Reference Reviews

Reference for Students

Nation–Building. Edited by Michael Logan. Detroit, Mich.: Greenhaven Press Thomson Gale, 2007. 1 vol. 279 p. $28.96. ISBN 978-0-7377-3894-0.

According to Wikipedia, "nation building refers to the process of constructing or structuring a nation using the power of the state" as different from state building which is characterized by "the sense of deliberate efforts of a foreign power to construct institutions of national government." Before opening this book, students might wish to discuss whether the role of the U.S. in Iraq is nation building or state building in terms of these two definitions. "Is Nation–Building Justified?" is asked in Chapter one and articles cover transplanting democratic institutions, failed states and working with warlords to build nations. Chapter two covers "Can Nation–Building Combat Terrorism?" The final two ask if nation building in Iraq will work and if nation–building can succeed in the 21^st century. These issues are clearly debatable. Hopefully teachers will have time to launch the discussion.