[yt_dropcap type=”square” font=”” size=”14″ color=”#000″ background=”#fff” ] W [/yt_dropcap]hat this work provides is a foundation for all aspiring iconoclasts in the field of Russian Studies. For a full generation and beyond, since the dissolution of the Soviet Union, the study of Russia has slowly disintegrated into a cynical morass of doubt, suspicion, and presumptive academic constraint. This has not only vexed those on the Russian side looking to establish relations with the United States that is not path-dependent and a mimic of history; it has drained an entire generation of young minds in America out of the field and left it still leaning heavily on those who were raised and baptized in the fire of the original and authentic Cold War.
This work hopefully gives reason for all those who want to believe that not only is the Cold War 2.0 not nearly as authentic or as menacing as they are being driven to believe, but that there is a place intellectually, diplomatically, and academically for those who do not wish to mindlessly follow an orthodox line of thinking that is hindering new ideas and new thinkers from gaining the stage.
This is of course not to say Russia is blameless for the state of affairs between the two countries. That accusation is also part and parcel of this damning orthodoxy: if you do not toe the line against Russia you are labeled a sycophant or shill for Russia. We must stop this rigid binary categorization because it completely shuts down the more accurate third line of analysis: one devoid of partisanship, nationalism, and patriotism, that seeks to effectively shed light on opportunities to overcome misunderstanding and misperception so that two major powers can finally engage one another without the result predetermined to the negative.
This work is a clarion call for that new generation of thinkers, whether it is the Millenial generation just now entering advanced graduate study or members of my own lost Generation X, wanting to return to this field of study but wanting to do so on their own terms and with their own ambitions and projects unhindered by the scholarly legacies and assumptions of the past.
Edited collection of over 60 individual analytical commentaries, more than 230 pages, covering issues as far-ranging as nuclear reinvestment, sanctions, immigration policy, Arctic politics, the Ukraine conflict, media issues, grand strategy, Russian Orthodoxy, FSB, cyberwarfare, monetary policy, NATO, Syria, and academic censorship, among many others. This volume provides one-stop analysis for the entire spectrum of Russian-American engagement.
Putin-Mongering: Poking the Bear for a new Cold War,Matthew Crosston
“Dr. Matthew Crosston’s book Putin Mongering: Poking the Bear for a New Cold War is one of the most relevant, timely, and thought-provoking texts recently published. Crosston’s analysis of Russia, Russian foreign policy, US-Russia relations, the conflict in Ukraine, American perspectives on Russia, and more are informative and systematic, building on the strengths of his previous works to provide detailed accounts of the complex relations between the two states, their actions, and consequences. This challenging and wide-ranging text introduces the reader to the multiplicity of nuanced narratives on the interactions, signals, and interpretations used by both states. The portrayal of actors and contexts is direct, honest, and revealing. Because of this approach, the book is not only able to offer insights into a wide variety of questions of interest to many scholars of different disciplines, but also invite new types of questions, fresh understandings and stimulating debates to the study of contemporary Russia unlike what is usually offered in the discipline of Russian Studies.”
Lada V. Kochtcheeva, PhD, Associate Professor of Political Science, School of Public and International Affairs, North Carolina State University
“Dr. Crosston’s work in Putin-mongering is second to none when it comes to the most important issues of global security and international affairs in the 21st century. Dr. Crosston’s overall scope of engagement here is well above most of the globally-recognized scholars within Russian and Eurasian Studies. In Crosston I see someone who is finally talented enough to surpass Mintz’s methodology panic and ambitious enough to embrace Singer’s call for real-world impact and relevance, putting the study of Russia back on a more ethically important and empirically genuine track where our research is not just a critical esoteric examination of current reality but is rigorously constructed, carefully oriented, and skillfully written so as to produce solutions and product that make our world truly a better place. This is an important new endeavor that should make people see Russian-American relations in an innovative new light.”
Maorong Jiang, PhD, Director, Asian World Center, Associate Professor of Political Science & International Relations
“In this time when Russian-American relations is stuck in one of the worst conditions since the Cold War, this attempt by Professor Matthew Crosston to bring new conclusions and perspectives to light earns a particularly important level of attention from scholars of Russian Studies. Because Crosston has a deft capability with the Russian language, a unique professional history across the Post-Soviet space, and maintains important and serious contacts within Russia, he was able to gain access to relevant information and process powerful arguments that stand as a counter-argument to many of the myths plaguing Russian-American relations today. His systemic and rigorous analysis allows Western readers to form an objective perspective on the so-called ‘Russian aggression.’ Especially important is his original conception of ‘the New Fake Cold War’ and how it powers so much between the countries today. In my opinion, this book is an important new contributor in the contemporary world’s war against ‘fake news.’”
Vladimir Kolotov, PhD, Head of the Far East Department, Faculty of Asian and African Studies, St. Petersburg State University, Member, Russian National Committee of the Council of Security Cooperation in the Asia-Pacific
