This title explores Russia's role in international politics, whether Russia is moving toward a democracy, what relationship the West should foster with Russia, and how Russian culture is changing. The viewpoints are selected from a wide range of highly respected and often hard-to-find sources and publications.

Ch. 1:What is Russia's role in international politics? -- Oil, carrots, and sticks: Russia's energy resources as a foreign policy tool / Randall Newnham -- Resurgent Russia? Rethinking energy inc. / Andreas Goldthau -- Russia's influence in the Middle East threatens American interests / Ariel Cohen -- Russia's influence in the Middle East remains unclear / Marcin Kaczmarski -- Russia will gain an advantage in nuclear arms under new treaties / Robert G. Joseph -- Both Russian and American nuclear arms should be reduced further / Bruce Blair et al. -- ch. 2: Is Russia moving toward democracy? -- Russia is moving toward democracy / Mikhail Khodorkovsky -- Russia is moving away from democracy / Kathy Lally ; Will Englund -- Soviet-style nationalism has cemented authoritarianism in Russia / Randall D. Law -- Grassroots organizations in Russia are leading a civil rights movement / Leon Aron -- The Russian government undermines civil rights / Yury Dzhibladze -- ch. 3: What relationship should the West foster with Russia? -- The United States should pass legislation to discourage human rights abuses in Russia / Robert Kagan ; David J. Kramer -- US legislation will not be effective in combating human rights abuses in Russia / Raymond Sontag - Western support for the punk band Pussy Riot draws attention to Russia's authoritarianism / Gideon Rachman -- Western support for the punk band Pussy Riot has obscured the plight of other Russian dissidents / Joshua Foust -- The United States should not view Russia as a strategic partner / Garry Kasparov -- ch. 4: How is Russian culture changing? -- Orthodox religion is a socially unifying force in post-Soviet Russia / John P. Burgess -- Teaching orthodox religion in Russian schools is a return to totalitarianism / Mikhail Sitnikov -- Television is a threat to Russian youth and culture / Mikhail N. Berulava -- Skinhead violence rising in Russia / Mark Ames ; Alexander Zaitchik -- A more open political system would thwart the ambitions of Russia's ultranationalists / Daniil Davydoff.