![Encyclopedia of the Stateless Nations: Ethnic and National Groups Around the World [4 Volumes, A-Z]](http://image.become.com/imageserver/s0/128341820-150-150-5-0/encyclopedia-stateless-nations-ethnic.jpg "Encyclopedia of the Stateless Nations: Ethnic and National Groups Around the World [4 Volumes, A-Z]")
( 1 reviews )
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Posted: Apr 20 2007
The same text describes 3 of Minahan's books I own, as the text describing these nations given as examples is a copy-paste with very minor differences in all the books: Nations without States: A Historical Dictionary of Contemporary National Movements, One Europe, Many Nations: A Historical Dictionary of European National Groups and Encyclopedia of the Stateless Nations: Ethnic and National Groups Around the World. Guess I have not made much bigger stupidities in my life than to ordering all of these books at the same time. Unfortunately, this book is a disaster. It is full of mistakes, especially about the given number of peoples, but it has historical or linguistic mistakes as well. For example, I'll give just a few data about Livonians: Population: Minahan (M.) gives 100 000 (!), while the actual number is only a few hundreds at present. Though, historically Livonians once inhabited most part of today's Latvian coastline, the assimilation took part mostly centuries ago, so that people do not identify themselves as Livonians. Historical Livonian province was only in its southwestern part ethnically Livonian, and the data M. gives about the Livonians in Estonia, is totaaly mistaken. The so-called Livonian cultural center of Massiaru town in Estonia has nothing to do with Livonians, and, after all, is only a smaal village. While Livonians are a really tiny nation, the number is incorrect about some not so small nations as well, including in cases when the census data is available even by Internet. Some examples: Ingrians: by M. 90 000 in Russia, 20 000 in Estonia and 250 000 in Finland. Actually, the total number was 67 813 at 1989 in Soviet Union, and all the Ingrians in Finland migrated there after the S.U. collapsed. Karels: by M. 26% of the people of Karelian Republic in Russia, actually about 10%. Mordvins: 1,848 millions by M., actually less than 1,1 millions. And, one example from central Europe - Sorbs: by M. 543 000, including 40 000 in Poland; actually, about 60 000, as well as all in Germany. So, after the data what can easily be controlled, how can you trust the data what is harder to check? As a conclusion - I cannot find any more misleading so-called scientific book.
