Straddling Europe and Asia, the Russian Federation is the largest country in the world and home to a panoply of religious and ethnic groups from the Muslim Tatars to the Buddhist Buryats. Over the past 30 years, Russia has experienced the most dramatic transformation of any modern state. Historical Dictionary of the Russian Federation provides insight into this rapidly developing country. The volume includes coverage of pivotal movements, events, and persons in the late Soviet Union (1985-1991) and contemporary Russia (1991-present), as well as detailed entries covering the country's expansive geography, unique culture, diverse ethnic groups, and complex political and social environment. This is done through a chronology, an introductory essay, maps, a bibliography, and over 600 cross-referenced dictionary entries on significant persons, events, places, and organizations.

Author Biography

Robert A. Saunders is assistant professor in the Department of History, Economics, and Politics at Farmingdale State College, where he teaches courses in Russian and Central Asian history and global politics. Vlad Strukov is assistant professor in the Department of Russian and Slavonic Studies and the Centre for World Cinemas at the University of Leeds. He is a new media curator and the founding editor of two journals: Static and Digital Icons: Studies in Russian, Eurasian and Central European New Media.