This page features short articles (by the author or by other academics/observers), including outtakes from the published manuscript; scanned newspaper and journal articles from the early 1980s onwards; travel itineraries; a timeline; and so forth.
The Russian Quest for Peace and Democracy: Background articles
The Russian Quest for Peace and Democracy, by Metta Spencer, published by Lexington Books
Most recent articles
List of acronyms and organizations
Here we present a glossary of terms, acronyms, and names used in the book and on this website.
Talk to guests at book launch, Toronto, 23 January 2011
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When Gorbachev came to power, there were about 270 million Soviet citizens, over 90 percent of whom conformed to the demands of the state without complaining. I will...
Typologies: Barking Dogs and Termites
These tables appear in, and are referred to throughout, the book. An intermediate typology, describing the situation at the end of the Soviet Union in 1989-91, is described but is too complex to plot on a table.
Deleted chapters
Hard Reforms and the Invisible Coup
Soviet citizenry became increasingly antagonistic to their leader, even as he was winning a Nobel prize for peace.
Deleted draft chapter from The Russian Quest for Peace and Democracy (1996)
… the nuclear arms race had not stopped in 1963 after all.
Deleted draft chapter from The Russian Quest for Peace and Democracy (1996)
Five Surges of the World Peace Movement
The Semantics of “Peace” and “Struggle”.
Deleted draft chapter from The Russian Quest for Peace and Democracy (1996)
Dissent or a New Age? Two Ways of Rejecting Authority
During the 1970s and ’80s, Soviets surpassed the West in their fascination for apolitical “new age” theories, positive thinking schemes, magical healing techniques, and spiritualism.
Deleted draft chapter from The Russian Quest for Peace and Democracy (1996)
To what extent was cultural life after Stalin deformed by political “thought-police” — or conversely, to what extent were the artists of the day generating plays, poems, paintings, and cinemas that actually reflected their own world view?
Deleted draft chapter from The Russian Quest for Peace and Democracy (1996)
Prisoners of the Mind: Public Opinion and Totalitarianism
One legacy of totalitarianism is the widespread belief that a leader does not derive his power from the population.
Deleted draft chapter from The Russian Quest for Peace and Democracy (1996)
Archives, by year
2000
1999
Devolution, Secession, and Democracy
1997
1995
New Voting System Could Avoid Secession
1994
How to Enhance Democracy and Discourage Secession
"We've Got a Special Way of Thinking"
1992
Отделение или Разивитие Демократия?
1991
Diary of Metta's trip to Poland and Russia, 1991
1988
Getting to Know You: Reflections on the Social Psychology of Citizen Diplomacy
Debates Within the Peace Movement
1987
Is NDP Policy on NATO Good for Canada?
New Realities for the Peace Movement
1986
Making Peace in Stockholm, summer 1986
1985
An Agenda for the Peace Movement
Security Zone the Answer for Europe?
Zdeněk Mlynář on Mikhail Gorbachev
1984
Pourquoi le mouvement pour la paix ne rallie-t-il pas tout le monde?
Actualizing the Helsinki Accords
Peace Groups Badly Need View of Soviets that Will Sell
Why Isn't Everybody in the Peace Movement?
1983
In Defense of My Russian Friends
Press Release: Independent peace movement, USSR
The Arms Race and its Opponents