These stimulating essays, written by some of the field's finest historian and political scientists, invite discussion and reflection on matters of theory and practice in view of the USSR's demise.

How did we study the Soviet Union before, and in what ways must we adjust our approaches and habits to take account of new opportunities and pitfalls? How do current developments in the USSR's successor states alter or deepen our understanding of the Soviet experience?

These questions are explored here and thorough examinations of specific problems that arose during the contributors' recent research and writing as well as the emergence and evolution of the field of Soviet studies and in the development of the Soviet social and political institutions themselves. Readers will be challenged to take stock of their own preconceptions about and approaches to studying this complex and rapidly changing region.