The imperial heritage referred to in the book’s title is the legacy of the Romanov and Soviet empires. Contributors to this edited volume explore the problems that the imperial past creates for the country’s present development, as well as its benefits; what Russia might become in the future, and whether that future is already with us; and whether you need an empire to be considered a superpower. And what does superpower mean, anyway? Political scientists, sociologists, specialists on international relations, anthropologists and historians offer answers to these questions, exploring domestic and foreign policy, ideology and popular consciousness, regional and linguistic issues, and migration across the post-Soviet space.