Russian Modernisation ― Structures and Agencies

Russia’s post-Soviet modernisation is complex and subject to changing interpretations among Russian political leaders and observers of Russia. This has created serious problems for understanding Russia and the changes it is currently undergoing. With this in mind, a new Finnish Centre of Excellence was established in 2012 at the Aleksanteri Institute of the University of Helsinki under the title ‘Choices of Russian Modernisation’. This collection of essays represents some of the first examples of the Centre’s research. Reflecting the broad range of issues explored in the work of the Centre, it covers questions of Russia’s historical legacy, technological development, energy economy, political regime, political opposition, social development, religious life and external relations. The authors are all members of or affiliated to the Centre of Excellence.

This book was originally published as a special issue of Europe-Asia Studies.

Markku Kivinen is one of the leading social theorists in Russian studies. He has been the Director of the Aleksanteri Institute – the Finnish Centre for Russian and Eastern European Studies since 1996, and the Director of the Finnish Centre of Excellence in Russian Studies: Choices of Russian Modernisation since 2012.

Terry Cox is Professor of Central and East European Studies at the University of Glasgow, UK. His current research projects are on civil society and social policy in Eastern Europe.