Authoritarian Russia Analyzing Post-Soviet Regime Changes, by Vladimir Gel’man

Abstract

Vladimir Gel’man, who is a professor of political science at the European University at St. Petersburg and Finland Distinguished Professor at the Aleksanteri Institute of the University of Helsinki, is the author and editor of more than twenty books in Russian and English. Gel’man is notably productive about two and a half decade of Russian politics since the fall of the Soviet Union. He pulls the attention of the readers to the authoritarian politics in Russia in his recent book. With a wide perspective that includes Post-Soviet countries, he focuses on the factors impeding democratization in Russia. As usual characteristic of Gel’man’s work, this study includes a detailed knowledge of Russian political actors and institutions. The structure of the book provides an easy-reading framework to readers. First two chapters on the regime change in Russia and the reasons of failure in democratization present necessary theoretical knowledge within a chronological perspective of Russian politics. Following chapters continue analyzing Russia’s last two and a half decades without leaving the chronologic order. Thus, Gel’man’s book emerges as one of the best studies that shed light on Russia’s domestic politics and the logic of authoritarian rule since 1990.