Historical Dictionary of the International Monetary Fund

By (author) Sarah Tenney, Norman K. Humphreys

Hardback - £119.00

Publication date:

01 May 2011

Length of book:

408 pages

Publisher

Scarecrow Press

ISBN-13: 9780810867901

In its more than 65 years of existence, the International Monetary Fund has evolved from a small, obscure international agency, with new and uncertain responsibilities, into a powerful institution that today has assumed center stage in the international monetary system. It is a remarkable story of how an institution has developed and adapted itself to an evolving world and a changing membership in ways that perhaps no other international agency has been forced or able to do.

The third edition of the Historical Dictionary of the International Monetary Fund provides a comprehensive overview of the fund, including a chronology, an introductory essay, appendixes, a bibliography, and over 300 cross-referenced dictionary entries on the organizations, significant leaders, founders, and members. This book is an excellent access point for students, researchers, and anyone wanting to know more about the International Monetary Fund.

Former IMF staffers Tenney and Humphreys have updated this dictionary, which begins with a four-page list of acronyms and abbreviations, followed by a chronology of the Fund from 1944 to 2009. Next, a 37-page narrative focuses on topics such as par values, the gold standard, and the structure and services of the IMF. The dictionary entries that follow range in length from a paragraph to several pages and address subjects that are specific to the organization and its functions. The volume concludes with a short statistical appendix and a substantial bibliography....This dictionary should be considered for international economics collections in large academic libraries. Well written and informative.