A fascinating account of Russia's famous dissident and the politics he embodies.
Who is Alexei Navalny? Poisoned in August 2020 and transported to Germany for treatment, the politician returned to Russia in January 2021 in the full glare of the world media. His immediate detention at passport control set the stage for an explosive showdown with Vladimir Putin.
But Navalny means very different things to different people. To some, he is a democratic hero. To others, he is betraying the Motherland. To others still, he is a dangerous nationalist. This book explores the many dimensions of Navalny's political life, from his pioneering anti-corruption investigations to his ideas and leadership of a political movement. It also looks at how his activities and the Kremlin's strategies have shaped one another.
Navalny makes sense of this divisive character, revealing the contradictions of a man who is the second most important political figure in Russia--even when behind bars. In order to understand modern Russia, you need to understand Alexei Navalny.
About the AuthorJan Matti Dollbaum is a postdoctoral researcher at Bremen University, specialising in activism and civil society in Russia. Morvan Lallouet is a PhD candidate at the University of Kent, researching Navalny and the Russian opposition. Ben Noble is Lecturer in Russian Politics at University College London and an Associate Fellow at Chatham House.
