Andrei P. Tsygankov is Professor of International Relations and Political Science at San Francisco State University. A Russian native, he is a contributor to both Western and Russian academia. His latest books are Russia and the West from Alexander to Putin (Cambridge, 2012) and Traditions of Russian Political Thought (Moscow, 2013).

• Introduction ; 1. Russia from Two Perspectives ; 2. The Roots of the Russian State: Autocracy ; A Brief History ; 3. Emergence and Development ; 4. Decline and Revolution ; 5. The Soviet State ; The Transition ; 6. The Soviet Breakup ; 7. The Smuta of the 1990s ; The Revival ; 8. Putin's System ; 9. State-Led Capitalism ; 10. Managed Democracy ; 11. a Normal Great Power ; The Crisis ; 12. Protest ; 13. Ethno-Nationalism ; 14. Corruption ; 15. Tensions with the West ; Conclusion ; 16. Whither the Russian State?

Andrei Tsygankov's The Strong State in Russia interprets Russian history from the pre-tsarist era to the present, with chapters dedicated to some of the most important issues facing Russia today. Arguing for a deep continuity in Russian politics, Tsygankov's interpretation will challenge many notions about Russia widely accepted in the West. Clear and engaging, the book is well suited for the classroom and will also be of great interest to all seeking to understand this important country.