ABSTRACT
The extent and quality of Russian federal stability cannot be captured easily within a single comparative study of centre–periphery relations, Putin’s federal policy initiatives or the pressures of external actors and processes. In Russia, it appears that the sum is always more or less than its parts, and therefore analysis can only identify potential frameworks and provide prisms which invariably distort and cloak a more complex reality. Nevertheless, the range of analysis presented in this volume can provide insights into the evolving nature of Russian federal stability.
