Understanding Contemporary Russia

Understanding Contemporary Russia provides a thorough introduction to this complex country as it confronts the challenges of today's interdependent world. Interdisciplinary in design, the book is intended for use as a core text in introductory survey and politics courses and also as a supplement in a variety of discipline-oriented courses.The authors draw on the best scholarship in their fields to provide sophisticated yet accessible treatments of subjects ranging from geography and history, to politics, economics, and international relations, to ethnicity, population movements, the environment, the role of women, religion, and literature and film. Numerous maps, photographs, and suggestions for further reading enhance the text.This title offers a thorough, interdisciplinary introduction to contemporary Russian politics, economics, society, and culture.

Russia today is in many ways different from the country portrayed a decade ago in the first edition of Understanding Contemporary Russia. With an upsurge of both national pride-despite a struggling economy-and civil society activism, with a palpable tension between the support for democratic values and the intense desire for political stability, with an increased role in world politics that puts Putin in the headlines almost daily, contradictions and complexities abound. These contradictions, complexities, and much more are captured in this new edition. The authors provide sophisticated yet accessible introductions to the country's history, domestic politics, economy, foreign policy, society, and culture. The result is a well-grounded exploration of the realities of contemporary Russia.