How do rural development programs, especially those run by nongovernmental organizations, cope in a time of structural adjustment programs and economical liberalization? Using Ecuador as a representative example, the authors of Rural Progress, Rural Decay explore the consequences of neoliberal macroeconomic policies for equitable development—and demonstrate that NGOs can make little headway    More >

Offering a fresh perspective on Vladimir Putin's Russia, Katharina Bluhm demonstrates how an illiberal-conservative movement created in the 1990s to oppose neoliberal globalization has become a powerful anti-Western ideology that justifies Russian imperialism. Her book provides an in-depth analysis of Russian ideology, economy, and politics since the demise of the Soviet Union and reveals the    More >

Do Russia and the European Union have any substantial influence over the political trajectories of post-Soviet states? Shedding new light on the interplay between domestic and external drivers of regime change, Jakob Tolstrup analyzes the impact of Russia and the EU on the democratization and autocratization processes in Belarus, Moldova, and Ukraine.    More >

The strategically pivotal Russian Far East—a vast expanse stretching from Lake Baikal to the Pacific Ocean—is notable not only for its rich natural resources, but also for the economic challenges, internal dissent, and risks of foreign encroachment that it faces. Rensselaer Lee and Artyom Lukin explore the history, economics, and politics of the RFE in the context of its geopolitical    More >

How does Russia fight wars? How are its experiences with modern conflicts shaping the evolution of its military strategy, capabilities, and doctrine? Addressing these questions, the contributors to Russia's Military Strategy and Doctrine consider strategic-level issues ranging from hybrid warfare, to the role of nuclear weapons, to cyber and electromagnetic warfare, to Moscow's posture in    More >

Roger McDermott traces the origins and trajectory of Moscow's modernization of its armed forces to exploit technology and adopt new approaches to warfare. Drawing extensively on primary sources, McDermott explores the role of Russian military thought in the modernization process, changes in military decisionmaking, developments stemming from Russian military operations in Syria, and other    More >

Why did Rwanda's rural Hutus participate so massively, and so personally, in the country's 1994 genocide of its Tutsi population? Given all that has been written already about this horrific episode, is there still more that can be learned? Answering these questions, Jean-Paul Kimonyo's social and economic history explores at the deepest level the role both of power relations among    More >

In his masterful study of the relationship between refugees and the United States, covering seven decades of immigration history, David Haines shows how both the refugees and their new communities have struggled with national and ethnic identities, and also the effect that this struggle has had on US institutions and attitudes.    More >

The life story of Samora Machel (1933–1986) reads like a compelling novel: humble beginnings, a rise through the ranks of the Frelimo anticolonial liberation movement, successes and failures as president of the new People's Republic of Mozambique, and death in a mysterious plane crash. Telling Machel’s extraordinary story through a biographical introduction and transcripts of    More >

Does federal funding of a church's welfare-to-work program constitute government endorsement of a particular religion? Do religious organizations that accept public funds lose the legal autonomy needed to preserve their religious identity and mission? Wading into the constitutional battle over whether government can/should enlist the help of religious organizations in delivering social    More >