This is a profoundly important contribution to the field of Russian studies likely to influence how we conceive political change in Russia for many years to come.

The Russian Review

[Gel'man's] summaries of transitology and Russian political science will be useful to specialists both in Russia and the west, and this is a powerful statement of the need for systematic comparison.

Slavic Review

Making and Breaking Democratic Transitions marks a major contribution to the literature on comparative politics from the younger generation of Russian political scientists. An authoritative analysis of developments in Russia?s regions is placed within a refreshingly intelligent new model of regime change. Not only is this a pathbreaking book in the study of post-Communist regimes, and of Russia in particular, but it will interest anyone thinking and writing about transitions?of all kinds....

Mary McAuley, author of Russia's Politics of Uncertainty

Making and Breaking Democratic Transitions is required reading for anyone interested in understanding Russia's protracted transition from communist rule. Most importantly, the book deploys the comparative method to discuss the often-neglected regional dimensions of transition. The regional focus makes important insights about transitions in large states that contributes to our more general understanding of democratization beyond the Russian case. It is a serious book by a superb collection of authors that mixes interesting theory and original empirical research.

Michael McFaul, Stanford University

Vladimir Gel'man and his colleagues add enormous depth to our picture of Russia's troubled transition by systematically comparing dynamics and results across the regions of the country. This study tells us all more, not only about the Russian experience, but about regime change in the contemporary world.

Timothy J. Colton, Harvard University

Making and Breaking Democratic Transitions marks a major contribution to the literature on comparative politics from the younger generation of Russian political scientists. An authoritative analysis of developments in Russia's regions is placed within a refreshingly intelligent new model of regime change. Not only is this a pathbreaking book in the study of post-Communist regimes, and of Russia in particular, but it will interest anyone thinking and writing about transitions-of all kinds.

Mary McAuley, author of Russia's Politics of Uncertainty