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Description

While the international system has been evolving in an increasingly liberal direction, the level of democratic practice within the post-Soviet region has, on the whole, declined. Two decades after the popular uprisings against communism, many governments in the region have successfully blunted both popular and international pressures for democratic consolidation. Each selection in this volume explores how international factors interact with domestic conditions to explain the persistence of authoritarianism throughout the region. The selections in the volume cover several countries, including Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, South Ossetia, Ukraine, Moldova, and Belarus; special attention is paid to the Russian Federation since it is both a member of the region and acts as an external actor influencing the political development of its neighbors.

This volume is especially relevant as the world again experiences the surprising overthrow of long-running authoritarian regimes. The failure of democratic consolidation among post-Soviet states offers important lessons for policymakers and academics dealing with the recent wave of political transitions in the Middle East and Asia.

Table of Contents

Chapter 1: Introduction: Authoritarian Persistence in History’s Aftermath
Michael E. Aleprete
Chapter 2: International Relations and Political Centralization during Putin’s First Term Michael E. Aleprete
Chapter 3: Petroleum vs. Western Aid: External Influences and Authoritarian Tendencies in Russia
Olga Beznosova
Chapter 4: Rent Seeking and Authoritarian Consolidation in Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan
Assel Rustemova
Chapter 5: Central Asian Conceptions of Democracy: Ideological Resistance to Democratization
Mariya Omelicheva
Chapter 6: The Promulgation of Anti-democratic Norms in South Ossetia
Carmen Gayoso
Chapter 7: Azerbaijan: The State as a Crossroads of Internal Policy and External Interests
Rovshan Ibrahimov
Chapter 8: Ukraine: A Democratic Post-Soviet State?
Rachel Vanderhill
Chapter 9: Out of the Authoritarian Labyrinth: Post-2009 Moldova
Theodor Tudoroiu
Chapter 10: Authoritarian Belarus between Europe and Russia: Four Scenarios
Thomas Ambrosio
Chapter 11: Conclusions: The International Dimension of Authoritarian Persistence
Rachel Vanderhill

Bibliography
Contributors

Product details

Published Mar 27 2017
Format Paperback
Edition 1st
Extent 280
ISBN 9781498556934
Imprint Lexington Books
Illustrations 1 BW Illustration, 5 Graphs, 1 Table
Dimensions 9 x 6 inches
Publisher Bloomsbury Publishing

About the contributors

Related Titles

Environment: Staging