Heikki Patomäki and Christer Pursianen argue that, in Russian debates, the Eurasianist call for global pluralism can be better addressed by means of theories of cosmopolitan democracy. Consequently, they also argue that it is possible for outsiders, i.e. non-Russian citizens, to make an argument to the effect of overcoming the traditional juxtapositions of Russian debates.

This research project, conducted in 1996-1998, involved a number of field trips to Russia, mainly to Moscow and St Petersburg. The project was undertaken largely on funding provided by the Finnish Institute of International Affairs in Helsinki.

In addition to the working paper, Western Models and the Russian Idea: Beyond Inside-Outside in the Discourses on Civil Society the results have also been published in Millennium: Journal of International Studies, (28):1, 1999, pp.53-77. Also, a book based on this study is in progress.