PUTIN: His life and times, by Philip Short (Bodley Head, $45)
One of the key debates raging eternally in the world of international relations theory is that of structure versus agency. Is a state’s decision to engage in, for instance, violent conflict driven by external forces, domestic politics, or by the actions of an individual? Thus, the motivations behind the Ukraine invasion is put down variously to Nato expansion, the Russian regime’s fear of democracy movements, or the whims and prejudices of Vladimir Putin.
A new biography of the Great Leader might therefore be helpful. In Philip Short delivers some tangible insights by detailing Putin’s
