{"product_id":"9780691212463","title":"Weak Strongman","description":"Author: Timothy Frye\u003cbr\u003eISBN: 9780691212463\u003cbr\u003ePublisher: Princeton University Press\u003cbr\u003eYear first published: 01 Jul 2021\u003cbr\u003ePages: 288\u003cbr\u003eFormat: Hardback\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cp\u003e \u003cb\u003eLooking beyond Putin to understand how today\u0026amp;#x27;s Russia actually works\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003e**Shortlisted for the Pushkin House Russian Book Prize**\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eMedia and public discussion tends to understand Russian politics as a direct reflection of Vladimir Putin's seeming omnipotence or Russia's unique history and culture. Yet Russia is remarkably similar to other autocracies - and recognising this illuminates the inherent limits to Putin's power. Weak Strongman challenges the conventional wisdom about Putin's Russia, highlighting the difficult trade-offs that confront the Kremlin on issues ranging from election fraud and repression to propaganda and foreign policy.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eDrawing on three decades of his own on-the-ground experience and research as well as insights from a new generation of social scientists that have received little attention outside academia, Timothy Frye reveals how much we overlook about today's Russia when we focus solely on Putin or Russian exceptionalism. Frye brings a new understanding to a host of crucial questions: How popular is Putin? Is Russian propaganda effective?\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eWhy are relations with the West so fraught? Can Russian cyber warriors really swing foreign elections? In answering these and other questions, Frye offers a highly accessible reassessment of Russian politics that highlights the challenges of governing Russia and the nature of modern autocracy.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eRich in personal anecdotes and cutting-edge social science, \u003ci\u003eWeak Strongman\u003c\/i\u003e offers the best evidence available about how Russia actually works.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003e\u0026amp;#x27;[Frye's] research is impressive. This timely, evidence-based account persuades.\u0026amp;#x27; - Publishers Weekly\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003e\u0026amp;#x27;With deft prose, deep and insightful analysis, and considerable supporting evidence, Frye not only counters, but dismantles, the overly simplistic and lazy narratives of Russia under Putin.\u0026amp;#x27; - Joshua Huminski, \u003c\/b\u003e\u003cb\u003e\u003ci\u003eDiplomatic Courier\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003e\u0026amp;#x27;Frye's splendid book is a major contribution to the literature.\u0026amp;#x27; - Alexander Brakel, \u003c\/b\u003e\u003cb\u003e\u003ci\u003eIsrael Journal of Foreign Affairs\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Ships in 10 to 15 days","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":46803786727582,"sku":"ADS-9780691212463","price":39.78,"currency_code":"AUD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0400\/9043\/5742\/files\/9780691212463.jpg?v=1778206081","url":"https:\/\/classicbargains.com.au\/products\/9780691212463","provider":"Classic Bargains Australia","version":"1.0","type":"link"}