Historical Dictionary of the Inuit

By (author) Pamela R. Stern

Hardback - £123.00

Publication date:

26 September 2013

Length of book:

290 pages

Publisher

Scarecrow Press

ISBN-13: 9780810879119

The Inuit do not represent a very large population, only 160,000 or so, spread over a very large portion of the Arctic region and located in four different countries. Although they are a “people,” there are many variations from one group to the next, and any study of them must consider both similarities and differences. The Historical Dictionary of the Inuit introduces us to the Inuit as they actually are and not as they have been traditionally pictured and some would still like to see them—looking after their traditional chores and engaged in time-honored practices—but rather as a modern people trying to shape their worlds in their own interest.

This second edition includes an updated chronology, as well as an introduction to provide a broader view of who the Inuit are, where they live, and what they do. But it is the dictionary section that is most interesting, with many new informative entries on persons, places, events, and institutions, shedding light not only on the culture but also on the society, economy, and politics. For those seeking further information, there is a considerably expanded bibliography. This book is an excellent access point for students, researchers, and anyone wanting to know more about the Inuit.
The second edition of this reference book covers the social, political, and economic history of the Inuit of many Arctic countries. Stern, an anthropologist specializing in Arctic peoples, focuses on the recent cultural and political life of the Inuit. Included is information on Inuit interaction with the dominant culture and government, self-determination, political activism, globalization, hydrocarbon development, climate change, and more. The author provides entries for individual people who have made important contributions to Inuit social and political life and education and for many government agencies and social organizations that influence that life. Stern also supplies a list of acronyms and special terms used in the book, simple maps of the geographic areas the Inuit inhabit, and a chronology of major events in Inuit history around the globe. The book has expanded its content from the first edition. . . . The volume is a must for libraries building significant Arctic collections Summing Up: Recommended. Lower-level undergraduates and above; general readers.