Join PONARS for a book launch featuring new books from Evgeny Finkel, Scott Gehlbach, Bryn Rosenfeld and David Szakonyi.

In "Reform and Rebellion in Weak States," Evgeny Finkel and Scott Gehlbach emphasize that, especially in weak states, reform often must be implemented by local actors with a stake in the status quo. In this setting, the promise of reform represents an implicit contract against which subsequent implementation is measured.

In "The Autocratic Middle Class: How State Dependency Reduces the Demand for Democracy," Bryn Rosenfeld explains how middle-class economic dependence on the state impedes democratization and contributes to authoritarian resilience.

In "Politics for Profit: Business, Elections and Policymaking in Russia," David Szakonyi brings to bear sweeping quantitative and qualitative evidence from Putin-era Russia to shed light on why businesspeople contest elections and what the consequences are for their firms and for society when they win.

RSVP is requested; information can be found at this link.

Speakers:

Evgeny Finkel, associate professor of international affairs, Johns Hopkins University School of Advanced International Studies (SAIS)

Scott Gehlbach, professor, department of political science and Harris School of Public Policy at the University of Chicago

Bryn Rosenfeld, assistant professor of government, Cornell University

David Szakonyi, assistant professor of political science, George Washington University