A Geography of Russia and Its Neighbors

Authoritative yet accessible, the definitive undergraduate text on Russian geography and culture has now been thoroughly revised with current data and timely topics, such as the annexation of Crimea and Sevastopol and other background for understanding Russia's 2022 invasion of Ukraine. Thematic chapters provide up-to-date coverage of Russia's physical, political, cultural, and economic geography. Regional chapters focus on the country's major regions and the other 14 former Soviet republics. Written in a lucid, conversational style by a Russian-born international expert, the concise chapters interweave vivid descriptions of urban and rural landscapes, examinations of Soviet and post-Soviet life, deep knowledge of environmental and conservation issues, geopolitical insights, engaging anecdotes, and rigorous empirical data. Over 200 original maps, photographs, and other figures are also available as PowerPoint slides at the companion website, many in color.

New to This Edition
*Separate chapter on Ukraine and Crimea, covering events through 2019.
*Timely topics--the political crisis in Ukraine and annexation of Crimea and Sevastopol; the return of Putin as president; climate change and environmental degradation; economic slowdown; political shifts in the republics; the role of Russian-backed forces in Syria, Libya, and Central African Republic; changes in Russia-United States relations; and more.
*Thoroughly updated population, economic, and political data.
*80 new or updated figures, tables, and maps.

Pedagogical Features
*End-of-chapter review questions, suggested assignments, and in-class exercises.
*Within-chapter vignettes about Russian places, culture, and history.
*End-of-chapter internet resources and suggestions for further reading.
*Companion website with all figures and maps from the book, many in full color.

Author: Mikhail S. Blinnikov
Publisher: Guilford Publications
Published: 02/17/2021
Pages: 518
Binding Type: Paperback
Weight: 1.98lbs
Size: 9.90h x 6.90w x 1.00d
ISBN13: 9781462544592
ISBN10: 1462544592
BISAC Categories:
- Social Science | Human Geography
- History | Russia | General
- Political Science | Political Ideologies | Communism, Post-Communism & Socialism

About the Author
Mikhail S. Blinnikov, PhD, is Professor of Geography and Graduate Coordinator at St. Cloud State University in Minnesota and Associate Researcher at Kazan Federal University Laboratory of Interdisciplinary Archaeological and Ethnological Studies in Kazan, Russia. A native of Moscow, Russia, he has traveled extensively in the former Soviet Union, including doing field work on the White, Baltic, and Black Seas; in Central Russia; on the Volga; and in Crimea, the Caucasus, and the Altay. Besides his work in Russia, he has visited Ukraine, Belarus, Latvia, Lithuania, Georgia, Kazakhstan, and Kyrgyzstan on extended field trips. Dr. Blinnikov's research focuses on the late-Pleistocene biogeography of grasslands; phytolith analysis; remote sensing and geographic information systems; protected natural areas and green spaces in and near cities; young naturalist movements; and Orthodox religious landscapes. He has worked with the Biodiversity Conservation Center, the Center for Russian Nature Conservation, Nearby Nature, The Nature Conservancy, and the World Wildlife Fund Russia, among others. Dr. Blinnikov has also worked as an interpreter and translator for Russian-American exchanges and has written two books in Russian. He is a past president of the International Phytolith Society and president of the Eurasian Specialty Group of the American Association of Geographers.