Rowman & Littlefield’s excellent series of historical dictionaries continues with this new edition (1st ed., 1999) on Azerbaijan. The bulk of this valuable reference work by new author Gasimov (German Orient Institute in Istanbul) is composed of an A-to-Z listing of over 500 cross-referenced entries with brief essays that elucidate the country's important people, events, locations, institutions, etc., making the study of Azerbaijan much easier. The introductory chronology offers broad sweeps of the history of the land that would become Azerbaijan from the ninth century BCE to 2017. While not comprehensive, the chronology offers points of reference for those unfamiliar with the land’s history. The main introduction continues this general treatment, giving readers further contextual grounding in the history of Azerbaijan, with specific focus on the Soviet and Republican periods. A short series of appendixes list Azerbaijani leadership in the Soviet and Republican periods, as well as historical population figures. Arguably the most invaluable aspect of the work is in the bibliography section, which lists critical scholarship on Azerbaijan in multiple languages and disciplines. For area and global studies reference collections, as well as collections dedicated to the Caucasus and the former Soviet Union.



Summing Up: Highly recommended. Most academic levels/libraries.

Choice Reviews

This reference gives quick access to the key people, places, events, and cultural happenings in Azerbaijan history with an emphasis on the modern period, from 1920 when it became a Soviet Republic to 1991 when it became the independent Republic of Azerbaijan to the present. Through the thumbnail entries, we learn that this small Caucasian state, about the size of Austria and sharing borders with Iran, Armenia, Georgia, and Russia, is predominately Shiite Muslim; yet, in 1918 it was the first nation in the Muslim world to give women voting rights. During World War II (known as the Soviet-German War in Azerbaijan), this Soviet Republic was the main provider of oil for the Soviet war effort. Oil is still the main driver of the economy. Heydar Aliyev became president in 1993, establishing an autocratic regime that has continued with his son, Ilham Aliyev, who took over the presidency from his father in 2003. The Aliyev regime, under both father and son, is marked by ongoing human rights abuses. With an eye to keeping power within the family, Ilham’s wife serves as vice president. In 2016 Ilham put in place constitutional changes to reduce the eligible age for the presidency to 18, setting the stage for the regime to continue under his son. In order to contextualize the information, the dictionary includes an extensive chronology; a helpful introductory essay describing the land, people, and history; lists of Communist Party leaders and presidents since 1920; and historical population and ethnic statistics. Given the large number of political activists listed in this resource and the volatility of the region, it would not be surprising if Azerbaijan is soon prominent in the news.

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