When Soviet censors approved Mikhail Bulgakov's Don Kikhot [ ], a stage adaptation of Don Quixote, they were unaware that they were sanctioning a subtle but powerful criticism of Stalinist rule. The author, whose novel Master i Margarita would eventually bring him world renown, achieved this sleight of hand through a deft interpretation of ......
The "Great Game, 1856-1907" presents a new view of the British-Russian competition for dominance in Central Asia in the second half of the nineteenth century. Evgeny Sergeev offers a complex and novel point of view by synthesizing official collections of documents, parliamentary papers, political pamphlets, memoirs, contemporary journalism, and ......
In a truly contemporary analysis of Moscow's relations with its neighbors and other strategic international actors, Gvosdev and Marsh use a comprehensive vectors approach, dividing the world into eight geographic zones. Each vector chapter looks at the dynamics of key bilateral relationships while highlighting major topical issues-oil and energy, defense policy, economic policy, the role of international institutions, and the impact of major interest groups or influencers-demonstrating that Russia formulates multiple, sometimes contrasting, foreign policies. Providing rich historical context as well as exposure to the scholarly literature, the authors offer an incisive look at how and why Russia partners with some states while it counter-balances others.
Around 20 years since the end of the Cold War, social, political and economic turmoil appears to have been replaced by a period of stability within Russia. The broader shift from a bi-polar world to one of multi-polarity in which rising powers and former Great Powers vie for representation has, however, not been without considerable instability as Russia has sought to re-define her status in the post-Communist period. These relations have, of course, been further complicated by a series of conflicts in post-Soviet space, ethnic wars within Russia and on her borders, and broader political and social changes associated with national and Islamic revivalism, as well as the war on terror. Debates both within and on the politics of post-Soviet relations continue, as complex regional dynamics in Central Asia, the Greater Middle East and Eastern Europe shape foreign relations. Equally, the end of Communism, the ensuing political liberalism and economic 'shock' therapy have led to significant changes within the social make-up of Russia. These themes have been used not only to offer insight into the changing social, economic and political relations in the Yeltsin and Putin eras, but this has also led to considerable debates about exactly what post-Communism and Post-Sovietism actually mean. This context affords a much needed opportunity to revisit post-Soviet politics in order to collate seminal pieces on the historical trends, political changes and international dynamics which continue to evolve, and which have framed the post-Communist period. The central aim of these four volumes is to capture this diversity so as offer a timely collection of seminal excerpts on post-Soviet politics, thereby giving insight into how we understand Russia today.
Covering the major contours of any Russian politics course, and comprehensive enough to serve as a core text, this new Reader includes sections from the Soviet political system and its collapse, to the debate about post-Communist transition and efforts toward political and economic reform. Ostrow's choice of readings is guided by a central insight: To understand contemporary Russia, and to bring the study of Russian politics to life, students need to know that there are strongly competing interpretations of Russian politics past and present-and these interpretations are best represented by watershed examples of the voices in the debate. A former journalist who worked in Russia, Ostrow's substantial headnotes blend needed background with insights from his experience, to create a nuanced treatment of Russian politics.
The Battle for Stalingrad and the Operation to Rescue 6th Army
Battling frigid weather, malnutrition and the constant onslaught of enemy fire, those who took part in the pivotal Battle of Stalingrad were sujected to some of the most challenging conditions of the battlefield.
In this ground-breaking study, Stephen White, Richard Rose, and Ian McAllister analyze the momentous sequence of elections held during the collapse of the Soviet Union and the creation of the Russian Federation. Declaring Russia a late entrant to the world of free elections that still lags behind its postcommunist neighbors, the authors trace the progress of democratization by examining data from the nationwide New Russia Barometer surveys.
ISBN-13: 9781566430371
(Paperback)
Publisher: SAGE PUBLICATIONS Imprint: CHATHAM HOUSE PUBLISHERS INC.,U.S.
It was a time of bold new technology, historic moments, and international jousting on the final frontier. But it was also a time of human drama, of moments less public but no less dramatic in the lives of those who made the golden age of space flight happen. These are the moments and the lives that Into That Silent Sea captures, a book that tells ......
