Post-Soviet Globalization

Globalization is not a new phenomenon, but already occurred centuries ago. The first half of the 20th century seems an interruption of the move towards free trade. After World War II, however, the move to free trade resumed and gave rise to a sustained period of high economic growth in most parts of the world. Central and Eastern Europe was an exception because this region formed an almost closed trading bloc. Though CIS countries are still to a large extent dependent on Russia liberalization of external trade in the early 1990s led to a reallocation of trade flows away from Central and Eastern Europe towards the European Union. The Central Planning Bureau (1999) has explored possible future developments by applying a general equilibrium model for the world economy. It has identified four scenarios: 1. The Schumpeterian World, a scenario that is optimistic on economic progress and developing regions emphasizing globalization tendencies and market-oriented policies in the world economy. 2. The Malthusian scenario, which assumes that developing regions are unable to pursue market- and outward-oriented policies. 3. The Developing scenario assuming bleak growth perspectives for the OECD area, but high growth in non-OECD countries at high environmental costs. 4. The Ecological scenario, in which producers and consumers value environmental quality and put less emphasis on economic growth. Because of the differences in underlying assumptions the scenarios produce different outcomes. The results are not predictions, but descriptions of possible future developments on the basis of an applied general equilibrium model of the world economy and various exogenous trends that have been assumed. There seems considerable scope for CIS countries to integrate in the world economy. Continued globalization may further economic growth, while high economic growth harms the environment. However, energy-saving technologies and environmental legislation may affect the outcomesGlobalization, Former Soviet Union, Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS)

Internal centralization and international integration in the post-Soviet space

An important but often neglected factor influencing the changes in power relations in Eurasia is the development of center-periphery relations in individual countries. Domestic and international politics are never clearly separated, especially in the emerging post-Soviet states, which still maintain strong economic, cultural and political links among each other. The aim of the paper is to understand how international integration and domestic policy (re)centralization influenced each other in the post-Soviet countries. It looks at four possible combinations of the development of regionalism and decentralization observed in the CIS region over the last two decades and develops a simple framework explaining the differences between these case studies.regional integration; decentralization; post-Soviet countries; multi-level governance

Post-Soviet Islam : An Anthropological Perspective - Introduction

This is an electronic version of an article published in Rasanayagam, J. (2006). 'Post-Soviet Islam: An Anthropological Perspective - Introduction.' Central Asian Survey 25(3) pp. 219-233. Central Asian Survey is available online at: http://www.informaworld.com/openurl?genre=journal&issn=0263-4937.Peer reviewedPostprin

Searle and Cherenkov\u27s A Future and a Hope: Mission, Theological Education, and the Transformation of Post-Soviet Society - Book Review

Anniversary reflections on developments since the end of the Soviet Union 25 years ago have started, but rare is the book attempting an assessment of what happened to post-Soviet evangelicals

Post-Soviet informality: towards theory-building

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to suggest that informal practices and institutions of post-Soviet countries differ from informality in other post-socialist regions and, therefore, proposes categorizing it as “post-Soviet informality” – a composite definition that extends beyond the concept of “informal economy” and encompasses, along with economic activities, social and political spheres. Design/methodology/approach – The arguments of the paper are based on a comprehensive analysis of secondary sources. Findings – This paper shows that, owing to the effects of antecedent regime’s legacies and the problems of post-communist transition, for the proper analysis of informality in post-Soviet countries it needs to be based on an own concept. Originality/value – This study, in contrast to the existing literature on informality in post-communist spaces, specifically focuses on the informal sphere of post-Soviet countries, suggesting that the informal institutions and practices thriving across the vast post-Soviet space not only differ from the informal spheres elsewhere in the world, but also from informality in other post-communist regions

Defamation and Political Comment in Post-Soviet Russia

The law of defamation in Russia has a long history. Its roots are in the European tradition, but the discontinuity of its historical development has meant that there have been particular difficulties in reconfiguring the law for the new human rights era following Russia’s accession to the Council of Europe in 1996 and ratification of the European Convention on Human Rights in 1998. Defamation law must now be been tested against the fundamental standards enshrined in the ECHR, to ensure that appropriate levels of protection are provided not only for reputation but, also, for freedom of expression. It has been left largely to the judiciary and judge-made law to manage this difficult transition. This article analyses the elements that make up the law of defamation in Russia and assesses the challenges that remain in adapting it to the twenty-first century.</jats:p

Policy Reform and Growth in Post-Soviet Russia

In pursuit of its transition from a command to a market economy, Russia has witnessed enormous regional differences in economic growth rates. Moreover, the implementation of economic reforms has also differed markedly across regions. We analyze whether regional differences in reform policies can account for regional differences in growth rates, and conclude that to a considerable degree, they can. Most notably, we find that regional differences in price liberalization policies exhibit a positive direct correspondence with growth. We also find that regional differences in large-scale privatization exhibit a positive correspondence with the regional formation of new legal enterprises, which in turn exhibits a strong positive correspondence with growth.http://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/39789/3/wp405.pd

Patterns of preservation, restructuring and survival: science and technology policy in Russia in the post Soviet era

This paper analyses the role of S&T policy in the adjustment and restructuring of the Russian S&T system in the post-Soviet period. The principal argument is that the adjustment of the S&T system in Russia has been evolving between the 'preservation of S&T potential', its restructuring, and survival strategies developed by researchers and R&D organisations. The interaction of these factors explains much of the pace and patterns of restructuring of Russian S&T system observed in the post-Soviet period. The model that emerged is the post-Soviet R&D model, which is relevant for Russia as well as for other CIS. The paper analyses strategic options available to Russian policy makers

Regulatory Reform in the Energy Industry of Post-Soviet Countries: Same Name, Different Content

This paper analyses the issues of regulatory reform in the energy industry of post- Soviet countries. We identify the characteristics of the transformation that these countries go through: it is the introduction of a) a new legal culture and b) a capitalist rationality of production in societies embedded in a post-Soviet institutional context. We identify existing models to which these countries' regulations could adhere. Though the industries claim to adopt an Anglo-Saxon approach, one observes in reality the emergence of a specific, post-Soviet regulatory model, characterized by the legalisation of the quasi-proprietorial rights factually enjoyed by new political and economic elites. We review some specific aspects of regulatory reform in the energy sector in Russia, Ukraine, Kazakstan and Azerbaijan. We conclude that foreign investors, politicians and advisors have to adjust to the post-Soviet reality if they want to have a lasting impact.regulatory reform, energy, post-Soviet countries