction, chronology and bibliography of selected publications on Turkmen state and society will definitely help researchers, students and general-public.

timely and informative

While other Central Asian countries opened themselves to the world with the end of the Cold War - and the War on Terror even brought them to the center of international attention - in many respects Turkmenistan still remains the terra incognita. Abazov's Historical Dictionary of Turkmenistan starts unleashing the country's mystery and potential.

Trained as historian in the Soviet universities and with solid exposure to Western scholarly methods, Dr. Abazov brings best of the two worlds to this concise yet comprehensive volume. Beyond the dictionary's 300+ entries is the portrait of vibrant society, which - due to a combination of internal weaknesses and external rivalries - felt victim of tyranny and international neglect. Very informative and equally well written are historical entries covering various (pre-Russian, Russian & Soviet, and present) periods of Turkmenistan's history. It helps that the dictionary is accompanied by detailed chronology of events in the country's history, as well very useful reader's notes.

One could argue about the choice of extensive biographical entries of the appointed officials of today, while omitting or offering scant references about individuals, whose lifetime contributions to Turkmen culture and society are much better known and proven. Among the latter is the preeminent duo of Kayghisiz Atabaev and Nedirbay Aytakov, who have led Turkmenistan's political consolidation, as well as Shaja Batyrov and Balysh Ovezov - the `architects' of the country's industrial modernization. Just as transformative were contributions to the Turkmen culture by such larger than life figures as composer Veli Muhatov, artist Izzat Klychev, film producer Alty Karliev, writer Kerim Kurbannepesov and many others.

Nevertheless, Dr. Abazov deserves full credit for embarking on and successfully completing such challenging scholarly mission. As the West have learned the hard way not to discount strategic importance of even the farthest and most obscure nations, his dictionary is a must-have reference for anyone interested not only in the region, but in the history to come.

A must read on Turkmenistan
I highly recommend this first historical dictionary available in English, on Turkmenistan. This dictionary offers a concise overview of the Turkmen history, including an impressive chronology of its major political, social, historical and cultural events. The book is a must read for students interested in Turkmenistan and Central Asia, researchers and development practitioners that are planning to go to this country. The book also contains a wealth of statistical data on Turkmenistan, and the most comprehensive bibliography available on this country. I highly commend Prof. Abazov's book for his pioneering contribution to development of the Eurasian studies. ... Read more

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The former Soviet republics of Central Asia comprise a sprawling, politically pivotal, densely populated, and richly cultured area of the world. In this comprehensive new treatment, renowned political writer and historian Dilip Hiro places the politics, peoples, and cultural background of this critical region firmly into the context of current international focus. ... Read more

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This digital document is an article from Encyclopedia of Russian History, brought to you by Gale®, a part of Cengage Learning, a world leader in e-research and educational publishing for libraries, schools and businesses.The length of the article is 1339 words.The article is delivered in HTML format and is available in your Amazon.com Digital Locker immediately after purchase.You can view it with any web browser.Providing a comprehensive discussion of the people, politics, economics, religion, culture, and social systems of Russia, this work spans the time from the earliest beginnings of the Russian nation (among the ancient Eastern Slavic tribes) to the end of czarist Russia and on through the rise and fall of the Soviet Union. It provides the necessary information for readers to obtain a greater understanding of and appreciation for Russia in all of its many spheres. ... Read more

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Chapters: Geok Tepe, Soviet Central Asia, Bactria-margiana Archaeological Complex, Turkmen Soviet Socialist Republic, Kidarites, Turkmenization, Main Turkmen Canal, Khorezm People's Soviet Republic, Early History of Turkmenistan, Sufids, Battle of Oxus River, Panjdeh Incident, Dahae, 1948 Ashgabat Earthquake, Coat of Arms of the Turkmen Soviet Socialist Republic, Transcaspian Government, Sulu Khan, Magtymguly Pyragy, People's Council of Turkmenistan, United Nations Security Council Resolution 741, Fyodor Funtikov, 2000 Turkmenistan Earthquake. Source: Wikipedia. Pages: 106. Not illustrated. Free updates online. Purchase includes a free trial membership in the publisher's book club where you can select from more than a million books without charge. Excerpt: Soviet Central Asia refers to the section of Central Asia formerly controlled by the Soviet Union, as well as the time period of Soviet control (19181991). In terms of area, it is nearly synonymous with Russian Turkestan, the name for the region during the Russian Empire. Soviet Central Asia went through many territorial divisions before the current borders were created in the 1920s and 1930s. Map of Soviet Central Asia in 1922 with the Turkestan ASSR and the Kyrgyz ASSRThe beginning of the 18th century marked the zenith of the Kazakh Khanate. During this period the Little jüz participated in the 17231730 war against the Dzungars, following their "Great Disaster" invasion of Kazakh territories. Under the leadership of Abul Khair Khan the Kazakhs won major victories over the Dzungar at the Bulanty River (1726) and at the Battle of Anrakay in 1729.In the nineteenth century, the Russian Empire began to expand, and spread into Central Asia. The Anglo-Russian colonialist "Great Game" period is generally regarded as running from approximately 1813 to the Anglo-Russian Convention of 1907. Following the Bolshevik Revolution of 1917 a second less intensive phase followed. The tsar...More: http://booksllc.net/?id=5431778 ... Read more

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Webster's bibliographic and event-based timelines are comprehensive in scope, covering virtually all topics, geographic locations and people. They do so from a linguistic point of view, and in the case of this book, the focus is on "Turkmenistan," including when used in literature (e.g. all authors that might have Turkmenistan in their name). As such, this book represents the largest compilation of timeline events associated with Turkmenistan when it is used in proper noun form. Webster's timelines cover bibliographic citations, patented inventions, as well as non-conventional and alternative meanings which capture ambiguities in usage. These furthermore cover all parts of speech (possessive, institutional usage, geographic usage) and contexts, including pop culture, the arts, social sciences (linguistics, history, geography, economics, sociology, political science), business, computer science, literature, law, medicine, psychology, mathematics, chemistry, physics, biology and other physical sciences. This "data dump" results in a comprehensive set of entries for a bibliographic and/or event-based timeline on the proper name Turkmenistan, since editorial decisions to include or exclude events is purely a linguistic process. The resulting entries are used under license or with permission, used under "fair use" conditions, used in agreement with the original authors, or are in the public domain. ... Read more

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This digital document is an article from APS Diplomat News Service, published by Pam Stein/Input Solutions on September 18, 2000. The length of the article is 1197 words. The page length shown above is based on a typical 300-word page. The article is delivered in HTML format and is available in your Amazon.com Digital Locker immediately after purchase. You can view it with any web browser.

Citation Details
Title: Turkmenistan Can Build Strategic Links Through Iran, If Its Leader Gets Positive.
Publication: APS Diplomat News Service (Newsletter)
Date: September 18, 2000
Publisher: Pam Stein/Input Solutions
Volume: 53Issue: 12Page: NA

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This digital document is an article from Worldmark Encyclopedia of Religious Practices, brought to you by Gale®, a part of Cengage Learning, a world leader in e-research and educational publishing for libraries, schools and businesses.The length of the article is 2400 words.The article is delivered in HTML format and is available in your Amazon.com Digital Locker immediately after purchase.You can view it with any web browser.Worldmark Encyclopedia of Religious Practices provides information on current religious practices around the world with an emphasis on how religions impact the daily lives of their followers. Included are detailed entries on 13 major religions, such as Christianity and Islam, and entries on 28 religious subgroups, such as Shi'ites or Baptists.Provides Date of Origin, Dietary Practices, Number of Followers, Social Aspects, Controversial Issues, Major Theologians and Authors, Cultural Impact, Houses of Worship, Holy Places, What is Sacred, Rituals, Rites of Passage, Festivals and Holidays, Membership, Social Justice, Modes of Dress and Founder.Also includes significant religions in 193 countries that detail History, Political Impact, Other Religions, Religious Tolerance and more. ... Read more

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This digital document is an article from Countries and Their Cultures, brought to you by Gale®, a part of Cengage Learning, a world leader in e-research and educational publishing for libraries, schools and businesses.The length of the article is 4140 words.The article is delivered in HTML format and is available in your Amazon.com Digital Locker immediately after purchase.You can view it with any web browser.Covers the broad range of popular religious culture of the United States at the close of the twentieth century. Beliefs, practices, symbols, traditions, movements, organizations, and leaders from the many traditions in the pluralistic American community are represented. Also includes cults and phenomena that drew followers, such as Heaven's Gale and UFOs. ... Read more

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This digital document is an article from World Education Encyclopedia, brought to you by Gale®, a part of Cengage Learning, a world leader in e-research and educational publishing for libraries, schools and businesses.The length of the article is 4641 words.The article is delivered in HTML format and is available in your Amazon.com Digital Locker immediately after purchase.You can view it with any web browser.This country-by-country survey of educational systems provides detailed essays on the histories, legal foundations, and primary and secondary educational systems of 233 countries. This edition provides up-to-date coverage of reorganized educational systems and technological advances. ... Read more

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This digital document is an article from Worldmark Encyclopedia of National Economies, brought to you by Gale®, a part of Cengage Learning, a world leader in e-research and educational publishing for libraries, schools and businesses.The length of the article is 4754 words.The article is delivered in HTML format and is available in your Amazon.com Digital Locker immediately after purchase.You can view it with any web browser.Advances in technology continue to accelerate the pace at which people and companies are doing business with entities in foreign countries. As a result, the demand for comprehensive, up-to-date economic information about foreign companies has increased as well. The Worldmark Encyclopedia of National Economies satisfies this immediate need and provides a thorough understanding of the current and historical economic development of foreign nations. Clearly arranged by country within broad geographic regions, the Worldmark Encyclopedia of National Economies provides accurate, in-depth analysis of each country's economic environment, reliable statistics on the country's current economic conditions and trends and key demographics of the nation's citizens. ... Read more

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This digital document is an article from Canadian Journal of History, published by Thomson Gale on December 1, 2005. The length of the article is 877 words. The page length shown above is based on a typical 300-word page. The article is delivered in HTML format and is available in your Amazon.com Digital Locker immediately after purchase. You can view it with any web browser.

Citation Details
Title: Tribal Nation: The Making of Soviet Turkmenistan.(Book review)
Author: Aurelie Campana
Publication: Canadian Journal of History (Magazine/Journal)
Date: December 1, 2005
Publisher: Thomson Gale
Volume: 40Issue: 3Page: 582(2)

Article Type: Book review

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This digital document is an article from Cities of the World, brought to you by Gale®, a part of Cengage Learning, a world leader in e-research and educational publishing for libraries, schools and businesses.The length of the article is 5824 words.The article is delivered in HTML format and is available in your Amazon.com Digital Locker immediately after purchase.You can view it with any web browser.A compilation of current information on cultural, geographic, and political conditions in 193 countries and their cities covering six continents, based on the Department of State's Post Reports. ... Read more

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Large 12" x 14" book profusely illustrated in all color plates of the people and places of modern Turkmenistan, especially the mosque of Gök-Tepe and Turkmenbashi's Presidential Palace. Original French text, entirely translated into Turkmen, Russian and English. ... Read more

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Iranian people. Ancient Iranian peoples, Indo-Iranians, History of Iran, Persian Empire, History of the Kurdish people, History of Afghanistan, History of Tajikistan, History of Uzbekistan, History of Turkmenistan, History of Pakistan, History of Russia, History of the Balkans, Turkification, Slavicisation, Sarmatism, Iranian plateau, Demographics of Iran, Ethnic minorities in Iran, Demographics of Tajikistan, Demography of Afghanistan, Kurdish diaspora, Kurdistan, Iranian citizens abroad, Ossetia, Proto-Indo-European society, Proto-Indo-Iranian religion, Iranian philosophy, Iranian religions, Islam in Iran, Persianization, Persianate society, Turko-Persian tradition, Muslim conquest of Persia, Arabization, Human mitochondrial DNA haplogroup, Haplogroup R1a (Y-DNA), Proto-Indo-Europeans, Iranian Kuwaitis ... Read more

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Purchase includes free access to book updates online and a free trial membership in the publisher's book club where you can select from more than a million books without charge. Chapters: Museums in Turkmenistan, Universities in Turkmenistan, Ashgabat National Museum of History, Turkmen Museum of Fine Arts, Turkmen Polytechnic Institute, Turkmen Carpet Museum, Turkmen Institute of National Economy, Turkmen State University, Turkmen Academy of Sciences. Excerpt: In the Soviet era, Turkmenistans population was considered to be well educated. In 2002 the literacy rate was estimated at 98 percent. However, since independence a serious deterioration of the education system has depleted the overall skill level of the working population. The government has limited curricula by eliminating a wide variety of studies that are considered dangerous or useless. Funding has not matched the growing population, teacher salaries have been reduced, and the infrastructure is in poor condition. The dismissal of many ethnic Russian teachers also has damaged the system. The reduction of obligatory education from eleven years to nine years put Turkmen students at a disadvantage in continuing their education past secondary school. Some 16 institutions of higher learning were operating in the early 2000s, but the government has limited access to higher education by eliminating free tuition in 2003 and by requiring ethnic background checks on applicants. Instructors in higher education must have degrees from institutions in Turkmenistan. Bribes often are necessary to enter a university. ... More: http://booksllc.net/?id=16568327 ... Read more