In March 2000 Vladimir Putin was elected President of the Russian Federation. Within a few years Putin's radical reforms in domestic and foreign policy have made a major impact on Russian politics and society, bringing a new orientation in Russia's relations with the West. But is Putin an authoritarian or a democrat Does his presidency signal breaking with Russia's past or is he just another autocratic Tsar in modern clothing? Bringing together a team of internationally renowned scholars, Russian politics under Putin provides a critical analysis of Putin's domestic and foreign policies.

This is a comprehensive, and highly accessible account of contemporary Russian politics, covering key areas such as: leadership and regime change, political parties and democratisation, economy and society, regional politics, the war in Chechnya, and Russian foreign policy. The book provides indispensable reading for intermediate, final year and postgraduate students studying Russian politics. Comparative politics or international relations.

About the Author

Ross Cameron was appointed Parliamentary Secretary to the Treasurer in October 2003 with portfolio responsibility for Financial Markets, Corporate Governance, Foreign Investment, Competition and Structural Reform and Consumer Affairs. Ross served as Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister for Family and Community Services from November 2001 to October 2003.

Ross was elected to the Federal seat of Parramatta in Western Sydney in March 1996, was re-elected in 1998 and in 2001 retained the most marginal Government-held seat in the country (minus 2.5 after an adverse redistribution). Ross is a former builder's labourer (and member of the now deregistered Builders' Labourers Federation). While studying at the .

American University in Washington DC, Ross worked as an Aide to United States Senator Mark Hatfield and later as an industry lobbyist for GBA Consulting in Hobart, Tasmania. Ross graduated from the University of Sydney with a Bachelor of Economics (1987) and a Bachelor of Laws (1990). After graduation Ross worked as an Associate to the Deputy Chief Justice of Papua New Guinea and as a Policy Adviser to the Hon Bruce Baird, MP, then Minister for Transport and Sydney's Olympic Bid in the NSW Government.

In 1993 Ross commenced work as a Solicitor with Blake Dawson Waldron in privately financed infrastructure sector before winning Liberal Party endorsement for the Federal seat of Parramatta in 1995. Ross is married to Genevieve and they have four young children.