Some 2000 entries provide brief definitions for foreign terms coming into English language usage, such as "fu" (a Japanese urban prefecture) and "lavelas" (the Haitian word for flood avalanche that now describes a mass political movement), as well as more familiar terms of English political discourse such as "McCarthyism" and "oligarchy." Included among the entries are countries, organizations, treaties, historical events and personalities, ideologies, office titles, and dynastic names. Annotation copyrighted by Book News, Inc., Portland, OR.