UC Santa Barbara

For the first time since the breakup of the Soviet Union, the flags of all federal subjects of Russia—Republics, Oblasts, Krais, and more—are documented in one volume in English. Based on a paper which won the Captain William Driver Award for scholarly achievement in vexillology, this book belongs on every flag-lover’s bookshelf

Its 89 articles cover current and merged federal subjects. Each article provides the description of the territory’s flag, including its proportions, year of adoption, designer(s), history, and meaning. A locator map places the territory in Russia, with grayscale illustrations of the flag and arms in each article. (81 of 83 current subjects have flags—8 more merged subjects are covered.) Thirty-two pages of full-color plates illustrate the flags and arms described in the articles in beautiful detail.

All of the federal subjects are identified in English, Russian, and transliterated Russian. An extensive analysis of the flags explores their design, colors, symbolism, and meaning.

This work was originally presented at the 42nd annual meeting of the North American Vexillological Association in 2008; the author won the Captain William Driver Award for the best paper. For this volume of Raven, she was awarded the coveted Vexillon award by the Fédération internationale des associations veillologiques in 2011 for the most important contribution to world vexillology in the previous two years.