Russia And Its Near Neighbours

Features

Description

This volume highlights Russia's relations with its immediate neighbours in a context where the resurgence of Russia has been made visible in its policies and actions. The central argument is that the change in Russia's positioning towards its neighbourhood, with Russia assuming an objective policy of engagement and influence, is evident in its most recent dealings in political, economic and security terms.

The contributors to the volume agree that this has become increasingly evident after the events in Georgia in the summer of 2008. Nevertheless, this does not mean that Russia has unlimited influence in the area, a fact that is detailed throughout the chapters. The contributors assess this trend in Russian politics, looking at different areas of activity, such as energy diplomacy or political-military relations, as well as through different theoretical lenses, including a discourse-analysis approach, which is an add-on to the understanding of the dynamics that underline the complexity of these relations.

Review: 'This is a well-informed and stimulating analysis of Russia's fraught relationship with its near neighbours (the former Soviet states), tracing not only the new geopolitical tensions but also some of the fundamental policy issues, notably the politics of energy, the domestic drivers of Russian foreign policy, and the various security dilemmas faced by individual states.

The volume brings together an impressive collection of authors, each one an expert in their respective fields. Taken together, this is a state of the art analysis of developments in post-Soviet Eurasia, and thus an important contribution to a region that is assuming ever-greater importance in world politics.' - Richard Sakwa, Professor of Russian and European Politics, University of Kent, UK 'A timely collection of essays exploring the impact of nationalism, resource diplomacy, and national identity politics on Russia's policy toward its closest neighbors-Medvedev's putative 'sphere of privileged interest.' An impressive achievement, Russia and its Near Neighbors will be of great interest to regional specialists and international relations practitioners alike.' - Charles E.

Ziegler, Professor of Political Science, University of Louisville, USA 'In an era of increasing Russian assertiveness in international affairs, this well-researched and thought-provoking volume is essential reading not only for scholars, but also - perhaps even more importantly - for foreign policy practitioners.

The Bear is back - and we all need to take note!' - Leslie Holmes, Professor, School of Social and Political Sciences, University of Melbourne, Australia