Contributors analyse the preconditions for and processes of nation-building, while the new element is the focus on values in the largest post-Soviet state, Russia.

The dissolution of the Soviet Union has provided scholars with tremendously rich material for the study of comparative nation building. Not since the decolonization of Africa in the 1960s have so many new states been established in one stroke in one region. The post-Soviet states, moreover, have all the necessary prerequisites for fruitful comparison: a number of similarities, but also significant differences in terms of size, culture, and recent history. In order to survive in the long run, modern states normally must have a population that possesses some sense of unity. Its citizens must adhere to some common values and common allegiance towards the same state institutions and symbols. This does not means that all inhabitants must necessarily share the same culture, but they should at least regard themselves as members of the same nation. Strategies to foster this kind of common nationhood in a population are usually referred to as 'nation building'. After a decade of post-Soviet nation building certain patterns are emerging, and not always the most obvious ones. Some states seem to manage well against high odds, while others appear to be disintegrating or sinking slowly into oblivion. To a remarkable degree the former Soviet republics have chosen different models for their nation building. This book examines the preconditions for these endeavors, the goals the state leaders are aiming at, and the means they employ to reach them. }

"Controversial, entertaining and alarmingly topical ... a delight to read."Philip Ziegler, Daily Telegraph

This final book is the last of a trilogy devoted to the mentality of the Russian people. The first book - "The Price Russians Pay" (2014) gives an idea of what was of value to the people living in Russia, their achievements and failures, what was the cost of wars, revolutions, terror and perestroika. In the second book - "Putin: A Shackled President" (2017), I tried to cover the notion of the Russian mentality "from below," from the position of a private person - in many respects a typical representative of the Russian population - the country's president, Vladimir Putin. It turned out to be a psycho-graphic description of the personality of a prominent, strong-willed person who has already had a strong influence on the development of modern Russia for eighteen years. I tried to show the nature of the national character through one private person. If we proceed from the current state of human civilization, then we can assume that each nation has its own potential for self-development. This potential determines the possibility of the movement of the nation forward along the path of industrial and socio-political progress. Most of the authoritarian harsh regimes have this potential low, it is incomparably more democratic. However, forcibly overthrowing the authoritarian regime from within or from outside, imposing new values on the people, to which it is not yet psychologically ripe, does not always work for the benefit of the people. To describe the Russian mentality, I used the term "values." Values are stable psychological cognitive-emotional processes. Values include needs, goals and attitudes. At present, not the ancient Russian values-archetypes determine the thinking and behavior of Russians, but those values that replaced them, the values that new leaders, transformers-technocrats and visionaries-humanitarians introduce into the consciousness of the people. I devoted my book to studying the values that resulted from this implementation. I singled out in a Russian man exactly twelve values: four of them - basic, eight - auxiliary, socio-psychological. In my opinion, they all fit into the concept of modern Russian mentality. Someone will find this list incomplete. Feel free to add to the list. In my review, the basic values are presented as those that force Russian people to aspire to meaningful action. These are motivational values. They are: 1) Private property 2) Power as a substitute for property 3) The image of an external enemy 4) The image of the inner enemy Socio-psychological values are presented in the form of scales. I would not want to offend anyone by sticking labels, and I did it this way. The reader can decide at which point in the scale he or she belongs as a representative of the Russian people. These scales included: 1) The Scale of Dignity, 2) The scale of Russian Will, 3) The scale of Legal Nihilism, 4) The Scale of Exposure to Verbal Conventions, 5) The Scale of Simulation, 6) The Scale of Honesty, 7) The scale of Trust, 8) The scale of Conservativeness. What gives a person inner strength and self-confidence? Property, trust in people, and a set of everyday and professional skills that make his behavior meaningful and gives dignity and meaning to his actions. Does all this exist in people in present-day Russia? Read the book and decide. The book is written for those who are interested in a fresh socio-psychological view of Russian and Soviet history, culture and politics of the 20th century and how these events influenced the mentality of the Russian people. The book can also be of interest to scientists and students in Russia and abroad.

Traces Russia's transforming nationalism, from imperialism, through ethnocentrism and migration phobia, to territorial expansion. This title was made Open Access by libraries from around the world through Knowledge Unlatched.

A critical examination of the effect of the European Court of Human Rights on Russia's approach to human rights.

Russian nationalism, previously dominated by 'imperial' tendencies - pride in a large, strong and multi-ethnic state able to project its influence abroad - is increasingly focused on ethnic issues. In 2014, Russia's annexation of Crimea and the subsequent violent conflict in Eastern Ukraine utterly transformed the nationalist discourse in Russia. This book provides an up-to-date survey of Russian nationalism as a political, social and intellectual phenomenon by leading Western and Russian experts in the field of nationalism studies. It includes case studies on migrantophobia; the relationship between nationalism and religion; nationalism in the media; nationalism and national identity in economic policy; nationalism in the strategy of the Putin regime as well as a survey-based study of nationalism in public opinion.