Russia 215 - PONARS Eurasia

Russia Between ‘Old’ and ‘New’ Europe: New Policy Articulations

A number of recent developments have sharpened the interest in Europe’s eastern margins where Russia finds itself in direct contact with NATO and the EU. The accession of Latvia, Lithuania, and Estonia…

Does Central Bank Independence Matter in Russia?

According to conventional wisdom, since taking office in March 2000 Russian president Vladimir Putin has adopted a two-pronged policy of political centralization and economic liberalization. Russia’s banking system, however, has…

Waiting for a Democratic Left: A Dangerous Gap in Russia’s Political Spectrum

A decade ago, the politically entrepreneurial vanguard of Moscow's ruling elite–the so-called reformers–came to power under a slogan that was attractive by virture of its simplicity: transforming Russia into a…

Why the Study of Virtues Tells Us More About Russia Than the Study of Values

Why do so many studies of political culture in Russia tend to produce boring, familiar accounts that describe the essential ambiguity of Russia's progress toward democracy and the market economy?…

Is a More Democratic Europe Good News for Post-Soviet States?

The title of this memo—“Is a More Democratic Europe Good News for Post-Soviet States?”—may raise a few eyebrows. After all, how could the answer be anything but yes?! Such a quick and…

Vostok – 2003 War Games: Preparing to Defend a Nigeria on the Pacific

From August 18 to 27, 2003, Russia staged the largest military exercises since the collapse of the Soviet Union. Code-named Vostok-2003, the war games were staged in the training zone of the…

‘Juicy Morsels’: Putin’s Beslan Address and the Construction of the New Russian Identity

Russia President Putin’s state of the nation address on September 4, 2004, immediately following the terrorist act in Beslan, was regarded by many as a strategic blueprint. He has made several statements…

Toward Full Convertibility of the Ruble? Benefits, Pitfalls, and Prospects

In May 2003, Russian President Vladimir Putin announced that the Russian ruble would be made fully convertible by the end of the decade. Over the next year, he steadily moved…

The Gender Gap in Russian Politics and Elections

After the Soviet Communist Party's regime was replaced by a multiparty system in the 1990s, voting in Russia became a subject of intense interest to political scientists. Voters in Russia, as elsewhere,…

Oversight of Russia’s Intelligence and Security Agencies: The Need for and Prospects of Democratic Control

For a brief while after the collapse of the August 1991 coup in Moscow, speculation abounded that the Soviet state security apparatus, known since 1954 as the KGB, would be…

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