Written in the spirit of comparative and historical analysis, this book addresses the relationship between the center and its provinces?an important issue in any society?using Russia as a case study.

Vladimir Shlapentokh is professor of sociology at Michigan State University. Roman Levita is professor of economics at the Open University, Moscow. Mikhail Loiberg is professor of history at the Open University, Moscow.

1 Introduction, 2 The Major Theoretical Perspective: Regionalism as Past and Contemporary World Development, Part One The Era of the Center's Dominance Before 1985, 3 Prerevolutionary Russia: The Center Unchallenged Since the Sixteenth Century, 4 The Center and Regions in the Soviet Period: The Provinces Without a Voice, 5 The Khrushchev Era: The First Move Toward Decentralization, 6 The Brezhnev Era: Stability of Regional Cadres Part Two The Center and Regions in Conflict Since 1985, 7 The Gorbachev Era: Destabilization of Center-Periphery Relations, 8 Developments in Post-Communist Russia: First Moves Toward Autonomy, 1991-1992, 9 The Growth of Regionalism and the Center's Counterattack, 1993-1996, Part Three The Center and Regions in Confrontation, 10 The Center and Regions in Political Struggle, 11 Regions on the Offensive, 12 The Regional Elite as Advocate of Regionalization, 13 The Ideological Struggle Surrounding Regionalization, 14 The Center and Regions in the Period of Marketization of the Economy, 15 Differentiation Between Regions in the Struggle for Autonomy, 16 The Regionalization and Political Fragmentation of Russia, 17 Regions in Coalition Against the Center, Part Four The Effect of Regionalism on Russian Society, 18 The Contradictory Consequences of Regionalization, Conclusion