Authors

Alexander Graef¹;  ¹ IFSH, Germany

Discussion

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p>The Council on Foreign and Defense Policy (SVOP), founded in 1992, is often listed among the most important non-governmental institutions in Russian foreign and security policy debates. However, there seems to be considerable confusion about the membership structure and organizational characteristics of the Council and its place and function in Russian society and politics. Whereas some scholars hold that its influence has markedly declined over the years, others continue to highlight the role of SVOP as a major foreign policy think tank. This paper follows the historical development of the Council and explains its institutional transformation. It argues that the SVOP network and its role has changed significantly over time. Whereas in the 1990s its activities played an effective, yet selective political role in Russian policy-making, partially due to the political role of its members, it has now shifted to the provision of ‘enlightenment functions’, that is, publication platforms, lectures and educational projects, and has contributed to the consolidation of the Russian expert community. Analyzing the causes of this development, the paper concludes that ironically it is the increasing concentration of political power within the Kremlin that has strengthened the autonomy of SVOP as a civil society organization.