Where in the World is Russia? Geopolitical Perceptions and Preferences of Ordinary Russians

Two political geographers present the results of an extensive survey and examine the effects of post-Soviet territorial reconfiguration of the Russian state on ordinary Russians' sense of national identity, and opinion on a range of political, economic, and social issues. The survey, comprising 1,200 face-to-face interviews, probed Russian attitudes to determine which states of the former USSR they view as culturally closest to Russia and which they wish to reunify with Russia. Differences in responses show a clear split between Slavic, Eurasianist, and Baltic geopolitical visions. The findings shed light on the willingness of ordinary Russians to support reunification with other parts of the former USSR. Journal of Economic Literature, Classification Numbers: F02, F22, Z13. 6 figures, 3 tables, 68 references.