The Role of Migration in the History of the Eurasian Steppe: Sedentary Civilization vs. 'Barbarian' and Nomad

Throughout their entire history, the sedentary civilizations of China and Europe had to deal with nomads and barbarians. This unique volume explores their drastically different responses: China 'chose' containment while Europe 'chose' expansion. Migration played a crucial role in this interaction. Issuing from two population centers, the sedentary one in the West and the nomadic one in the East, two powerful population streams confronted each other in the Eurasian Steppe. This confrontation was a crucial factor in determining patterns of Eurasian history - it destroyed existing states, created new ones, and drastically changed the balance of power. Even today, while Russian populations in Asia contract, the population pressures in China and Central Asia continue to build and are likely to spill over across the border. This book shows how we are witnessing the beginning of a new cycle of the age-old contest.

Author: Na Na
Publisher: Palgrave MacMillan
Published: 01/01/2000
Pages: 355
Binding Type: Hardcover
Weight: 1.07lbs
Size: 8.56h x 5.93w x 1.20d
ISBN: 9780312212070

Review Citation(s):
Choice 03/01/2001 pg. 1323
Reference and Research Bk News 02/01/2001 pg. 29

About the Author
Andrew Bell-Fialkoff is the author of "Ethnic Cleansing."