International Dimensions of Authoritarian Persistence

Lessons from Post-Soviet States

Edited by Rachel Vanderhill and Michael E. Aleprete Jr. - Contributions by Thomas Ambrosio; Olga Beznosova; Carmen Gayoso; Rovshan Ibrahimov; Mariya Y. Omelicheva; Assel Tutumlu and Theodor Tudoroiu

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. « less more »

Lexington Books

Pages: 280 • Trim: 6 x 9

978-0-7391-8158-4 • Hardback • July 2013 • $94.00 • (£65.00)

978-1-4985-5693-4 • Paperback • March 2017 • $46.99 • (£31.95)

978-0-7391-8159-1 • eBook • July 2013 • $43.99 • (£29.95)

Subjects: Political Science / World / Russian & Former Soviet Union, History / Europe / Former Soviet Republics, Political Science / International Relations / General

International Dimensions of Authoritarian Persistence

Lessons from Post-Soviet States

Hardback

Paperback

eBook

Summary

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.

Book Details

Lexington Books

Pages: 280 • Trim: 6 x 9

978-0-7391-8158-4 • Hardback • July 2013 • $94.00 • (£65.00)

978-1-4985-5693-4 • Paperback • March 2017 • $46.99 • (£31.95)

978-0-7391-8159-1 • eBook • July 2013 • $43.99 • (£29.95)

Subjects: Political Science / World / Russian & Former Soviet Union, History / Europe / Former Soviet Republics, Political Science / International Relations / General

Author

Rachel Vanderhill is professor of government at Wofford College.

Michael E. Aleprete Jr. is associate professor of political science at Westminster College.

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

Reviews

This edited collection focuses on a significant and timely, yet largely neglected, topic—the role of international factors in explaining authoritarian persistence. While focusing on former Soviet states, it is a “must read” for students and experts seeking to understand the relationship between authoritarianism and globalization.
— Nicole J. Jackson, professor of international studies, Simon Fraser University

International Dimensions of Authoritarian Persistence

Lessons from Post-Soviet States

Edited by Rachel Vanderhill and Michael E. Aleprete Jr. - Contributions by Thomas Ambrosio; Olga Beznosova; Carmen Gayoso; Rovshan Ibrahimov; Mariya Y. Omelicheva; Assel Tutumlu and Theodor Tudoroiu

International Dimensions of Authoritarian Persistence

Lessons from Post-Soviet States

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