Few countries have been transformed as rapidly and dramatically as Russia since the end of the Communist regime. Yet the more that certain things change in Russia, the more others remain the same. The result is a political and social system of which almost every aspect is a work in progress, marked by sudden accelerations, slowdowns, turnarounds, and conundrums. This lively and innovative third edition provides a clear and comprehensive picture of Russian politics which does full justice to its changes, challenges, and paradoxes. A distinctive feature throughout is its emphasis on outlining basic facts and developments and setting these in historical contexts before moving on to critical analysis. This is the ideal text for upper-level undergraduate and postgraduate students studying Russian politics or comparative government and politics more broadly.New to this Edition:- Fully updated to cover the latest developments, including 2018's presidential election- Two chapters offering expanded coverage of foreign policy, which better balances coverage of domestic and international affairs- New content on elections, presidential power, constitutional amendments, events in Ukraine, political opposition, economic and business policies, domestic and global challenges facing Russia, and Russia's vision of the world- Accompanied by a revamped set of online resources, such as multiple-choice questions and PowerPoint slides

PART I: RUSSIA: CONTINUITY AND CHANGE 1. Studying Russian Government and Politics 2. The Roots: The Russian Empire and the Soviet Union 3. The Soviet Transformation, 1985-91 PART II: INSTITUTIONS AND PLAYERS 4. The Executive Branch 5. The Legislative Branch 6. The Judicial Branch PART III: POLITICAL BEHAVIOR, PARTICIPATION, AND COMMUNICATION 7. Political Parties 8. Presidential and Parliamentary Elections 9. Political Communication and Mobilization PART IV: POLICIES 10. Foreign Policy: Background and Strategies 11. Foreign Policy II: Countries and Regions 12. Defense and Security Policies 13. Economic and Business Policies 14. Social Policies: Health, Education and Housing 15. Summary and Conclusion.