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Global Geopolitical Flashpoints: An Atlas of Conflict. By Ewan W. Anderson. Chicago: Fitzroy Dearborn, 2000. 412p. $95 (ISBN 1-57958-137-4).
As the author reminds his readers in the introduction to this work, the world has undergone a fundamental change since 1989. In place of the Cold War, there have arisen a bewildering variety of regional conflicts centering on ethnic, religious, and political boundary issues. The places where these conflicts arise are referred to by the author as "flashpoints," defined in the introduction as "current, dormant, or potential areas of geopolitical instability" (xvii). When looking for information on these flashpoints, reference librarians will usually turn to standard sources on the countries of the world, such as the annual Political Handbook of the World (CSA, 1975-). This excellent source covers the current political situation in...