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Russia: Where is it Heading? A C G, Philadelphia Klaus Segbers, FUB/ CU 27. November 2007.

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Presentation on theme: "Russia: Where is it Heading? A C G, Philadelphia Klaus Segbers, FUB/ CU 27. November 2007."— Presentation transcript:

1 Russia: Where is it Heading? A C G, Philadelphia Klaus Segbers, FUB/ CU 27. November 2007

2 Content 1New Context of IR 2Russia 3(Joint) Issues

3 1.1 The New Anarchy We do live in volatile times. Global politics and events are disorderly, chaotic, hard to comprehend. And hard to predict. Why is that so?

4 1.2 New Global Context There is a substantially new, changing global landscape: no East-West Conflict, no Bipolarity, globalization, erosion of the Westphalian system. This explains the impression of disorder. And it constitutes a challenge for all of us, particularly for experts and decision makers.

5 1.3 Dimensions of IR/ GP Financial markets: Flows of capital between state- and non-state actors. Economy: new forms of transport, flows of goods, services, and people. Communication: Flows of content (information and entertainment). (Un)security: Conflicts about resources, culture and identities. Attempts to regulate these flows and trends... U.N., Doha, post-Kyoto (Bali), Schengen,...

6 1.4 Actors in Global Politics Many more than ever before. Related to state, market, and society. Governments, IO’s, INGO’s, TNC’s, networks, individuals, media,... Problems for defining”national interests”.

7 2.1Russia: the Public Debate According to the papers and TV, it is about lack of democracy/ sliding back to autocracy (which is bad), dependency of economic take-off on oil (which is bad), non-cooperation internationally (which is bad). This kind of interpretation is too narrow, and at least partly wrong.

8 2.2 Russia: Structural factors Post-Soviet traumata and worries Transformation incl. nation building Effective integration into a non-geopolitical, but globalizing world Abundant energy resources Cultural patchwork Uncertain southern dimension

9 2.3 Economic Achievements/ Problems Property rights, banking, few soft budget constraints, no virtual economy, less (but still strong) dependency on cheap energy (and exports), Stabilization fund, etc. Defining remaining monopolies/ state champions, subsidies for consumers, railways, pipelines, etc.

10 2.4 Social achievements/ problems So far no major disruptions, emerging middle groups/ classes, consumer orientation, stability orientation, human capital development Brain drain, cultural cleavages, crisis of values, wealth distribution/ forgotten places, access to electronic flows, etc. Domestic stability: regional, social and cultural cleavages, avoiding fragmentation

11 2.5 Political achievements/ problems Broader space for political activities than in Soviet times, broader spaces for information, parties, emerging civil society Narrowing of political spaces, of public discourses, of self-assured atmosphere, nervousness, imitating roles Finding a new power/ saturation balance/ equilibrium after elections

12 2.6 Russia: Global Issues Realistic global integration, self- assured, not nervous Keeping a secular orientation, joint position vs. terrorism Finding a role in/ with Europe (energy, Armaments limitations/ regulation, CFE, ABM, NGOs,...)

13 3General: Goals and issues Strengthen EU Strengthen inter-, transnational institutions (climate, trade, security, migration,...) Manage U.S. decline Manage China rise Keep secularism by all means

14 the end... http://userpage.fu-berlin.de/~segbers

15 1.3 Globalization G. is an objective process, rather than a program. It modifies the meaning of borders. It makes governments weaker. It produces loss of control. It generates new actors and nodes, flows.

16 2.1 Germany: Structural factors Difficult to make statements for „Germany“. Role of trade >>> stability Role of energy imports >>> stability Meaning of „civilian power“ >>> institutions Role of historical contingencies for current politics >>> integration, institutions

17 2.2 Germany: Issues Europe (procedures/ institutions) Europe (stability, possibly further enlargement later) Europe (trade, currency, migration,...) Modified role in IR/ UN sec-council Peace-keeping, trade, climate as issues


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