Ethnicity, Nationalism and Conflict in and after the Soviet Union: The Mind Aflame (International Peace Research Institute, Oslo (PRIO)) (Paperback)

by Dr Valery Tishkov (Author) "The Russian social science tradition, especially with respect to interpreting ethnicity, is heavily dominated by the primordial approach..." (more)
Key Phrases: conflicting ethnicity, small indigenous groups, titular groups, Soviet Union, North Ossetia, Supreme Soviet (more...)

Editorial Reviews

Review
`This book is a great read. It will be a `must' for all those involved in studying contemporary nationalism' - Social Anthropology

`This book is a `must read' for anyone interested in how nationalism and ethnicity contributed to the collapse of the Soviet Union, why it persists today and what can be done to keep it in check' -Nations and Nationalism

`Valery Tishkov's Ethnicity, Nationalism and Conflict in and after the Soviet Union is excellent. This book is among the very best on the subject' - Journal of Contingencies and Crisis Management

`The best book on ethnic relations and nationalism in the Soviet Union and its successor states ever published by a Russian scholar... Tishkov's book is a remarkable achievement and I hope it will attract the serious attention of Western scholars' - Ethnos

`Valery Tishkov has written a theoretically sophisticated, empirically rich, and policy relevant book, certainly one of the best and most complete works that have so far appeared on the theme of ethnicity and nationalism in the last years of the Soviet Union and in the post-Soviet period' - Journal of Ethnic and Migration Studies

`For forty-five years Europe was divided. While a new era has begun, and East and West now engage in constructive issues of politics, economics and security, Europe remains a divided continent...Valery Tishkov manages to bridge the divide. In a style which is never dull and always informative, he outlines the limitations of the conceptual approaches to nationalism which have been adopted by academics in the East and West... Tishkov's criticism is that pseudo-scholarly terms and categories which should never have been placed in any disciplinary discourse have permeated and undermined the work of a generation of academics...Tishkov traces how these events have come to pass by conducting a comprehensive review of the literature and by then placing the scholarly debate within he context of the political events of the late Soviet period...He clearly identifies the situations where mistakes were made, where recommendations could have been more cautious, and where it was impossible to make any other choice than the one which was made. The reader acquires a clear understanding of the events and their causes, as they were perceived at that time. This is an impressive tome. One which should do more than simply adorn a scholar's shelf. It should be read and studied if the academic divide is to be narrowed' - The Ethnic Conflict Research Digest

`Valery Tishkov brings a unique combination of conceptual sophistication, first-hand experience, and wide-ranging knowledge to the task of deciphering ethnic conflict in the former Soviet Union. The result is a major contribution to the understanding of ethnic phenomena. It is theoretically interesting, relevant to policy, and rich in its depictions of antipathy and violence from the Caucasus to Central Asia and beyond. This is a masterful work' - Donald L Horowitz, James B Duke Professor of Law and Political Science, Duke University

`Valery Tishkov's penetrating study of the post-Soviet world of ethnic strife is written by a scholar who has been a prominent participant as well as close observer of the recent developments. I am impressed by the force and insight of his analysis and touched by the intensity of his commitment. Tishkov's impassioned appeal to intellectuals and politicians to desist from the production of confrontational ethnic ideologies goes to the heart of the tragic processes that are underway and is broadly applicable in most parts of the contemporary world' - Fredrik Barth, Professor of Anthropology, University of Oslo

`This book is a great read. It will be a 'must' for all those involved in studying contemporary nationalism.' - Social Anthropology

Product Description
Valery Tishkov is a well-known Russian historian and anthropologist, and former Minister of Nationalities in Yeltsin's government. His account of ethnicity, nationalism, and conflict in the territory of the former Soviet Union draws on inside knowledge of major events and extensive primary research.

Challenging established interpretations of ethnic factors, Tishkov argues that ethnicity has a multifaceted role: it is the most accessible basis for political mobilization; a means of controlling power and resources in a transforming society; and therapy for the great trauma suffered by individuals and groups under previous regimes. This complexity helps explain the contradictory nature and outcomes of public ethnic policies based on a doctrine of ethno-nationalism. Tishkov concludes that the Soviet and post-Soviet nations, as well as the current violent ethno-politcs, stem from decrepit doctrinal projects, from elitist efforts to build a state on ethnic principles and a society on exclusivist identities, and from political malfunctioning.

This book provides a penetrative study of major conflicts resulting from theoretical analysis of such phenomena as post-Soviet new diasporas and forced migration demonstrated by the case of ethnic Russians, ethnic violence illustrated by the Osh conflict in Central Asia, the anatomy of ethnic cleansing traced through the Osset-Ingush conflict, the ambitions of leaders, and the arrogance of force displayed in the Chechen War.

Tishkov's study is strongly policy-oriented. He suggests a strategy and mechanisms for governing conflicting ethnicity in complex societies through a policy of cultural pluralism, civil rights, and individual freedom. He seeks political structures and a public climate allowing the preservation of a cultural mosaic an group integrity, and believes this option is possible for Russia as well as for other successor states.

Product Details

• Paperback: 352 pages
• Publisher: Sage Publications Ltd; illustrated edition edition (February 10, 1997)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0761951857
• ISBN-13: 978-0761951858
• Product Dimensions: 9.1 x 6.1 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.2 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: No customer reviews yet. Be the first.
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #2,071,318 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)