Analysis - Institute of Modern Russia

Latest Articles

The Simulacrum of a President

Details: Politics

The Simulacrum of a President

Details: 07 May 2012; Olga Khvostunova

On May 7th, Dmitry Medvedev, the third Russian President, officially left office. During his term, he launched a number of promising initiatives, including countrywide modernization, a war on corruption, and founding the Russian Silicon Valley. However, almost all of his endeavors led to the opposite of their intended result. IMR's Olga Khvostunova details Medvedev's progress through the political apparatus to show why these failures were inevitable.

D.C. Art Exhibit Protests Putin’s Third Inauguration Absence of Political Freedom in Russia

Details: Nation

D.C. Art Exhibit Protests Putin’s Third Inauguration Absence of Political Freedom in Russia

Details: 05 May 2012

“Lest We Forget: Masters of Soviet Dissent,” an exhibition of paintings and works on paper by Leonhard Lapin and Alexander Zhdanov, two of the Soviet Union’s leading dissident artists, opened Monday, May 7th at Charles Krause Reporting Fine Art Gallery in Washington, to coincide with Vladimir Putin’s third inauguration as President of the Russian Federation in Moscow.

A Russian Pro Forma: Falsified Declarations of Income Speak Volumes

Details: Economics

A Russian Pro Forma: Falsified Declarations of Income Speak Volumes

Details: 03 May 2012; Caterina Innocente

In April 2012, the Russian president, his cabinet, the Prime Minister, the Deputy Prime Ministers, regional representatives and senators all made their declarations of income public. Caterina Innocente discusses how the vertical power structure invalidates the very institution of declaring income, mocks the credulity of the Russian people, and finally, fails to fight corruption, which is what it was intended to do.

Alexander Auzan: Modernization Begins in People's Minds and in Their Systems of Value

Details: Economics

Alexander Auzan: Modernization Begins in People's Minds and in Their Systems of Value

Details: 30 April 2012; Olga Khvostunova

In the coming weeks, IMR will begin publishing chapters from Alexander Auzan's recent book on institutional economics in Russian and in English. By way of introduction, we are presenting an interview with Dr. Auzan where he reflects on the possibility of major changes in approaches to government worldwide and on the impact such shifts may have on Russia.

Worthless Mercy

Details: Nation

Worthless Mercy

Details: 25 April 2012

On Monday, April 23rd, Russia's outgoing President Dmitri Medvedev pardoned a number of prisoners on humanitarian grounds. Among them was Sergei Mokhnatkin, the only political prisoner on the list of 37 inmates compiled by a group of human rights activists and submitted to the President in February.

What Russia Could Learn from the American Judiciary

Details: Law

What Russia Could Learn from the American Judiciary

Details: 18 April 2012; Ekaterina Mishina

Professor Ekaterina Mishina examines the strengths of the American judicial branch, focusing on judges. Detailing the requisite professional and moral qualities of U. S. judges, Mishina points out what Russia can learn from them if it wishes to raise the prestige of the profession.

A Crucial Alliance

Details: Nation

A Crucial Alliance

Details: 18 April 2012; Alexander Yanov

The toxic combination of a stagnant economy and Putin's counter-reforms could make Russia a danger to Europe in the near future. According to historian Alexander Yanov, the country's greatest hope for neutralizing this threat and effecting real change is an alliance between its opposition movement and Europe.

INSOR’s Unfulfilled Dreams

Details: Economics

INSOR’s Unfulfilled Dreams

Details: 14 April 2012; Caterina Innocente

IMR's Caterina Innocente relates the history of INSOR, a pro-Medvedev think tank. With Putin's return to the presidency, INSOR's unsuccessful political maneuvering may leave the organization without a future.

Stanislav Belkovsky: The System Must Be Destroyed, Not Reformed. An Entirely New One Must Be Created

Details: Politics

Stanislav Belkovsky: The System Must Be Destroyed, Not Reformed. An Entirely New One Must Be Created

Details: 10 April 2012; Olga Khvostunova

Russian political analyst and Director of the Institute of National Strategy Stanislav Belkovsky spoke with IMR's Olga Khvostunova on the need for a pivotal change of the state paradigm for the rebirth of Russia.

On A Draft of the New Russian Constitution

Details: Law

On A Draft of the New Russian Constitution

Details: 09 April 2012; Ekaterina Mishina

Ekaterina Mishina reports on a new draft of the Russian Constitution, which was prepared by students and two instructors from the Higher School of Economics Law School in Moscow. The central mission of the new document is transforming the status of the Russian President from a political actor to a guardian of the constitution.

Our newsletter delivers a digest of analytical articles and op-eds published on our website, along with the latest updates on the IMR activities on a monthly basis.