The Fall of an Empire, the Birth of a Nation

The Fall of an Empire, the Birth of a Nation Synopsis

This title was first published in 2000: A collection of articles by Russian and Western experts on nationalism. The objective of the work is to give an overview of the new Russian identity-building and of the historical continuities that lie behind this ongoing process. The main theme is the shift from empire and imperial consciousness, characteristic both of the imperial Russia and the Soviet Union, towards a new identity as a nation state. Ultra-nationalism and the threat posed by ultra-right extremists groups is also among the most important themes in the book. The rising nationalist extremism is one of the several major projects that seek to redefine the Russion nationhood. The ultra-nationalist challenge is examined in several articles; the anatomy of extreme Russian nationalism is also examined through a case study of a small militant group of extremists.