The end of the Cold War and the forceful response to Iraq's aggression created expectations that the UN would change from a marginal into a centre player in world affairs. These hopes were seemingly dashed in Somalia, Rwanda and Bosnia. Has the United Nations abdicated its moral duty as the custodian of our hopes for a better world? In this book, foreign ministers, generals, ambassadors, and scholars provide sober assessments of how the United Nations can meet the challenge of a balance between the desirable and the possible.

Now in a thoroughly revised, expanded, and updated edition, this classic text provides the most authoritative and current analysis available of the challenges facing Putin as he resumes the presidency. Leading scholars explore the daunting domestic and international problems confronting Russia today. Evaluating the regime s continued efforts to rebuild a country once on the verge of collapse, the contributors consider a comprehensive array of economic, political, foreign policy, and social issues. Clearly written and organized, this text is an indispensable guide for anyone wanting to understand Russia today."

Russia's human rights record, especially violations of the right to life, liberty and freedom of expression, has been the subject of much international concern. Social, or welfare, rights, on the other hand, including the right to housing, health and access to social security, have received much less attention. This book explores the changing position in Russia towards such social rights. It explores how social rights are defined in Russia and why they are contested, and discusses how increasing liberalisation and privatisation have radically changed the very extensive former communist welfare system. It considers recent initiatives by both Putin and Medvedev to re-emphasise the role of the state in providing social services, and shows how activism to secure social benefits, especially at the local level, is relatively strong. The book concludes by assessing how social rights and welfare are likely to develop in Russia in a world increasingly concerned with austerity and the transformation of citizens into 'market citizens', where attitudes towards social rights remain less than favourable.

Now in a thoroughly revised and expanded edition, this text provides the most authoritative and current analysis available of the challenges facing Putin. Leading scholars consider a comprehensive array of economic, political, foreign policy, and social issues, offering an indispensable guide for anyone needing to understand contemporary Russia.

Preventing humanitarian atrocities is becoming as important for the United Nations as dealing with inter-state war. In this book, Ramesh Thakur examines the transformation in UN operations, analysing its changing role and structure. He asks why, when and how force may be used and argues that the growing gulf between legality and legitimacy is evidence of an eroded sense of international community. He considers the tension between the US, with its capacity to use force and project power, and the UN, as the centre of the international law enforcement system. He asserts the central importance of the rule of law and of a rules-based order focused on the UN as the foundation of a civilised system of international relations. This book will be of interest to students of the UN and international organisations in politics, law and international relations departments, as well as policymakers in the UN and other NGOs.

The continued existence of the Russian defence and arms industry (OPK) was called into question following the disintegration of the Soviet Union in 1991. Industry experts cited the lack of a domestic market, endemic corruption, and excess capacity within the industry as factors underpinning its predicted demise. However, the industry’s export customers in China, India and Iran during those early years became the OPK’s saving grace. Their orders introduced hard currency back into the industry and went a long way to preventing the forecasted OPK collapse. Although pessimistic predictions continued to plague the OPK throughout the 1990s, the valuable export dollars provided the OPK the breathing space it needed to claw back its competitive advantage as an arms producer. That revival has been further underpinned by a new political commitment, various research and development initiatives, and the restoration of defence industry as a tool of Russian foreign policy. The short-term future of the Russian OPK looks promising. The rising domestic defence order is beginning to challenge the export market as the OPK’s most important customer. Meanwhile, exports will be safeguarded by continued foreign demand for niche Russian defence products. Although the long-term future of the OPK is more difficult to predict, Russia’s solid research and development foundation and successful international joint military ventures suggest that the current thriving trend in exports is likely to continue. Russia represents the next generation of affordable and rugged military equipment for the arsenals of the developing world. Coupled with Russia’s growing ability to rearm itself through higher oil prices and a more streamlined defence industry, the future of the OPK looks bright.