The bibliography chapter is a conglomeration of titles including an outdated bibliography. In addition, the organization of book titles within chapters is awkward for the reader. Titles and authors are in an alphabetical sequence without any topical subdivision. First published in 1981, then revised in 1989, a new edition of this guide to contemporary Italian society and politics was made necessary by recent changes in Italian public life. Subject specialists provide thorough articles on topics on politics, social life, nationality studies, economics, religion, education and literature, discussing, when appropriate, relevant trends in scholarship.
Bibliographical citations are predominately to Russian-language sources.
A good encyclopedic work such as this inevitably suffers from the rapidity of historical change, however. One finds thorough articles concerning the former Soviet republics or autonomous areas, but no entry for Chechnya. On other hand, interesting discoveries can be made in articles pertaining to social history, e.g., alcoholism, hooliganism, prostitution, death penalty, etc. The system of references is occasionally cumbersome and indirect. DM 28.00 The Politisches Lexikon GUS covers almost the entire region of the former Soviet Union.