The Russian Minorities in the Former Soviet Republics: Secession, Integration, and Homeland

This book explores the differing treatment of Russian minorities in the non-Russian republics which seceded from the Soviet Union in the early 1990s, highlighting the importance of perceptions, minority roles, and dual threats.

Format: Hardback
Length: 222 pages
Publication date: 09 December 2021
Publisher: Taylor & Francis Ltd

This book delves into the contrasting treatment of Russian minorities in the non-Russian republics that broke away from the Soviet Union in the early 1990s. Through comprehensive case studies, it elucidates the reasons behind Russia's intervention in Ukraine, despite Ukraine's favorable and inclusive treatment of its substantial Russian minority. In contrast, in other republics with less favorable approaches to minorities, such as Kazakhstan, where discrimination against the Russian minority worsened over time, and Latvia, where the country was initially considered to have robust protection of minority rights upon joining the European Union, despite a history of discrimination against the Russian minority, intervention by Russia was not observed.

Throughout the book, significant emphasis is placed on the perceptions held by the republic governments regarding the interactions between the minority's kin-state and the minority, the roles played by minorities in the nation-building process both before and after secession, and the dual threats posed by the domestic and international spheres.

Weight: 590g
Dimension: 234 x 156 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9781032070957