Explaining the Failure of US-Russian Relations
Date of Award
Spring 2022
Degree Name
Bachelor of Arts
Department
Historical & Political Studies; College of Arts & Sciences
First Advisor
Angela Kachuyevski
Abstract
This thesis seeks to address the theoretical underpinnings of failed US-Russian relations in the post-Soviet era. Since the dissolution of the Soviet Union in 1991, each United States President has attempted to "reset" relations with Russia in hopes of a more positive, cooperative relationship. Significant international events during each of these presidential administrations have hindered progress in US-Russian relations, thus reset attempts have failed. I will be using the work of Russian political scientist Boris Mezhuyev on Civilizational Realism to see if this new approach to international relations theory and US-Russia relations is accurate in explaining state behavior and therefore the reasoning behind such failed reset attempts. I argue that civilizational realism provides a valid explanation of US-Russian relations by acknowledging the civilizational ideologies and values of both Russia and the US that consequently shape national identity, national interest, and therefore foreign policy.
Recommended Citation
Heim, Catherine, "Explaining the Failure of US-Russian Relations" (2022). Capstone Showcase. 7.
https://scholarworks.arcadia.edu/showcase/2022/pgl/7
Explaining the Failure of US-Russian Relations
This thesis seeks to address the theoretical underpinnings of failed US-Russian relations in the post-Soviet era. Since the dissolution of the Soviet Union in 1991, each United States President has attempted to "reset" relations with Russia in hopes of a more positive, cooperative relationship. Significant international events during each of these presidential administrations have hindered progress in US-Russian relations, thus reset attempts have failed. I will be using the work of Russian political scientist Boris Mezhuyev on Civilizational Realism to see if this new approach to international relations theory and US-Russia relations is accurate in explaining state behavior and therefore the reasoning behind such failed reset attempts. I argue that civilizational realism provides a valid explanation of US-Russian relations by acknowledging the civilizational ideologies and values of both Russia and the US that consequently shape national identity, national interest, and therefore foreign policy.