Glenn Diesen - The Decay of Western Civilisation and Resurgence of Russia: Between Gemeinschaft and Gesellschaft

Dr Diesens book is a rare specimen of intellectual courage, even bravery. It isalso very well researched and a pleasure to read. Dealing with a difficult andideologized subject, the author is able to stay analytical. One of the best works inpolitical philosophy written in recent years. A must-read for those trying tounderstand where the world is moving. Sergei A. Karaganov Higher Schoolof Economics, Moscow

In this exciting and original work, Diesen challenges much of the acceptedthinking about global order and the dynamics of international politics today.Diesen provides a powerful critique of post-Cold War liberalism and explainshow the rise of populism challenges dominant discourses. In this battle Russiaappears to side with the insurgency, but the depth of Russias commitment toglobal change is unclear. This book is essential reading in helping us understandthe vital issues in this debate. Richard Sakwa University of Kent

The two main questions of our time are whether the liberal West survives andwhether it learns to coexist with Russia. In this timely book, Glenn Diesenanalyzes the Wests ability to recover from the rise of populism and offers a sharpcritique of the Western tendency to scapegoat Russia. Andrei P. Tsygankov,San Francisco State University

Diesens The Decay of Western Civilization is civilizational analysis on thescale of Spengler or Sorokin. One need not accept Diesens thesis of declineto appreciate the grandeur of his vision. Salvatore Babones, University ofSydney

A very unorthodox, controversial and thought-provoking book. A valuablesource helping to understand complex dynamics of political and economicmegatrends in the modern world. Andrey Kortunov, Director General of theRussian International Affairs Council

In the 20th century, Russia was the model society for the worlds communists,but for centuries before that, Russia was the go-to country for Europes radicalconservatives. We are now coming full circle. Diesens book is of key interest asperhaps the best example of this to date. Iver B. Neumann, Norwegian Instituteof International Affairs

What explains the rise of populist movements across the West and their affinitytowards Russia? UKIPs Brexit victory, Trumps triumph, and the successiveelections and referendums in Europe were united by a repudiation of the liberalinternational order. These new political forces envision the struggle to reproduceand advance Western civilisation to be fought along a patriotism-cosmopolitanismor nationalism-globalism battlefield, in which Russia becomes a partner ratherthan an adversary. Armed with neomodernism and geoeconomics, Russia hasinadvertently taken on a central role in the decay of Western civilisation.

This book explores the cooperation and competition between Western and Russian civilisation and the rise of anti-establishmentpolitical forces bothcontesting the international liberal order and expressing the desire for closerrelations with Russia. Diesen proposes that Western civilisation has reached acritical juncture as modern society (gesellschaft) has overwhelmed and exhaustedthe traditional community (gemeinschaft) and shows the causes for the decay ofWestern civilisation and the subsequent impact on cooperation and conflict withRussia. The author also considers whether Russias international conservativismis authentic and can negate the Wests decadence, or if it is merely a shrewdstrategy by a rival civilisation also in decay.

This volume will be of interest to scholars of international relations, political science, security studies, international political economy, and Russian studies.

Dr Glenn Diesen is Visiting Scholar at the Higher School of Economics inMoscow and Adjunct Research Fellow at Western Sydney University. Dr Diesenspecialises in Russias approach to European and Eurasian integration, and thedynamics between the two. This includes central topics such as ideology, energyand geoeconomics. He is the author of EU and NATO Relations with Russia(Routledge, 2015) and Russias Geoeconomic Strategy for a Greater Eurasia(Routledge, 2017).

Rethinking Asia and International Relations

Series Editor Emilian Kavalski,

Li Dak Sum Chair Professor in ChinaEurasia Relations and International Studies, University of Nottingham, Ningbo, China

This series seeks to provide thoughtful consideration both of the growingprominence of Asian actors on the global stage and the changes in the study andpractice of world affairs that they provoke. It intends to offer a comprehensiveparallel assessment of the full spectrum of Asian states, organisations, and regionsand their impact on the dynamics of global politics.

The series seeks to encourage conversation on:

what rules, norms, and strategic cultures are likely to dominate international life in the Asian Century;

how will global problems be reframed and addressed by a rising Asia;

which institutions, actors, and states are likely to provide leadership during such shifts to the East;

whether there is something distinctly Asian about the emerging patterns of global politics.

Such comprehensive engagement not only aims to offer a critical assessment of the actual and prospective roles of Asian actors, but also seeks to rethink the concepts, practices, and frameworks of analysis of world politics.

This series invites proposals for interdisciplinary research monographs undertaking comparative studies of Asian actors and their impact on the current patterns and likely future trajectories of international relations. Furthermore, it offers a platform for pioneering explorations of the ongoing transformations in global politics as a result of Asias increasing centrality to the patterns and practices of world affairs.

For more information about this series, please visit: https://www.routledge.com/Rethinking-Asia-and-International-Relations/book-series/ASHSER1384

Recent titles

The Decay of Western Civilisation and Resurgence of Russia
Between Gemeinschaft and Gesellschaft
Glenn Diesen

External Powers and the Gulf Monarchies
Edited by Li-Chen Sim and Jonathan Fulton

Chinas Relations with the Gulf Monarchies
Jonathan Fulton

Glenn Diesen

First published 2019
by Routledge
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2019 Glenn Diesen

The right of Glenn Diesen to be identified as author of this work has been asserted by him in accordance with sections 77 and 78 of the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988.

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