The Religious Factor in Russia's Foreign Policy [Paperback]

This book examines how religion interacts with Russian foreign policy, arguing that religion is an important and neglected factor in shaping Russias outlook towards international relations. It surveys the importance of religion in Russian social life - past and present - and considers the range of attitudes which are affected by religion  such as Russian nationalism, notions of Slavic solidarity, the divine mission of Russian Orthodox civilisation, Russian imperialism, and Russias special approach towards Islam. The book discusses how religious organizations, especially the Russian Orthodox Church, operate in international relations, pursuing, through religious diplomacy their own interests and those of the Russian state; explores how religious ideas and culture linked to religion impinge on Russian attitudes and identity, and thereby affect policy; and demonstrates how policy influenced by religion impacts on Russian foreign policy in practice in a wide range of examples, including Russias relations with other orthodox countries, non-orthodox Western countries, Muslim countries, Israel and the Vatican.

Introduction  Part I. Religious Factor in Russian Policy: Past and Present  1. Evolution of the Role of Religion in the History of The Russian State  2. Religion in Social and Political Life of The Russian Federation  3. Religion in Russian Views on Foreign Policy  Part II: Religious Diplomacy of The Russian Federation  4. Characteristics of Russian Religious Diplomacy   5. Russias Orthodox Brotherhood With Belarus and Serbia  6. The Syndrome of Betrayal In Russias Relations with the Ukraine, Estonia and Georgia  7. Occasional Community : Russian Policy towards Moldova, Romania, Bulgaria, Macedonia and Montenegro  8. The Long Shadow of Byzantium : Russian  Greek Relations in the Face of Rivalry betls+