Alena V. Ledeneva

About the Author

Alena V. Ledeneva is a renowned scholar and Professor of Political Sociology at the School of Slavonic and East European Studies, University College London, where she has dedicated her career to unraveling the intricacies of informal practices in post-Soviet societies. With a PhD from the University of Cambridge, Ledeneva's research bridges political science, sociology, and anthropology, offering profound insights into how unofficial networks, corruption, and blat influence governance and economic life in Russia and beyond. Her seminal work, How Russia Really Works: The Informal Practices That Shaped Post-Soviet Politics and Business, illuminates the hidden mechanisms that define modern Russian statecraft and commerce, challenging conventional narratives of transition and reform. Ledeneva's accessible yet rigorous prose has made her a vital voice in understanding the shadows of authoritarian resilience and global interconnectedness.