Russia in the Wake of the Cold War - Perceptions and Prejudices

This study examines the enduring Cold War legacies underpinning Western perceptions of contemporary Russia under President Vladimir Putin. It analyzes the ways in which the West has interpreted and reacted to Russia's domestic authoritarianism and foreign policy behavior and argues for diplomatic engagement based on liberal pluralism.

List of contents

Chapter 1: Cold War Liberal Pluralism and Its Legacy
Chapter 2: Russia's Liberal Intellectuals and Lost Causes
Chapter 3: Russian Conservatism and Its Adjectives
Chapter 4: Finding Authoritarianism in President Vladimir Putin's Russian
Federation
Chapter 5: Lies, Damn Lies, and Diplomacy: John le Carré, Edward Snowden, and the post-Cold War World of Espionage

About the author

By Dorothy Horsfield

Summary

This study examines the enduring Cold War legacies underpinning Western perceptions of contemporary Russia under President Vladimir Putin. It analyzes the ways in which the West has interpreted and reacted to Russia’s domestic authoritarianism and foreign policy behavior and argues for diplomatic engagement based on liberal pluralism.

Additional text

The book by Dorothy Horsfield is a graphic illustration not only of the apparent pluralism of contemporary political thinking in Russia, but also of the deep historical roots that modern Russian intellectual paradigms have. The fight between liberalism and conservatism, between modernizers and traditionalists, between Europe and Eurasia as the preferred focus of Russia’s aspirations did not start yesterday and will not end tomorrow. One can only hope that these clashes of minds will take a more benign and mutually respectful form than we often see today in Russia.

Product details

• Authors: Dorothy Horsfield
• Publisher: Lexington Books
• Languages: English
• Product format: Paperback / Softback
• Released: 31.03.2020
• EAN: 9781498552196
• ISBN: 978-1-4985-5219-6
• No. of pages: 232
• Subjects: Humanities, art, music > History > Regional and national histories; Natural sciences, medicine, IT, technology > Geosciences > Geography; Social sciences, law, business > Social sciences (general); Eastern Europe, Russia, European History, POLITICAL SCIENCE / International Relations / General, SOCIAL SCIENCE / Regional Studies, HISTORY / Europe / Eastern, International Relations, Politics & government, Regional Studies, Politics and government, Regional / International studies, Former Soviet Union, USSR (Europe), USSR, Soviet Union, POLITICAL SCIENCE / World / Russian & Soviet, HISTORY / Russia / Soviet Era