Russian Westernizers and Change in International Relations

Andrei P. Tsygankov is a professor of International Relations at San Francisco State University, USA.

"This is a masterful study of internal Westernizing influences on Russian foreign policy. It completes a magisterial trilogy on 'realist,' 'civilizational,' and now 'Westernizing' influences that is unsurpassed by any other studies on the topic."George Breslauer, Professor Emeritus, University of California, Berkeley, USA“A highly useful catalogue of Russian Westernizers old and new that manages to round out the author’s magisterial tour d’horizon of Russian thinking about the international.”Iver B. Neumann, author of Russia and the Idea of Europe“With dispassionate clarity, Tsygankov examines the aspirations and contradictions of those who believe that Russia’s future lies in the West. He notes the diversity of views since the emergence of the modern form of this trend in the nineteenth century, but also stresses the features that make this a distinct tendency in Russian thinking. Ranging from radicals who reject Russian traditions in their entirety to moderates who seek to take the best of the West to make Russia a better version of itself, Tsygankov provides an accessible, erudite and essential guide to Russia’s Westernizers.”Richard Sakwa, Emeritus Professor of Russian and European Politics, University of Kent, UK"Andrei Tysgankov's magisterial trilogy on the different traditions of Russian foreign policy is the single most important contribution to the contemporary study of this field."Anatol Lieven, Director, Eurasia Program, Quincy Institute for Responsible Statecraft, USA“A timely, even urgent overview of repeated Russian efforts, from the time of Nicholas I on, to narrow the gap between Russian Westernizers’ worldviews and those articulated in the West itself. Today a seemingly unbridgeable divide exists between the Kremlin’s preference for a multipolar multicultural world and that of the West aiming to establish international standards such as the rule of law. Divisions exist within Russia too. For Andrei Tsygankov, Realist international relations scholars in the country underestimate the role of ideas while liberal advocates disregard the strength of the nation-state or nationalism. The author debates whether a first step should involve recognition by Russia’s Westernizers that the West does not routinely threaten Russia’s national interests. On the other hand, emphasis on Russia’s unique cultural pathways and values can produce a bottleneck for the West, anxious not to surrender its dominance or the gradual emergence of a post-Western world. International relations perspectives are split on these and other issues, skillfully explained by Tsygankov through a series of tabular data points.”Raymond Taras, Professor, Tulane University, USA“An exceptional guide to the history of Russian liberalism in the last two centuries, which is timely and necessary in the current political climate. As an historical account, it also raises important questions about the nature of the relationship between Russia and the West and examines the ways in which its potential development is possible.”Elena Chebankova“Tsygankov has written an excellent and timely book. Amid the Russo-Ukrainian war, books like this are vital for addressing mainstream IR’s ahistorical limitations. Tsygankov’s masterful style, comprehensive scope and clarity make it a standout contribution. The book will be valuable for students of IR, Russian history and policy-makers alike.”Artsiom Sidarchuk, University of Greifswald, Germany in International Affairs 101: 2, 2025

• 1. Introduction 2. The West and Western Ideas in Russia 3. Christian Westernizers 4. Economic Liberals 5. Political Liberals 6. Social State Supporters 7. Conclusion and Future of Russian IR