2017

Honorable Mention: Agnia Grigas
Title: Beyond Crimea: The New Russian Empire (Yale University Press)

This fluent and ambitious book examines Russia’s construction of “compatriots” as a group requiring protection both as drivers and pretexts for Russian foreign policy. Grigas’s timely study identifies diverse elements of the policy to defend compatriots, from granting passports and redefining citizenship, to use of the media and military intervention. By examining the interplay between the Russian-speaking diaspora, the structure of Russia’s economy and the current regime’s strategy to retain power, Beyond Crimea helps us better understand the dynamic nature of Russia’s foreign policy, while Grigas’s deep engagement with regional scholars adds valuable weight to this well-argued work.

Winner: Juliet Johnson