ABSTRACT
Russia seems to want to be both European and Asian. Given its geographic location, this seems logical since it straddles both continents. However, an orientation towards the European west or the Asian east is determined by more than simply Russia’s position on the map. In the Russian context, looking westward, Europeanism, has historically meant reform-mindedness and more economic and political rights for average Russians, while looking eastward, Eurasianism, has usually implied more authoritarian tendencies and central control with fewer rights for the citizenry. So Russia’s orientation, including where Russia’s leaders think Russia belongs geopolitically, has serious implications for policy and for Russia’s relations with its citizenry and the world.
