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This monograph represents the second in a series of publications of the "Whither Russia?" project of the Strengthening Democratic Institutions Project, based at the Belfer Center for Science and International Affairs (BCSIA) at Harvard University''s John F. Kennedy School of Government.
The general aim of the "Whither Russia?" project is to draw attention to and put content into the debate in Moscow about "what is Russia?" and what the country''s future geopolitical role should be. Ultimately, the hope is to encourage the most responsible strands of this debate. Specifically, as a result of the project we hope to help clarify: what the competing images of Russia are across the political spectrum; how these competing images are reflected in policy; how the debate is played out in specific arenas; how public perception of the debate differs from the views of the political elite; how views in the regions differ from those in the center; what impact the players have on the shape of the debate and on political outcomes; what the common threads are in the competing images of Russia; and, based on the conclusions drawn, what are Russia''s fundamental geopolitical and national interests.
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