The Soviet Union's demise in 1991 resulted in 15 independent nations, each faced with enormous challenges -- radical economic restructuring, crime, corruption, even civil war. But it also spawned the formation of thousands of dynamic new organizations by public-spirited citizens seeking to make their societies more humane, economies more productive, environments cleaner, and legal systems more just.

This thoroughly revised edition of The Post-Soviet Handbook documents the enormous variety of grassroots efforts in Russia, Ukraine, Belarus, Moldova, Georgia, Armenia, and Azerbaijan, providing concise descriptions and accurate contact information for these diverse organizations. Many of the new entries represent projects based in provincial centers, reflecting powerful trends toward autonomy and decentralization. Internet users will find a wealth of new resources. A new element is the inclusion of projects based in Canada. Whether the issues are the environment, the disabled, the excesses of "wild capitalism, " human rights, or ethnic conflict, The Post-Soviet Handbook shows how grassroots self-organization accomplishes real change.

Post-Soviet Handbook: A Guide to Grassroots Organizations and Internet Resources

Central Asia, known as the home of Tamerlane and the Silk Road, is a crossroads of great cultures and civilizations. In 1991 five nations at the heart of the region-Kazakstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan- suddenly became independent. Today they sit strategically between Russia, China, and Iran and hold some of the world's largest deposits of oil and natural gas. Long-suppressed ethnic identities are finding new expression in language, religion, and occasional civil conflicts. Civil Society in Central Asia is a pathbreaking collection of essays by scholars and activists that illuminates the social and institutional forces shaping this important region's future. An appendix provides a guide to projects being carried out by local and international groups.

Central Asia, home of Tamerlane and the Silk Road, is a crossroads of great cultures and civilizations. In 1991 five nations at the heart of the region -- Kazakstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan -- suddenly became independent from the USSR. Today they sit strategically between Russia, China, and Iran, holding some of the world's largest deposits of oil and natural gas. Long-suppressed ethnic identities are finding new expression in language, religion, the arts, international alignments -- and occasional civil conflicts.

In the decades ahead, what kind of societies will the more than 50 million people living in Central Asia create? Single-party secular states, Islamic republics, market democracies, something else?

Civil Society in Central Asia is a pathbreaking collection of essays by scholars and activists that illuminates the social and institutional forces shaping this important region's future. Are the foundations of a democratic order emerging? As the essays suggest, trends are contradictory and vary in each country.

This timely book matches contributions by leading specialists such as S. Frederick Starr, Olivier Roy, Scott Horton, Alla Kazakina, Abdumannob Polat, and Reuel Hanks with the insights of individuals who have been on the front lines of the struggle for civil society in Central Asia itself -- representatives of organizations such as Counterpart, Internews, and the Kazakstan International Bureau for Human Rights. Topics range from the legal framework for free association to grassroots movements for environmental protection, the resurgence of Islam, and the viability of the Soviet-era collective farms. A 75-page appendix provides a guide tomany of the most significant projects being carried out by local and international NGOs in the region.

Pacifist Warrior introduces Robert Pickus, his leadership role in the pacifist community (1951-2016), and his thoughtful work to constructively engage the United States in world politics. He called for leadership by the United States to move a conflict-filled world towards peace through non-military initiatives, designed to gain the reciprocation of allies and dedicated adversaries alike. Robert Pickus earned the title "Pacifist Warrior" because he not only believed pacifism in a nuclear age was a moral imperative, it was also a more effective strategy towards a world without war. Pickus' career lasted from 1951 to 2016. As Director of the World Without War Council office in Berkeley, he engaged civic, labor, business, and religious organizations to work for a world without war. He worked at the juncture where advocates of war-as-a-last-resort met community peace advocates to develop non-military alternatives to war. His signature contribution was a compendium of American Peace Initiatives developed with other key leaders, including George Weigel, Harold Guetzkow, Sidney Hook and Ted Sorensen. During his tenure, the WWWC developed a strategy of American peace initiatives to get from here to a world without war. The ideas of reciprocation, universal participation and non-violent change apply to both arms control and disarmament as well as climate change.