Strategic Culture in Russia’s Neighborhood : Change and Continuity in an In-Between Space

This book revisits the concept of strategic culture by examining the relationships between Russia and its neighbors in the east and west. The book explains how the competing Russian and western influences create innovative strategies, that display common regional characteristics of the different countries’ cultures.

This book explains the complex relations and entanglements of Russia and its neighboring countries, an area that changed dramatically after the collapse of communism and the end of the Cold War. The chapters discuss how the strategic cultures of different countries display common characteristics rooted in this special geopolitical space that has been subjected to simultaneous changes over a longer time. Shared historical experiences provide a common ground to interpret outside threats. The spatial context is relevant in this volume because the focus is on a geopolitical in-between-ness. The position in between two ideologically, politically or economically divergent entities affects the states’ security considerations, maneuvering space and policy perspectives. By cross-examining competing Russian and Western influences Miklossy and Smith create a persuasive context of regional political choices.