Editors' foreword

Abstract

, the non-Russian at most a few shelves.' This is no longer the case, as the number of books, articles, magisterial and doctoral theses and computer websites devoted to various aspects of Siberia's past, present-and future-has multiplied, and as a glance at David Collins's bibliographical update in this issue will confirm. It goes without saying, of course, that our colleagues and experts in the former Soviet Union continue to produce a huge amount of valuable scholarly material based on their firsthand researches and investigations of their own country's history, economy and society. The resulting intellectual cross-fertilisation and mutual exchange of ideas, information and research have greatly enhanced our common understanding of Siberia's intrinsic and extrinsic significance in the wider global perspective. As far as the present editors are aware, however, after the former Sibirica's