Scientific Explorations and Expeditions - Hardcover

Hamilton, Neil

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 0765680769 ISBN 13: 9780765680761

Publisher: Routledge, 1999

Synopsis

The remote vastness of Mongolia has remained somewhat of a mystery to most Westerners - no less so in the 20th century. Homeland of the legendary conqueror Chingiz Khan, in modern times Mongolia itself has been the object of imperial rivalry. For most of the 20th century it was under Soviet domination. Mikhail Gorbachev began the withdrawal of Soviet troops from Mongolia in 1989, a process completed in 1992. By 1996 a coalition of opposition parties triumphed in national elections, and Mongolia launched itself on a new course. It is perhaps the most intriguing of the post-community "transition" societies. This volume examines Mongol history over the past century, embracing not only Mongolia proper but also Mongol communities in Russia and China. Contributions, based on new archival research and the latest fieldwork, are from the world's top experts in the field - including four authors from Mongolia and others from Japan, Russia, Taiwan, Great Britain and the United States. Stephen Kotkin's introductory chapter is an overview of Mongol studies. The essays in part 1 examine Sino-Russian competition over Outer Mongolia. Part 2 looks at international diplomacy in Mongolia, including the role of Japan. Part 3 focuses on contemporary issues ranging from economic and cultural change to emergent elites. A concluding essay surveys Mongolian foreign policy.

About this title

From School Library Journal:

Gr 6-9–Hamilton's 115 entries in this set describe the courses and discoveries of significant scientific expeditions from the early 15th century to mid 2009. Chapters range in content from “Discovery, Age of” to “Maps and Mapmaking.” Along with describing the accomplishments of, for example, Charles Darwin, Neil Armstrong, and Heinrich Schliemann, the author discusses the work of the Leakey family, the lesser-known journeys of explorers such as Mary Kingsley and Mexican-American botanist Ynes Mexia, and the spectacular if sometimes stuntlike adventures of Richard Francis Burton, Thor Heyerdahl, and Robert Ballard. Each chapter opens with a time line and closes with a brief further-reading list. Many also feature a relevant side essay, “see” references, and one or more small, muddy black-and-white prints or photos. The prose is as staid as the book design, but aside from occasional slips (such as a bald claim that Burton “discovers Lake Tanganyika”), the presentations are systematic, carefully detailed, not exclusively Eurocentric, and when appropriate, skeptical. The currency of information and focus on science will make this work particularly useful alongside such broader but more dated resources as Peggy Saari and Daniel B. Baker's multivolume Explorers and Discoverers from Alexander the Great to Sally Ride (1995, UXL).–John Peters, formerly at New York Public Library. (c) Copyright 2010. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.

From Booklist:

Although many geographic expeditions and explorations were designed to increase the sphere of influence of a particular nation, the participants often included doctors, scientists, mathematicians, engineers, and others who were able to observe and collect scientific data. These alphabetically arranged volumes contain 56 entries for explorers (Darwin, Charles; Perry, Robert E.); expeditions (Lewis and Clark expedition; Space exploration, manned); locations (Arctic, Pacific explorations); institutions (International Geophysical Year, National Geographic Society); and similar topics. The goal is “to provide an embarkation point for a wide-ranging investigation into the history of scientific exploration from the Age of Discovery to the twenty-first century.” Each entry begins with a chronology and may include photos, maps, and illustrations as well as a list of recommended resources and see also references. A list of sidebars explaining specific topics (for example, “Building the Kon-Tiki” in the entry about Thor Heyerdahl) is included at the beginning of volume 1, along with a table of contents and a topic finder. A glossary, bibliography, and index are found at the end of the second volume. Although many general researchers will find this information helpful, the set will be most useful for students in high school. Recommended for school and public libraries. --Laura Speer

About this edition

• Publisher: Routledge
• Publication date: 1999
• ISBN 10: 0765680769
• ISBN 13: 9780765680761
• Binding: Hardcover
• Edition number: 1
• Number of pages: 416