Russia’s invasion of Ukraine presents a major challenge for Russian studies. It has demonstrated the imperative to search for better ways to understand Russia. At the same time, the war has spotlighted Russian imperial ambitions and colonial attitudes toward countries around it and ethnic minorities within it, raising uncomfortable questions about whether our own views of these countries and peoples reflect this biased Russian gaze. Understanding Russia is more important than ever and diverse perspectives are needed. With a stronger focus on informal institutions, marginalised voices and “de-centering” of Russian studies, Developments in Russian Politics 10 brings together a diverse author team to offer fresh viewpoints on a rapidly evolving subject. Discussing established topics such as executive leadership, parties and elections as well as newer issues of national identity, protest, and Russia and Greater Eurasia, this new edition analyses the political system in which Putin’s influence can be understood and covers frequently overlooked topics like the informal economy and climate change.
Breaking with the tradition of organizing Russian Politics around formal institutions and instead emphasising the societal factors and informal structures and processes that underpin support for Russia’s political regime, this new edition offers: -
Topical and theoretically informed coverage of major issues from top scholars -
Analysis of how Russia’s past influences its contemporary politics in counterintuitive ways -
Dedicated chapters on the Russia-Ukraine war, Russian Foreign Policy and Chechnya
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Chapters on all of the key topics covered by typical courses on Russian politics, including protest movement and civil society, and gender.
The politics of any country, especially Russia at this moment in time, are volatile. Developments in Russian Politics 10 provides readers with a conceptual toolkit for understanding the dynamism of Russian politics, whatever the future may bring.
Preface – Henry E. Hale, George Washington University, USA; Juliet Johnson, McGill University, Canada; and Tomila Lankina, LSE, UK 1. Putin and the Dynamics of Russia’s Political System – Henry E. Hale, George Washington University, USA 2. Russian Imperial and Soviet History – Kristy Ironside, McGill University, Canada 3. How Russia’s Past Influences Current Politics – Tomila V. Lankina, LSE, UK 4. Nationalism, Identity, and the Russia–Ukraine War – Gulnaz Sharafutdinova, King's College London, UK 5. Russia’s Gendered Politics – Valerie Sperling, Clark University, USA 6. Russia’s Economic Policies – Juliet Johnson, McGill University, Canada 7. Russia’s Informal Economy – Yoshiko M. Herrera, University of Wisconsin–Madison, USA; and Evgeniya Mitrokhina, University of Wisconsin–Madison, USA 8. Formal Institutions of Government – Grigorii V. Golosov, European University at Saint Petersburg, Russia 9. Authoritarian Mechanics – David Szakonyi, George Washington University, USA 10. Federalism and Centre–Periphery Relations – Vladimir Gel’man, European University at Saint Petersburg, Russia 11. Chechnya – Marat Iliyasov, University of Wisconsin–Madison, USA 12. Inequality and Marginalized Groups – Jeremy Morris, Aarhus University, Denmark 13. Protest and Civil Society – Katerina Tertytchnaya, University College London, UK 14. Climate Change – Debra Javeline, University of Notre Dame, USA 15. Russia's Invasion and Ukraine's Resistance – Maria Popova, McGill University, Canada; and Oxana Shevel, Tufts University, USA 16. Russian Foreign Policy – Kathryn Stoner, Stanford University, USA
Henry E. Hale is Professor of Political Science and International Affairs at George Washington University, USA. Juliet Johnson is a Professor in the Department of Political Science at McGill University, Canada. Tomila V. Lankina is Professor of International Relations at the London School of Economics, UK.
Reviews for Developments in Russian Politics 10
By a long distance the best available undergraduate text on contemporary Russian politics. The impressive writing team have succeeded in producing a text which is both fully up to date and an excellent summary of developments in the field over the recent period. * Dr Matthew Wyman, Keele University, UK * Written by renowned scholars in the field, this book provides readers with a comprehensive analysis of the key issues shaping political developments in Russia. It is an invaluable publication for students who wish to understand how Russia's domestic politics and foreign policy are intertwined. * Professor Peter Vermeersch, KU Leuven, Belgium * This is an exceptional volume showcasing the insights of established and upcoming scholars of Russia alike. It makes sense of the shifting sands of politics in reaction to Russia’s brutal and senseless invasion of Ukraine. It does so with nuance and acumen, providing a bottom-up, societal approach to complement its analysis of the vagaries of Russia’s ‘patronal’ high politics. * Professor Luke March, University of Edinburgh *
