Russia and the Idea of Europe: A Study in Identity and International Relations

Russia and the Idea of Europe, a geneology of contemporary Russian ideas about Europe, adds to our understanding of that country's perception of the West. The book outlines the Russian debate about Europe as it unfolded over the last two hundred years. After the Soviet hiatus, Russia is once again in the midst of an intellectual and structural adjustment to Western models. The questions of to what extent and at which speed the market, the multi-party system and other creations of European history should be adopted by Russia is of overwhelming contemporary importance. The Russian debate about Europe is also a debate about what Russia is and should be. Russia and the Idea of Europewill be of great interest to any reader interested in the concepts of nation and identity.