Discusses the ambiguous nature of the state in Russia, focusing on elite networks and their role in policy processes. This book examines the paradoxical dualism of state institutions and ruling networks, providing answers as to why some decisions are not implemented, and why the state exists despite the systemic inefficiency of its institutions.

STEPHEN WHITE is Professor of International Politics and Senior Research Associate of the School of Central and East European Studies, University of Glasgow, UKOLGA KRYSHTANOVSKAYA is Director of the Institute for Applied Political Science and the Head of the Department for the Study of Hierarchical Elites, Sociology Institute at the Russian Academy of Sciences. ALENA LEDENEVA is Reader in Russian Politics and Society at the School of Slavonic and East European Studies, University College London, UKNIKOLAY PETROV is Scholar-in-Residence at Carnegie Moscow Centre, RussiaPHILIP HANSON is a consultant on the Russian and Baltic economies for the Economist Intelligence Unit and Oxford Analytica, and an Associate Fellow of the Royal Institute of International Affairs Russia and Eurasia Programme. PAVEL BAEV is Senior Researcher in the International Peace Research Institute, Oslo (PRIO), NorwaySTEFANIE ORTMANN is Lecturer in International Relations at the University of Sussex, UKVADIM KONONENKO is Research Fellow at the Finnish Institute of International Affairs, FinlandARKADY MOSHES is Programme Director of the Russia in the Regional and Global Context Programme of the FIIA, Finland

Introduction; V.Kononenko The Formation of Russia's Network Directorate; O.Kryshtanovskaya& S.White Can Medvedev Change Sistema? Informal Networks and Public Administration in Russia; A.Ledeneva Crooked Hierarchy and Reshuffled Networks: Reforming Russia's Dysfunctional Military Machine; P.Baev Who's running Russia's regions?; N.Petrov Networks, Cronies and Business Plans: Business-State Relations in Russia; P.Hanson   The Russian Network State as a Great Power; S.Ortmann Conclusions; V.Kononenko