Dear reader,
The international landscape is increasingly moving away from the model of a global, centralized modernity. The rise of non-Western centers of power – driven not by a rejection of modernization but, on the contrary, by its successful appropriation and acceleration – has contributed to the decentering of modernity itself. In place of a single ‘center’ and a hierarchy of ‘peripheries’, a world of multiple civilizational actors is taking shape.
Crucially, these civilizations differ not merely at the level of culture, symbols, or values, but at a more fundamental level: in their social ontologies and epistemologies – how political communities are imagined, how authority is constituted, how order is justified, and how knowledge about international reality is produced and validated. This raises a consequential question for international scholarship and practice alike: what kind of global order can emerge among civilizational states, and which principles and institutions can sustain it under conditions of increasing plurality?
In this context, Russia can be understood as a civilizational state. This makes it all the more important to present to international audiences the perspective of the Russian epistemic community of international relations scholars and practitioners – those who analyze international politics professionally, develop conceptual frameworks for understanding security, and sustain expert dialogue across borders. The Security Index Yearbook contributes to this effort by articulating, in a rigorous and accessible form, the viewpoint of the Russian international-relations community – above all on the key challenges of international security.
The second volume of the Security Index Yearbook, which you now hold in your hands, maintains the high standard set by its predecessor. Each contribution reflects the work of leading Russian experts and practitioners representing key research centers.
The first part of the volume is traditionally devoted to global issues: the transformation of the world order; nuclear non-proliferation and arms control; information security and cybersecurity (including the rapidly developing field of artificial intelligence); and the space race. The second part focuses on more specific questions: the evolution of Russia’s approaches to relations with the United States and China in the context of international security; changes in Moscow’s policy in the Middle East and on the Korean Peninsula; and cooperation within BRICS amid growing global instability.
The fourth part – aptly titled ‘Under the Microscope’ – highlights the breadth of Russia’s contacts with those countries which, until relatively recently, were often described as ‘catch-up’ actors – particularly African states and Mongolia.
Part V presents, in the form of expert interviews, the accumulated experience and practical wisdom of leading Russian and foreign scholars, diplomats, and politicians. Part VI invites readers to seek responses to today’s pressing problems by turning to the recent past, through the pages of the PIR Center’s archival publications. The sixth and seventh sections of the Yearbook present notable academic works published in Russia in recent years, as well as Russia’s ‘vision of the future’. Reading the volume as a whole offers a coherent picture of Russia’s foreign-policy priorities, its interests in international affairs, and the values it seeks to uphold globally – while also illuminating the concerns and achievements of the Russian scholarly community.
Another strength of the Yearbook lies in its diversity – not only of subject matter, but also of expertise. Alongside the substantial contribution made by MGIMO University (the largest group of authors), the volume includes substantive inputs from more than a dozen Russian research centers. I would also note that, compared with the first volume, the geographical range of contributors has expanded, allowing the Security Index Yearbook to present a wide range of contemporary Russian expert perspectives.
In conclusion, the Security Index Yearbook is intended as a platform for sustained scholarly reflection and professional exchange at a time when international security debates are becoming increasingly fragmented. By bringing together diverse strands of Russian expert analysis, the Yearbook seeks to contribute to a more plural and intellectually grounded discussion of global security challenges. It is my hope that this volume will be of value not only to specialists, but also to all those engaged in the study and practice of international relations who recognize the importance of dialogue across intellectual, institutional, and civilizational boundaries.
