This book examines the impact of Russia's local self-governing institutions on nationalist movement mobilization in Russia. It is the first study identifying municipalities as central to explaining aspects of ethnic or broader social activism in post-Soviet Russia. Because the book is comparative in scope, it also contributes to debates on movement dynamics and nationalist mobilization in other national and institutional settings.

Chapter 1 Movements and the Post-Soviet State: Networks, Resources, and Agenda-Setting Chapter 2 Local Government and Social Control in the Soviet Union and Post-Soviet Russia Chapter 3 Ethnosocial Contexts and Grievances Chapter 4 The Soviets and Nationalist Movements, 1990-92: Setting the Limits of Contention Chapter 5 The Soviets and Ethnic Conflict: The Deviant Case of North Ossetia Chapter 6 Local Self-Government or Government Gone Local? Municipal Control of the Citizenry, 1992-2000 Chapter 7 Is Local Government Becoming Local? Chapter 8 Conclusions and Implications