Of Khans and Kremlins Tatarstan and the Future of Ethno-Federalism in Russia [Paperback]

In this outstanding study of the politics of Russia's largest minority, Kate Graney details the rise and erosion of what she calls Tatarstan's 'sovereignty project,' demonstrating how this self-limiting autonomy, rather than threatening Russia's territorial integrity, has played a positive role by imbuing Russian federalism with genuine substance.This is a well-crafted case study of how post-Soviet Tartarstan one of the ethnic units of the Russian Federation has defined and implemented what the author refers to as a sovereignty project and the impact it had on the Russian Federation... The book's greatest contribution is to the literature on Russian federalism. It is a welcome and long-awaited departure from the dominant rationalist accounts of Russian federalism and the predominant view that the behavior of regional (and federal) actors is merely instrumental and interest-driven. Graney's analysis allows for a more nuanced interpretation of regional political action that integrates both interests and identity as important sources of political activity.Well organized and well written, this is the only book to date that offers a detailed narrative of Tatarstan's efforts to defend and extend its sovereignty. Katherine Graney is the first Western scholar to write a book in English about post-Soviet Tatarstan and the 'Tatarstan model,' which is surprising, given the importance of the topic. Graney also provides a concise overview of the evolution of federalism in Russia since 1991, including the efforts to recentralize under Putin. This timely book will be of interest to scholars of Russian politics, but also to comparative political scientists and international relations specialists interested in autonomy movements, ethno-federalism, and the evolving nature of state sovereignty in the contemporary world.This book has many assets and invites the reader to read more. A thorough analytical case study with a theoretical base, this study would be very useful source for lãÆ