Dal E.P., Erşen E. (eds.) Russia In The Changing International System

London: Palgrave Macmillan, 2020. — 252 p.This volume seeks to explore Russia’s perceptions of the changing international system in the twenty-first century and evaluate the determinants of Russian motives, roles and strategies towards a number of contemporary regional and global issues. The chapters of the volume discuss various aspects of Russian foreign policy with regard to key actors like the U.S., EU and China; international organizations such as the BRICS, Shanghai Cooperation Organization, Eurasian Economic Union and Collective Security Treaty Organization; and a number of regional conflicts including Ukraine and Syria. The contributors seek to understand how the discourses of “anti-Westernism” and “post-Westernism” are employed in the redefinition of Russia’s relations with the other actors of the international system and how Russia perceives the concept of “regional hegemony,” particularly in the former Soviet space and the Middle East.Notes on ContributorsRussia’s Multiple Actorness in the Changing International System
Encountering the Liberal International Order: The Russian Way
Russia’s In-Between Role in Multilateralism
Outline of the Chapters
In Lieu of ConclusionThe International System and the End of Stasis
Russia and Neo-revisionism
The Dynamics of ChangeFrom the Fall of the Soviet Union to the Crisis of Liberal International Order
Post- Versus Multi-
From Conceptual Disagreement to Political Rebuff
Realist Conservatism: A Toxic Blend
Discursive Manoeuvres
Russia and the EU in a Post-liberal World: Residual CommunicationThe CSTO: An Underutilized Structure?
The Expansion of the SCO: To What Ends?
The EAEU: An Economic or Political Entity?
The Greater Eurasian Partnership: Moving Beyond the Post-Soviet Space
Multilateral Structures and Russian Regionalism
Russian Regionalism and Identity IssuesEAEU in the Eyes of the Russian Epistemic Communities
EAEU in the Eyes of the Western Observers
The Real and the Imagined EAEUDirect Cooperation
Full-Fledged Collaboration: International Security Governance
Elements of Collaboration: Economic, Environmental and Cyberspace Governance
Parallel Activities
Different Tools: Security Governance
Leader and a Minor Participant: Economic Governance
Changing Roles: Environmental Governance
Contradictory/Divergent ActivitiesThe Power Shift to the East
The New Energy (Dis)order
Russia’s Geopolitical Economic Outlook
Energizing Eastern Siberia and Russian Far East
Sense of Geopolitical Exposure
Mismanagement of Resource Rent-Based EconomyRussia and BRICS: Theoretical Approaches
Why Is Russia Interested in BRICS?
Russia and BRICS: Priorities for CooperationConceptualizing Russian Security Identity
Russia’s New Confrontation with NATO
Global Implications of Russia’s Response
The Black Sea Security KnotIdentity and Emotions as Sources for Russian Power Politics Towards Ukraine
Material Costs
Consequences for Russia’s Legitimacy as a Regional Leader
Claiming International Status Through Moral Authority
Re-claiming Great Power Status Through Moral ArgumentationDualism in Early Soviet Policy
Unrecognized States, Decolonization and Dissolution of the Soviet Union
Russia’s New Foreign Policy: A Reassessment
Russia and the Ukrainian Conundrum Since
Conclusion: New Pragmatism in Russia’s Foreign PolicyBiopolitics in Crimea and the Near Abroad
Reason of State: Stability, Diplomacy and Balance of Power
Sovereignty, “Sovereign Democracy” and the Syrian CrisisRegional Context: Fragmentation of the Arab World and Regional Security System
The Grand Transformation
Reasons Behind Russia’s More Assertive Policy in the Middle East
Utilizing a More Pragmatic Approach Towards the Middle East
Fighting Terrorism
Russia’s Muslim Minority
Global Power Status
Demonstration of Russian Military Capabilities
Military-Technical Cooperation
Energy Cooperation
Foreign Direct Investments