Building Hegemonic Order Russia's Way

Order, Stability, and Predictability in the Post-Soviet Space

Michael O. Slobodchikoff

This book examines Russia’s emergence after the collapse of the Soviet Union and its creation of a security architecture in the post-Soviet space. Many scholars argue that Russia is a coercive power in the region that forces states to act in only its own interests. While acknowledging Russia’s power this author argues that it is not able to merely force states to behave as it wants them to. Instead, Russia must use bilateral and multilateral cooperation to develop a security architecture that provides order, stability and predictable behavior for both Russia as the hegemon and the weaker powers in the region. By building this security architecture, Russia and the other states in the post-Soviet space are better able to achieve their strategic goals and provide for their own security. To achieve this, weaker states are able to press for certain concessions from Russia regarding how to structure bilateral relations as well as multilateral organizations. While Western politicians have argued that Russia has tried to reestablish the Soviet Union through coercive means, the reality is much more of a nuanced interaction among all of the states in the region, which ensures state sovereignty while allowing the weaker states to pursue their own interests. Using network analysis, this author shows how the regional structural architecture of cooperation was built and indicate how Russia is able to achieve order. This book also shows that there is a lack of order where states have refused to cooperate in building the structural architecture, which has led to conflict and territorial disputes.

Lexington Books

Pages: 212 • Trim: 6 x 9

978-0-7391-8576-6 • Hardback • October 2014 • $109.00 • (£84.00)

978-1-4985-0525-3 • Paperback • May 2016 • $48.99 • (£38.00)

978-0-7391-8577-3 • eBook • October 2014 • $46.50 • (£36.00)

Subjects: Political Science / International Relations / General, Political Science / International Relations / Treaties, Political Science / Security (National & International), Political Science / Public Policy / General, Political Science / World / Russian & Former Soviet Union

Building Hegemonic Order Russia's Way

Order, Stability, and Predictability in the Post-Soviet Space

Hardback

Paperback

eBook

Summary

This book examines Russia’s emergence after the collapse of the Soviet Union and its creation of a security architecture in the post-Soviet space. Many scholars argue that Russia is a coercive power in the region that forces states to act in only its own interests. While acknowledging Russia’s power this author argues that it is not able to merely force states to behave as it wants them to. Instead, Russia must use bilateral and multilateral cooperation to develop a security architecture that provides order, stability and predictable behavior for both Russia as the hegemon and the weaker powers in the region. By building this security architecture, Russia and the other states in the post-Soviet space are better able to achieve their strategic goals and provide for their own security. To achieve this, weaker states are able to press for certain concessions from Russia regarding how to structure bilateral relations as well as multilateral organizations. While Western politicians have argued that Russia has tried to reestablish the Soviet Union through coercive means, the reality is much more of a nuanced interaction among all of the states in the region, which ensures state sovereignty while allowing the weaker states to pursue their own interests. Using network analysis, this author shows how the regional structural architecture of cooperation was built and indicate how Russia is able to achieve order. This book also shows that there is a lack of order where states have refused to cooperate in building the structural architecture, which has led to conflict and territorial disputes.

Details

Lexington Books

Pages: 212 • Trim: 6 x 9

978-0-7391-8576-6 • Hardback • October 2014 • $109.00 • (£84.00)

978-1-4985-0525-3 • Paperback • May 2016 • $48.99 • (£38.00)

978-0-7391-8577-3 • eBook • October 2014 • $46.50 • (£36.00)

Subjects: Political Science / International Relations / General, Political Science / International Relations / Treaties, Political Science / Security (National & International), Political Science / Public Policy / General, Political Science / World / Russian & Former Soviet Union

Author

Michael O. Slobodchikoff is lecturer of political science at Troy University.

Table of Contents

Chapter One: Establishing Regional Order
Chapter Two: Bilateral Relations in the Post-Soviet Space
Chapter Three: Multilateral Relations in the Post-Soviet Space
Chapter Four: Troika Option
Chapter Five: Building a Regional IGO Network
Chapter Six: Building a Regional Order

Reviews

[T]his book raises some important issues and provides analysis of subjects of great concern to observers of Russian foreign policy and students of international relations theory.
— Slavic Review