Overview
Belarus: From Soviet Rule to Nuclear Catastrophe examines the principal effects of Soviet rule on Belarus as the prelude to a detailed analysis of the medical and social consequences of the nuclear accident at Chernobyl. It places these problems into the contemporary political context and assesses the ability of the newly-independent state to deal with a disaster of such dimensions.
Synopsis
Belarus: From Soviet Rule to Nuclear Catastrophe examines the principal effects of Soviet rule on Belarus as the prelude to a detailed analysis of the medical and social consequences of the nuclear accident at Chernobyl. It places these problems into the contemporary political context and assesses the ability of the newly-independent state to deal with a disaster of such dimensions.
Booknews
Based on the author's extensive research during seven visits to Belarus between 1992 and 1995. Addresses two questions: has Soviet rule in Belarus retarded national cultural and state development to the extent that the republic is incapable of dealing with a major disaster, and what have been the main medical and social repercussions of that event? Provides a detailed perspective of a republic in a deep crisis and struggling for national political survival, and highlights the impact of Chernobyl on clean-up workers, evacuees, and those who still live in the contaminated zones. Annotation c. by Book News, Inc., Portland, Or.