Blog Post
Russia Watch is a bimonthly bulletin produced by the Strengthening Democratic Institutions Project (SDI) that provides analysis of Russian politics. It is available at http://ksgnotes1.harvard.edu/BCSIA/Library.nsf/russiawatch.
The October-November issue of Russia Watch highlights the Russian economy and problems of investment and infrastructure. Essays by commentators examine conditions for foreign investment and describe key initiatives to invest in Russia''s environment and nuclear security.
Matthew Bunn, Assistant Director of STPP, makes the case for investing in Russia''s nuclear cities. Karen Filipovich, ENRP Fellow, proposes an initiative to slow global warming and encourage Russia''s economic growth and transformation. Catherine Gorodentsev, Coordinator of the U.S.-Russian Investment Symposium, answers the provocative question: Why invest in Russia?
Harvard history professor Eric Lohr asserts that land reform must be the "firm ground" for Putin''s economic program. SDI Fellow Vladimir Boxer explains why the Chilean or Chinese models of modernization without democratic reforms will not work for Russia. Andrei Uglanov, First Deputy Editor of the Russian newspaper Argumenty i Fakty, argues that investment by Russian citizens in their own economy could spark an international investment boom in Russia.
In addition, the SDI Project is pleased to present a compendium of all back issues of Russian Election Watch, the monthly bulletin that provided analysis of Russian politics during Russia''s season of elections, beginning with the Duma campaign in fall 1999 and culminating with the presidential elections in March 2000.
The volume, entitled Russia''s Electoral War of 1999-2000, is a compilation of expert analysis, summary reports, facts, quotes, and polls on the events leading to the first democratic transfer of power in Russia''s thousand-year history. The compendium includes a preface by Timothy Colton, Director of Harvard''s Davis Center for Russian Studies, and an introduction by the editor and writer of Russian Election Watch, Henry Hale.