Routledge Handbook of Russian Politics and Society by Gill, Graeme;

Short description:

This second edition of the highly respected Routledge Handbook of Russian Politics and Society provides both a broad overview of the area and highlights cutting-edge research into the country.

Long description:

This second edition of the highly respected Routledge Handbook of Russian Politics and Society both provides a broad overview of the area and highlights cutting-edge research into the country.

Through balanced theoretical and empirical investigation, each chapter examines both the Russian experience and the existing literature, identifies and exemplifies research trends, and highlights the richness of experience, history, and continued challenges inherent to this enduringly fascinating and shifting polity. Politically, economically, and socially, Russia has one of the most interesting development trajectories of any major country. This Handbook answers questions about democratic transition, the relationship between the market and democracy, stability and authoritarian politics, the development of civil society, the role of crime and corruption, the development of a market economy, and Russia?s likely place in the emerging new world order.

Providing a comprehensive resource for scholars, students, and policy makers alike, this book is an essential contribution to the study of Russian studies/politics, Eastern European studies/politics, and International Relations.

"Knowledge and understanding of Russian society and its political trajectories have seldom been more important than they are today. Graeme Gill, a highly respected and insightful Russian expert, has brought together, in this Handbook of remarkable scope, an outstanding international team of specialists who illuminate almost every aspect of post-Communist Russia "

Archie Brown, University of Oxford, UK, and author of The Rise and Fall of Communism

"This timely update provides a comprehensive and authoritative guide to Russian politics. Gill has brought together many of the world?s leading experts in a single volume, who are able to provide a state-of-the-art overview of current knowledge on their topic. An outstanding and indispensable contribution to Russian studies."

Brian D. Taylor, Syracuse University, USA

"This book combines excellent scholarship from the leading experts in the field of Russian politics and society with a broad and almost exhaustive range of addressed topics. Undoubtedly, this nuanced overview presented so nicely will be a useful read for both newbies and academics who specialise on Russia."

Guzel Yusupova, SCRIPTS, Berlin, Germany

Table of Contents:

Part 1: Introduction  1. Introduction  2. The Yeltsin era  3. The Putin era  4. Democratisation  5. How Russia compares  Part 2: Politics  6. Vladimir Putin: Great leader or ordinary authoritarian?  7. The Russian Constitution  8. The Presidency  9. The Federal Assembly: More than just a "rubber stamp"?  10. National elections in Russia  11. State intervention and Russia?s frozen dominant party system  12. Local government  13. Federalism and de-federalisation in Russia  14. Centre-regional relations in Russia  15. Politics in Russian regions  16. Decision-making  17. State capacity and Russia  18. Russia?s retreat from human rights  19. Protest and opposition  20. The security services  21. The military  Part 3: Political economy  22. Political economy  23. Crony capitalism in contemporary Russia and what globalisation has to do with it  24. The Russian corporation: between neoliberalism and the security state  25. Russian international economic policy: Purposes and performance  Part 4: Society  26. Russian population dynamics in the Putin era  27. Inequality in Russia  28. Russian labour: Between stability and stagnation  29. Gender in Russia: State policy and lived reality  30. The rise of a hybrid welfare state in Putin?s Russia: Social welfare under authoritarianism  31. Media and culture in Putin?s Russia  32. ICT in Putin?s Russia: 1999-2021  33. Symbolism and the transformation of the national historical narrative in post-Soviet Russia  34. The politics of memory  35. Civil society and the state  36. Informal politics  37. Corruption and organised crime in post-Soviet Russia  38. Russian nationalism  39. Ethnic relations  40. Religion  Part 5: Foreign policy  41. Russian foreign policy and the challenge to the existing world order  42. Russian security policy and outlook  43. Russia?s attitudes and policies toward Ukraine  44. Russia and Belarus  45. Russia?s foreign policy in Central Asia: in search of privileged partnership  46. The Kremlin?s reverse democracy: Relations with the Caucasus region  47. US-Russian relations  48. Russia and the European Union: The path to a strategic disengagement  49. Russia and China