Clan struggle for power – the relation between domestic and foreign policy in russia

Clan Struggle for Power – the Relation Between Domestic and Foreign Policy in Russia This thesis analyses the effect of clans on the Russian foreign policy formation. Based on the systematic process analysis method, the neo-classical theory of realism is used to trace the chain of causal relationships in which the clan's struggle is influencing foreign policy formation. The synthesis of neo-realism and state capacity analysis complements the approach of neoclassical realism theory. It is argued that the cluster of the leader images, where the role of clans is fundamental, plays an important role in the formation of Russian foreign policy. The struggle of the clans to establish themselves in the structures of the Russian government was the cornerstone of the transformation from pragmatist and a multipolar approach to the Russian foreign policy into a transimperialist approach