Valerie Sperling is Professor of Political Science at Clark University. She is the author of Altered States: The Globalization of Accountability and Organizing Women in Contemporary Russia: Engendering Transition.

• Chapter 1. The Power of Sex: Culture, Gender, and Political Legitimacy ; Chapter 2. Putin the Sex back in Politics: Gender Norms, Sexualization, and Political Legitimation in Russia ; Chapter 3. Who's Macho, Who's Gay?: Pro- and Anti-Kremlin Activists Gendering Russia's Political Leadership ; Chapter 4. Fight Club: Gendered Activism on Patriotism, Conscription, and Pro-Natalism ; Chapter 5. Everywhere and Nowhere: Sexism and Homophobia in Russian Politics ; Chapter 6. When Pussy Riots: Feminist Activism in Russia ; Conclusion. "The First Time, Do it for Love": Sexism, Power, and Politics under Putin ; Appendix: Methodology ; Bibliography ; Index

[T]he combination of a strong conceptual grounding and analytical framework makes Sex, Politics, and Putin a robust and engaging example of what Area Studies can be at its best and a volume that will interest scholars of both gender and politics and Russian Studies. It works for both advanced undergraduate and postgraduate courses in these fields and for courses on gender and sexuality more widely given the almost universal salience of the topic and the persuasiveness of Sperling's analysis and conclusions.