Nicolai N Petro is author of The Rebirth of Russian Democracy: An Interpretation of Political Culture (Harvard University Press, 1998) and Crafting Democracy: How Novgorod Has Coped with Rapid Social Change (Cornell University Press, 2004) . He has served as civic-affairs advisor to the mayor of the Russian city of Veliky Novgorod, and as policy advisor in the United States state department. His website is here.

Recent articles

The next Russian president's record shows that in office he will be far from Vladimir Putin's puppet, says Nicolai N Petro.

Mischa Gabowitsch's view of Russia illustrates how common misrepresentations damage understanding of the country, says Nicolai N Petro.

A true understanding of developments in Russia challenges the distorted perceptions of western governments, media, and human-rights organisations, says Nicolai N Petro.