San Antonio College Library

"What has become of the Russian state twenty years after the collapse of Communism? Why have the rulers and the ruled turned away from democratic institutions and the rule of law? What explains the Putin regime's often uncooperative policies towards Europe and its difficult relations with the rest of the world? These are among the key issues discussed in this essential book on contemporary Russia by Marie Mendras, France's leading scholar on the subject....

"In this important, thought-provoking work, journalist Charles Clover, former Moscow bureau chief for the Financial Times, attempts to shed light on the sometimes perplexing political actions and ambitions of Russian leader Vladimir Putin. Clover suggests that a nearly century-old ideology known as Eurasianism has taken hold in the region following the dissolution of the Soviet Union, with Putin a strong proponent. Originally formulated as a counter...

FRONTLINE and the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation go behind the latest headlines to investigate Russian leader Vladimir Putin-his remarkable ascent from unemployed spy to modern-day czar, and the persistent accusations of criminality and corruption that have accompanied that rise. Trace Putin's career back two decades to his political start in St. Petersburg, where allegations of corruption began almost immediately. The film chronicles Putin's ascent...

"A timely, topical book grounding Russia's recent turn towards conservativism in pre-1917 culture and explaining what this shift could mean for the rest of the world"-- "There is no question that tensions between Russia and America are on the rise. The forced annexation of Crimea, the downing of Malaysia Airlines flight 17, and the Russian government's treatment of homosexuals have created diplomatic standoffs and led to a volley of economic sanctions....

"The epic tale of the rise to power of Russia's current president--of his emergence from shrouded obscurity and deprivation to become one of the most consequential and complicated leaders in modern history. Former New York Times Moscow bureau chief Steven Lee Myers has followed Vladimir Putin's path for many years, and gives us the fullest, most absorbing account we have of his rise to power. This gripping narrative elucidates a cool and calculating...

"America and Europe responded to Russia's annexation of Crimea on March 18, 2014 by discarding their policy of East-West partnership and reverting intermittently to a policy of Cold War. The West believes that this on-again/off-again second Cold War will end with Russia's capitulation because it is not a sufficiently great power, while the Kremlin's view is just the opposite; Vladimir Putin believes that if Moscow has strategic patience, Russia can...

"Portrait of the mid-size city of Chelyabinsk and how it is faring in the new Russia"-- "A revealing look into the lives of ordinary Russians. More than twenty years ago, the longtime NPR correspondent Anne GMore than twenty years ago, the longtime NPR correspondent Anne Garrels began to visit the region of Chelyabinsk, an aging military-industrial center a thousand miles east of Moscow that is home to the Russian nuclear program. Her goal was to...

"Russia under Vladimir Putin has proved a prickly partner for the West, a far cry from the democratic ally many hoped for following the collapse of the Soviet Union. Abroad, Putin has used Russia's energy resources as a foreign policy weapon, while at home he has cracked down on opponents, adamant that only he has the right vision for his country's future. Former BBC Moscow correspondent Angus Roxburgh charts the dramatic fight for Russia's future...