Russia's Engagement with the West: Transformation and Integration in the Twenty-First Century

The Putin and Bush presidencies, the 9/11 attack, and the war in Iraq have changed the dynamics of Russian-European-US relations and strained the Western alliance. Featuring contributions by leading experts in the field, this work is the first systematic effort to reassess the status of Russia's modernization efforts in this context. Part I examines political, economic, legal, and cultural developments in Russia for evidence of convergence with Western norms. In Part II, the contributors systematically analyze Russia's relations with the European Union, Eastern Europe, Central Asia, and the United States in light of new security concerns and changing economic and power relationships.

Russia's Engagement with the West:: Transformation and Integration in the Twenty-First Century

Business & Money

Ruble, Blair A.

Shevtsova, Lilia

Motyl, Alexander J.

Skills

Routledge

In this comprehensive assessment of what has happened in Russia since 1991--what has been accomplished and what so far has failed--the author argues that the new situation in Russia cannot be defined simply in terms of either authoritarianism or liberal democracy. The reality is more complicated—a heterogeneous patchwork of despotism, liberalism, populism, paternalism, and democracy all coexisting. Russia's political life is marked by plurality of views and actors. Opposition movements are proliferating. On the economic front, Russia crossed the threshold to a market economy. Strides have been made in providing guarantees for individual liberties. Russians turn out to vote, for instance, in numbers that put US voters to shame. These advances are impressive. Yet Russia is still struggling desperately to evolve from its Soviet past. New conflicts emerged that are now beginning to act as a brake on reform. The basic problems of state-building have yet to be resolved: defining the nation in an ethnically mixed population, building consensus on power-sharing among federal power and regional leaders, creating a meaningful post-superpower international role. Shevtsova analyzes the major issues of Russian development: the behavior of major interest groups, the emergence of new oligarchic clans, the clashes of branches of power and what is behind them, the real causes of Chechen war, the interaction of stability and instability. She scrutinizes the major political personalities who have had and continue to have an impact on Russian developments--Gaidar, Rutzkoi, Kchasbulatov, Chernomyrdin, Chubais. The main focus is on Yeltsin, who has managed stunning political transformations--from communist to populist, to liberal, democrat, and statist. Over and over, he has regained preeminence at the very moment when even his own supporters had virtually written him off. Much will depend on the manner, character, and timing of his departure from the political scene--as well as on the legacy he leaves behind.

Yeltsin's Russia: Myths and Reality

History

Russia

Carnegie Endowment for Int'l Peace

On December 31, 1999, ailing political maverick Boris Yeltsin abruptly handed the country's leadership over to the virtually unknown former intelligence officer Vladimir Putin. The new Kremlin boss represented both continuity and change. While he was linked with the past, he also signified a sharp break from it. With Putin's ascendancy to power, Russian leadership and Russia have changed dramatically. A pragmatic manager, Putin has tamed the Russian elite and arrogant tycoons, pushed forward economic reforms previously stalled under Yeltsin, and instituted a pro-Western foreign policy. He has accomplished all of this while maintaining an astonishing 70 percent approval rating. However, Russia's transformation under Putin remains a paradox. Outwardly he has proved his desire to modernize Russia, but he has also demonstrated a deep distrust of major democratic institutions and an open desire to keep tight control over society. In Putin's Russia, Lilia Shevtsova, one of Russia's top political analysts and award-winning journalists, examines how, under Putin, the country vacillates between optimism and anguish, hope and resentment. She examines the true nature of Putin's leadership and how far he is willing and capable to go with further transformation. Time will tell if he can combine his authoritarian ways with economic liberalism and pro-Western policy to define the Russia of the twenty-first century.

Putin's Russia

On December 31, 1999, ailing political maverick Boris Yeltsin abruptly handed the country's leadership over to the virtually unknown former intelligence officer Vladimir Putin. The new Kremlin boss represented both continuity and change. While he was linked with the past, he also signified a sharp break from it. With Putin's ascendancy to power, Russian leadership and Russia have changed dramatically. A pragmatic manager, Putin has tamed the Russian elite and arrogant tycoons, pushed forward economic reforms previously stalled under Yeltsin, and instituted a pro-Western foreign policy. He has accomplished all of this while maintaining an astonishing 70 percent approval rating. However, Russia's transformation under Putin remains a paradox. Outwardly he has proved his desire to modernize Russia, but he has also demonstrated a deep distrust of major democratic institutions and an open desire to keep tight control over society. In Putin's Russia, Lilia Shevtsova, one of Russia's top political analysts and award-winning journalists, examines how, under Putin, the country vacillates between optimism and anguish, hope and resentment. She examines the true nature of Putin's leadership and how far he is willing and capable to go with further transformation. Time will tell if he can combine his authoritarian ways with economic liberalism and pro-Western policy to define the Russia of the twenty-first century.

Carnegie Endowment for Intl Peace

This revised edition includes and examination of the recent presidential and parliamentary elections and their effects on Putin's leadership and Russia. Praise for the previous edition: "Out of her blunt, often acerbic, account come shrewd insights into Putin's transformation from an implausible, contrived successor into a dominator unchallenged by oligarchs, legislators, or regional bosses, let alone a democratic opposition."—Foreign Affairs "Shevtsova is one of the most astute and independent-minded observers of the Russian political scene."—Times Literary Supplement "Offers many insights into Kremlin court politics, as well as Mr. Putin and his foes."—The Economist "This well-informed Russian observer offers a straightforward situation report. Shevtsova's scorecard will interest serious Russia watchers."—Booklist "An insightful account of how the Russian president is swaying on a pendulum between reform and stability."—Survival "A timely, expert book."—Washington Post

Russia: Lost in Transition: The Yeltsin and Putin Legacies

Russian history is first and foremost a history of personalized power. As Russia startles the international community with its assertiveness and faces both parliamentary and presidential elections, Lilia Shevtsova searches the histories of the Yeltsin and Putin regimes. She explores within them conventional truths and myths about Russia, paradoxes of Russian political development, and Russia's role in the world. Russia —Lost in Transition discovers a logic of government in Russia —a political regime and the type of capitalism that were formulated during the Yeltsin and Putin presidencies and will continue to dominate Russia's trajectory in the near term. Looking forward as well as back, Shevtsova speculates about the upcoming elections as well as the self-perpetuating system in place —the legacies of Yeltsin and Putin —and how it will dictate the immediate political future. She also explores several scenarios for Russia's future over the next decade.

Russia, Lost in Transition: The Yeltsin and Putin Legacies

Legal Theory & Systems

Lonely Power: Why Russia Has Failed to Become the West and the West is Weary of Russia

Adapted from the Russian edition, this book analyzes the dominant stereotypes and myths that formed during the Putin presidency and that continue to hamper our understanding of Russia's current situation.
 Author Lilia Shevtsova explains the origins of such political clichés as
 • Russia is not mature enough for democracy;
 • Capitalism first, and democracy will follow;
 • The humiliation of Russia by the West is the key cause of their soured relationship;
 • Arms talks between Russia and the United States will help to reset the relationship.
 Shevtsova argues that an anti-mythology campaign is needed to deepen the understanding of Russia both within the Russian Federation and in the West, as well as to help nations build better policies toward Russia.
 Praise for Lilia Shevtsova's Russia—Lost in Transition
 "An excellent volume... highly recommended."—Choice

Adapted from the Russian edition, this book analyzes the dominant stereotypes and myths that formed during the Putin presidency and that continue to hamper our understanding of Russia's current situation.Author Lilia Shevtsova explains the origins of such political clichés as• Russia is not mature enough for democracy;• Capitalism first, and democracy will follow;• The humiliation of Russia by the West is the key cause of their soured relationship;• Arms talks between Russia and the United States will help to reset the relationship.Shevtsova argues that an anti-mythology campaign is needed to deepen the understanding of Russia both within the Russian Federation and in the West, as well as to help nations build better policies toward Russia.Praise for Lilia Shevtsova's Russia—Lost in Transition"An excellent volume... highly recommended."—Choice

Politics & Social Sciences

Politics & Government

Change or Decay: Russia's Dilemma and the West's Response

The world is still coping with the consequences of the collapse of the Soviet Union. Two decades later, the West has yet to adjust to the post-Soviet reality and Russia has not settled on its relationship with the rest of the world.In Change or Decay, two of the most respected scholars on Russia analyze how relations are shifting between Russia and the world. In a series of lively and candid conversations, Lilia Shevtsova and Andrew Wood discuss how the Russia of Putin and Medvedev emerged from the ashes of the Soviet Union and the trajectory of Russia's relations with the West.

Wood, Andrew

The world is still coping with the consequences of the collapse of the Soviet Union. Two decades later, the West has yet to adjust to the post-Soviet reality and Russia has not settled on its relationship with the rest of the world.
 In Change or Decay, two of the most respected scholars on Russia analyze how relations are shifting between Russia and the world. In a series of lively and candid conversations, Lilia Shevtsova and Andrew Wood discuss how the Russia of Putin and Medvedev emerged from the ashes of the Soviet Union and the trajectory of Russia's relations with the West.

See the best price to sell, buy, or rent books by Shevtsova, Lilia. BookScouter helps to compare book prices from 25+ online bookstores and 30+ buyback vendors with a single search.

Books by Shevtsova, Lilia

See the best price to sell, buy, or rent books by Shevtsova, Lilia. BookScouter helps to compare book prices from 25+ online bookstores and 30+ buyback vendors with a single search.

Russia's Engagement with the West:: Transformation and Integration in the Twenty-First Century

Yeltsin's Russia: Myths and Reality

Putin's Russia

Putin's Russia

Putin's Russia

Russia, Lost in Transition: The Yeltsin and Putin Legacies

Lonely Power: Why Russia Has Failed to Become the West and the West is Weary of Russia

Lonely Power: Why Russia Has Failed to Become the West and the West is Weary of Russia

Change or Decay: Russia's Dilemma and the West's Response

Change or Decay: Russia's Dilemma and the West's Response