The Lands in Between
Russia vs. the West and the New Politics of Hybrid War
Format:Hardback
Publisher:Oxford University Press Inc
Published:30th May '19
Should be back in stock very soon
Russia's stealth invasion of Ukraine and its assault on the US elections in 2016 forced a reluctant West to grapple with the effects of hybrid war. While most citizens in the West are new to the problems of election hacking, state-sponsored disinformation campaigns, influence operations by foreign security services, and frozen conflicts, citizens of the frontline states between Russia and the European Union have been dealing with these issues for years. The Lands in Between: The New Politics of Russia's Hybrid War contends that these "lands in between" hold powerful lessons for Western countries. For Western politics is becoming increasingly similar to the lands in between, where hybrid warfare has polarized parties and voters into two camps: those who support a Western vision of liberal democracy and those who support a Russian vision of nationalist authoritarianism. Paradoxically, while politics increasingly boils down to a zero sum "civilizational choice" between Russia and the West, those who rise to the pinnacle of the political system in the lands in between are often non-ideological power brokers who have found a way to profit from both sides, taking rewards from both Russia and the West. Increasingly, the political pathologies of these small, vulnerable, and backwards states in Europe are our problems too. In this deepening conflict, we are all lands in between.
The present book is a contribution to the emerging literature on the concept of hybrid war that focuses on political relations between contemporary Russia and what the author styles as "the West", by which he means the United States of America and the European Union. The author's aim is "... to explain to a general audience how the politics of hybrid war affects the lands in between, [so that] we in the West could better understand our own problems and perhaps address them more effectively." * John Morgan, Eurasian Geography and Economics *
[T]he book will appeal to practitioners, academics and students with an interest in Russia's relations with the West. It is a masterfully written, clear and succinct explanation of Russia's hybrid war and its results. * Zerrin Torun, Associate Professor, Department of International Relations, Middle East Technical University, Ankara, Turkey, Europe-Asia Studies *
Professor Mitchell Orenstein is one of the leading experts on the influence of Russia on the West, who can combine a catchy, interesting, easy-to-read style with academic depth and an extensive and up-to-date knowledge on Central and Eastern Europe. This book is exceptional in at least two ways. First, unlike many other books written on the topic, The Lands in Between does not get lost in the details but provides an elegant, holistic picture. Second, it puts a strong focus on the policy solutions. A must-read for all academics and practitioners who are interested in Russia's malevolent influence on the West. * Péter Krekó, Hungarian Fulbright Visiting Professor, Indiana University and Faculty Member, Russian and East European Institute *
Orenstein's main argument-that Western countries are following the path of polarization long seen in the 'lands in between'-seems counterintuitive at first. But Orenstein ushers in a mass amount of evidence to support this narrative, laid out in a straightforward and easy-to-read manner. This book is a must-read for longtime students of Eastern Europe and those only now realizing its geopolitical significance. * Alina Polyakova, David M. Rubenstein Fellow in Foreign Policy, Center on the United States and Europe, The Brookings Institution *
ISBN: 9780190936143
Dimensions: 147mm x 211mm x 25mm
Weight: 386g
250 pages