Unlike other books on civil society in Russia which argue that Russia’s civil society is relatively weak, and that democratisation in Russia went into reverse following Vladimir Putin’s coming to power, this book contends that civil society in Russia is developing in a distinctive way. It shows that government and elite-led drives to encourage civil society have indeed been limited, and that the impact of external promotion of civil society has also not been very successful. It demonstrates, however, that independent domestic grassroots movements are beginning to flourish, despite difficulties and adverse circumstances, and that this development fits well into the changing nature of contemporary Russian society.
1. Methodology, Theoretical Considerations and the Structure of the Study 2. Public and Private Cycles of Socio-Political Life in Russia 3. The Pulic Sphere and the State in Russia 4. A Kind of Society: The Nature of Political Radicalism in Modern Russia 5. State-Sponsored Civic Associations in Russia: Systemic Integration or a 'War of Position'? 6. Foreign-Sponsored Associations in Russia: Themes and Problems 7. Grassroots Movements in Modern Russia: A Cause for Optimism? Conclusion
Biography
Elena Chebankova is a Senior Lecturer in Politics at the University of Lincoln, UK.
"This is important reading for students of contemporary Russian politics and society."
Catherine Owen, University of Exeter
Europe-Asia Studies Pages 674-675, 67:4
