Now in a thoroughly revised, expanded, and updated sixth edition, this classic text provides the most authoritative and current analysis available of the challenges facing Russia today. Leading scholars explore the daunting domestic and international problems confronting Putin. Evaluating the regime's continued efforts to rebuild a country once on the verge of collapse, they consider a comprehensive array of economic, political, foreign policy, and social issues.

Putin has his own approach for dealing with the myriad problems facing Russia, emphasizing recentralization of power and a strong state. He has returned to power amid unresolved policy issues both domestically and from the international community. Only by understanding these concerns-and previous efforts to deal with them-will it be possible to understand the country's trajectory. Well written and clearly organized, this text is an indispensable guide for anyone wanting to understand contemporary Russia.

Contributions by: Alfred Evans, Kathleen J. Hancock, Timothy Heleniak, Kathryn Hendley, Dale R. Herspring, Janet Elise Johnson, Taylor Rene Lane, Maria Lipman, Jeffrey Mankoff, Alexander M. Nikulin, Alexandra Novitskaya, Nikolai Petrov, Thomas F. Remington, Richard Sakwa, Louise Shelley, Darrell Slider, Pekka Sutela, Andrei P. Tsygankov, Stephen K. Wegren.