To Russia With Love

Alexandre Strokanov, professor of social science and history at Lyndon State College, is proud to announce the release of Power and Management in the Contemporary Russian City, a new Russian book on town governance.

Strokanov is part of the Editorial College for the book and is also responsible for the first chapter of the book dedicated to the municipal government and management employed in Vermont. For this chapter Strokanov asked fellow faculty members to write essays conveying varying aspects of how Vermont does local governing.

Four members of LSC faculty, Mariann Bertolini, Jon Fitch, David Plazek, as well as Strokanov, have essays in the opening chapter. Strokanov also collaborated with former Secretary of State, Deborah Markowitz, for an essay entitled "Municipal Management in Vermont: Basic Principles and Legal Foundations." Margaret Darrow, professor of history at Dartmouth College, also wrote for this chapter.

As well as writing for the new book, Strokanov took on the challenge of translating his peers' essays into Russian as the book is only published in Russian by Perm National Research Polytechnic University's publishing house. It will be read primarily in Russia as it is really an opportunity to share Vermont's ideas and practices for local governance with Russia.

"I believe that countries should share their experiences and accomplishments. It will be quite interesting for them to see how things are done in Vermont," says Strokanov.

According to Strokanov there is talk of creating a copy in English. However it is unsure if it would be an exact translation or an English version looking specifically at Vermont.

The contributing members of the chapter, Bertolini, Darrow, Fitch, Markowitz, and Plazek, were all eager to write essays for the book.

"They were so excited, I didn't need to push anybody to write because they work in that field," says Strokanov.

Bertolini spent over 30 years in the field of education so when Strokanov asked her to write an article on management and governance in Vermont schools she wrote an essay that focuses on "management structures, challenges and rewards, especially in the rural Vermont."

Plazek teaches a course on Town Meeting, a tradition in Vermont government. He was "happy to oblige" when Strokanov proposed an essay on Vermont's Town Meetings.

"It is also a pleasure to share the Vermont town meeting experience with people on the other side of the world," says Plazek.

Thanks to his contributing authors, the chapter on Vermont governance that Strokanov was responsible for is now the first 74 pages of Power and Management in the Contemporary Russian City.