Russia's Encounter with Globalisation: Actors, Processes and Critical Moments

Russian leaders and foreign policy actors remain focused on defending the sanctity of the country's borders and promoting its national interests. While a preoccupation with national interests and sovereignty is not unusual for any state, such concerns do not encompass the full complement of international political challenges in today's globalized and heavily interdependent world. By examining complex and ongoing issues of interdependence, the contributors to this volume analyze this increasingly important dimension of Russian politics. They do so largely by examining the domestic politics and processes that shape Russia's international engagement, asking how domestic policymaking processes condition and respond to Russia's approach to globalization. They explore how Russia's policy actors understand and seek to meet the political challenges of the 21st century. The thematic focus is on Russian engagement with areas of policy relating broadly to globalization, including energy, climate, health, finance, foreign direct investment and international terrorism.

Table of Contents:
Introduction; J.Wilhelmsen & E.Wilson Rowe Encountering Globalization Russian Style; R.Legvold Encountering Climate Change; E.Wilson Rowe Russia and the Global Financial-Economic Crisis; J.Cooper Russia and International Terrorism: Global Challenge -- National Response?; J.Wilhelmsen Close Encounters: Russian Policy-Making and International Oil Companies; I.Overland Nord Stream: Globalization in the Pipeline?; J.M.Godzimirski Health and Globalization: A Case Study of Russia's Response to HIV/AIDS; N.A.Lomagin Conclusion; J.Wilhelmsen & E.Wilson Rowe

About the Author :
JULIE WILHELMSEN is Research Fellow at the Norwegian Institute of International Affairs, Norway. She is an established commentator on Russian politics in Norway and has published widely on Russian foreign and security policy, as well as on issues related to conflict and human rights in Northern Caucasus. ELANA WILSON ROWE is Senior Research Fellow at the Norwegian Institute of International Affairs and Adjunct Professor at the University of Nordland, Norway. She is the editor of Russia and the North (2009) and co-editor of The Multilateral Dimension in Russian Foreign Policy (2009, with Stina Torjesen).

Review :
'In examining Russia's response to globalization, the contributors to this remarkably coherent collection of essays go a long way towards unpacking the 'black box' of Russian political decision-making. This book will be indispensible to those who want to understand contemporary Russian domestic and foreign policy.' - Margot Light, Emeritus Professor of International Relations, London School of Economics and Political Science, UK 'This excellent book fills a gap in our understanding of Russian politics by examining in detail the policy-making processes through which Russia's various state and non-state actors address the crucial issues of globalization that require them to cooperate with external actors. It is clear, concise, and well-argued.' - Robert W. Orttung, Assistant Director, Institute for European, Russian, and Eurasian Studies, The George Washington University, USA