Russia is rarely out of the news. This has been particularly true since it launched the largest war in Europe since World War II when it invaded Ukraine in 2022. Yet Russian politics can be difficult to understand. It is powerfully shaped by large, impersonal forces such as geography, and Russia's place in the international political and economic system. At the same time, Russia's formal political institutions, such as the Constitution and electoral procedures, are relatively weak and mani...

What is Vladimir Putin up to? This book shows how the mentality of Putin and his team - the code of Putinism - has shaped Russian politics over the past two decades. It explains not only the thoughts and ideas that motivate Putin's decisions, but also the set of emotions and habits that influence how Putin and his close allies view the world. The code of Putinism has powerfully shaped the nature of Russia's political system, its economy, and its foreign policy. Taylor draws on a large numb...

This book argues that Putin's strategy for rebuilding the state was fundamentally flawed. Taylor demonstrates that a disregard for the way state officials behave toward citizens - state quality - had a negative impact on what the state could do - state capacity. Focusing on those organizations that control state coercion, what Russians call the 'power ministries', Taylor shows that many of the weaknesses of the Russian state that existed under Boris Yeltsin persisted under Putin. Drawing o...

Russia is rarely out of the news. Yet Russian politics can be difficult to understand. It is powerfully shaped by large, impersonal forces such as geography, and Russia's place in the international political and economic system. At the same time, Russia's formal political institutions, such as the Constitution and electoral procedures, are relatively weak and manipulable compared to those of stable, established democracies. Under these circumstances, powerful leaders represent a source of ...

What is Vladimir Putin up to? This book shows how the mentality of Putin and his team—the code of Putinism—has shaped Russian politics over the past two decades. It explains not only the thoughts and ideas that motivate Putin's decisions, but also the set of emotions and habits that influence how Putin and his close allies view the world.Taylor draws on a large number of interviews, the speeches of Putin and other top officials, and the Russian media to analyze the mentality of Tea...

The story of the interplay between finance, freeways, and urban form in the 20th century and their enduring impact on American cities and neighborhoods in the 21st. American cities are distinct from almost all others in the degree to which freeways and freeway travel dominate urban landscapes. In The Drive for Dollars, Brian D. Taylor, Eric A. Morris, and Jeffrey R. Brown tell the largely misunderstood story of how freeways became the centerpiece of U.S. urban tra...

The story of the interplay between finance, freeways, and urban form in the twentieth century and their enduring impact on American cities and neighborhoods in the twenty-first.American cities are distinct from almost all others in the degree to which freeways and freeway travel dominate urban landscapes. In The Drive for Dollars, Brian D. Taylor, Eric A. Morris, and Jeffrey R. Brown tell the largely misunderstood story of how freeways became the centerpie...

Sports and music bring people together in large crowds. The poems written in this book share fascinating facts and information about different sports, instruments, and musicians. Some of the poems go into details about lifestyle habits of athletes and musicians.

Animals create special bonds in families, are great conversational builders, and can help build lasting friendships with others. I have created a book that mentions a variety of animals in poetry form. I have written about a bunch of animals that will capture your attention with amazing facts and some of the poems are written to make you laugh that contain silly expressions.

23 Essays Demonstrate How God's Voice Guides Every Area of Life, from Science and Economics to Marriage and the ArtsWhat we think shapes who we are. That's why the Bible tells us, "Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind" (Romans 12:2a). In a time of differing voices competing for our allegiance, we must learn to "think biblically" so we can distinguish good from evil.In this collection of essays, John MacArthur and ...

The United States of America is the best country for opportunity and the freedoms it provides. If you have an appreciation for our military, American freedom, and the American Workers who provide great services in our country, these poems will inspire you and make you appreciate your country even more.

In Communicated Stereotypes at Work, the editors and contributors posit that stereotypes communicated in the workplace remain a pervasive issue due to the dichotomy between the discriminatory and functional roles that these stereotypes can play in a range of professional settings. Contributors demonstrate that while the use of stereotypes in the workplace is distasteful and exclusionary, communicating these stereotypes can also appear-on the surface-to provide a pathway toward bon...