Review by Choice Review
This worthwhile book traces the enduring relationship between Russia and the former Soviet Republics following the Soviet collapse. Using the language of empire taken from Marxist and functionalist scholarship, Birgerson focuses on the connection among elites in the core Russia and in its periphery as the foundation for understanding the survival and collapse of the Soviet empire as well as the remaining bonds of dependency. She argues that, although Russia no longer has the resources to retain the empire, maintaining substantial authority over its former subjects remains central to the Russian/Soviet identity. Whereas elites in the Slavic and Central Asian former republics have economic and political interests in retaining the core-periphery relationship, elites in the Baltics have happily traded their dependence on Russia for new ties with the West. Birgerson's conclusions may not be earthshaking, but she details an oft-forgotten point: Soviet institutions and relationships did not disappear overnight. To understand the place of countries such as Georgia and Uzbekistan in the post-Soviet world, we must take into account their continuing ties with Russia. This book is recommended for advanced undergraduates and researchers. E. Pascal Wesleyan University
Copyright American Library Association, used with permission.
Review by Choice Review
