Excellent Book for this topic
President Vladimir Putin is a figure of both fear and fascination in the Western imagination. In the minds of media pundits and commentators, he personifies Russia itself - a country riven with contradictions, enthralling, and yet always a threat to world peace. But recent propaganda images that define public debate around growing tensions with Russia are not new or arbitrary. Russia and the Media ask, what is the role of Western journalism in constructing a new kind of Cold War with Russia? Focusing on British and US media coverage of moments of crisis and of cooperation between the West and Russia, McLaughlin exposes how such a Cold War framework shapes public perceptions of a major, hostile power reasserting itself on the world stage. Scrutinizing events such as the Ukraine/Crimea crisis, the Skripal Poisoning, and Russia's military intervention in Syria - as well as analyzing media coverage of the 2018 Russian presidential election and build-up to the 2018 World Cup - Russia and the Media make a landmark intervention at the intersection of media studies and international relations.
This volume offers analyses of the basic tendencies and the problems of Russia, Eastern Europe, Transcaucasia, Central Asia, and the Baltic states. It covers the Russian economic model; the rates and proportions of the Russian economy; its real, financial, external, and social sectors; investment and fixed assets; human capital; and economic policy. East European, Transcaucasian, Central Asian, and Baltic economies are then analyzed using the same perspectives. This allows a comparison of the economic progress of the post-Soviet countries, highlighting the differences and similarities between them. This book will be useful for students, professors, and businessmen interested in cooperation with post-Soviet countries.
This essential new volume reviews the threat perceptions, military doctrines, and war plans of both the NATO alliance and the Warsaw Pact during the Cold War, as well as the position of the neutrals, from the post-Cold War perspective. Based on previously unknown archival evidence from both East and West, the twelve essays in the book focus on the potential European battlefield rather than the strategic competition between the superpowers. They present conclusions about the nature of the Soviet threat that could previously only be speculated about and analyze the interaction between military matters and politics in the alliance management on both sides, with implications for the present crisis of the Western alliance. This new book will be of much interest to students of the Cold War, strategic history, and international relations history, as well as all military colleges.
Even before the Ukrainian crisis, neither Russia nor the EU was content with their relationship. Despite economic interdependence, strategic partnership, and official declarations of belonging culturally and historically to the same ‘European family and in spite of Russia's stated interest in establishing an economic community stretching from Lisbon to Vladivostok, the two actors found it difficult to agree on important issues. The conflictual atmosphere between the EU and Russia has three main dimensions: the normative issue, energy relations, and the shared neighborhood with the latter being particularly salient after the launch of the Eastern Partnership (EaP) in 2009. The former Soviet space is at the core of Russian foreign policy. Moscow's special interest in this area results from economic factors, diaspora issues, and, most importantly, from its perceived security need. Obsessed by a fear of being encircled by enemies, Russia sees its hegemony over the former Soviet republics as paramount to the protection of its own borders.
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The origins of the Cold War (1917-1945) -- Containment and the Soviet expansion (1945-1950) -- The hot wars of the Cold War (1950-1973) -- Détente (1969-1980) -- Winning the Cold War (1981-1991) -- Conclusion: lessons from the Cold War.
The articles are grouped into three parts. The first part contains articles on international relations, Russian foreign policy, and the situation in the world. The main themes they cover include Russian policy in Asia and Eurasian integration – in which Moscow plays the most active role. The second part looks at the theorization of Russia's internal processes, issues concerning reforms to the communist system, its troubled transition from Communism, and analysis of the country's current political regime. While elaborating on various reforms and transitions from the communist system, the author has suggested certain alternative concepts. Many of the articles analyze the shortcomings and inconsistencies of the modern Russian political system. The third part is devoted to current issues in Russian politics, the democratization process, growing authoritarian tendencies, mass protests, and evaluating the programs and policies of individual leaders. The book will be of interest to those specializing in Russian foreign and domestic policy as well as to all those interested in following the developments of this country, its role in the world, and the global situation in general.
Russia, the European Union, and NATO still share some important common interests that need to be given greater attention. A return to strategic partnership is not conceivable without resolving the Ukraine conflict, but prudent management of the antagonism in order to keep open the prospect of a peaceful new normal is crucial. At the same time, it is important to keep in mind that the persistent volatility of the international environment could further complicate this already difficult process.