Introductory description

Do you want to learn about the role of Russia in world politics? Do you want to understand the historical evolution of its contemporary domestic and international politics? Do you want to apply theories on international relations, international security, and comparative politics on the study of Russia in the post-communist world and globally? This module will be for you if you want to find the answers to these and other questions. We study Russia during the First and Second World wars, zoom closely into the Soviet era and the three decades after the collapse of communism, marked by political liberalisation and increasing drive towards authoritarianism. The module further analyses Russia’s relationships with the EU, US, NATO, and China among other BRIC countries, as well as its nuclear and energy politics, military or soft interventionism in Eastern Europe, the Caucasus, Central Asia, and the Middle East. We also analyse the international politics of migration, citizenship and transnational diaspora politics associated with the notion of the “Russian world.” The module concludes with a discussion on the recent war in Ukraine, and its implications for the international political order.

Module aims

Outline syllabus

This is an indicative module outline only to give an indication of the sort of topics that may be covered. Actual sessions held may differ.

The module starts by looking at Russia during the age of growing nationalisms of the 19th century, and how the collapse of empires and the Russian revolution shaped alliance-politics and Russia’s participation in the First and Second World Wars. We further study the Soviet Union, where Russia occupied a central stage among other Soviet republics, participated in a nuclear arms race, exerted strong influence over other communist countries in Eastern Europe and Central Asia, and supported Marxist movements in the then-called Third World. We look further into the 1991 collapse of the Soviet Union, the secessionism of Chechnya, Nagorno-Karabakh, Abkhazia, South Ossetia, and the role of Russia in these conflicts, as well as its failed attempts at democratisation during the Yeltsin era (1990s). We look then into the rise of Putin in power in the early 21st century, and the turn of the country towards authoritarianism. The core part of this module focuses on contemporary international relations themes: Russia’s relationship with the US, NATO and the EU; its oil and gas geopolitics; soft and military interventionism in Eastern Europe, the Balkans, Caucasus, Middle East and Central Asia; the concept of the “Russian World” in transnational diaspora engagement; and Russia’s relationships with BRIC countries. The module concludes with a discussion on the 2022 war in Ukraine and beyond.

Learning outcomes

By the end of the module, students should be able to:

• 1. Learn and critically assess a variety of approaches and debates about Russia’s domestic and international politics.
• 2. Acquire understanding of the complexity of historical legacies shaping current policies, as well as the power of choice to change these in policy-making.
• 3. Become aware of contextual specifics of Russia as they relate to state identity, political culture, authority, leadership, institutions, opposition, post-communism, transnationalism, interventionism, regional power dynamics, and a changing global order.
• 4. Develop sophistication in the articulation of ideas through writing.

Indicative reading list

Bechev, Dimitar. 2017. Rival Power. Russia in Southeast Europe. New Haven: Yale University Press.
Dawisha, Karen, 2015. Putin's Kleptocracy: Who Owns Russia? New York: Simon and Schuster.
Fitzpatrick, Sheila. 2001. The Russian Revolution. Oxford: Oxford University Press.
Gorenburg, Dmitry. 2003. Minority Ethnic Mobilization in the Russian Federation. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.
Hale, Henry and Timothy Colton. 2017. “Who Defects? Unpacking a Defection Cascade from Russia’s Dominant Party 2008-2012,” American Political Science Review 111(2): 322 – 337.
Johnson, Juliet. 2016. Priests of Prosperity. Ithaca: Cornell University Press.
Popova, Maria. 2014. Politicized Justice in Emerging Democracies: A Study of Courts in Russia and Ukraine, Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.
Shevel, Oxana. 2012. “The Politics of Citizenship Policy in Post-Soviet Russia,” Post-Soviet Affairs 28(1): 111-147.
Snyder, Timothy. 2010. Bloodlands: Europe Between Hitler and Stalin. New York: Basic Books.
Talseth, Lars-Christian. 2018. The Politics of Power: EU-Russia Energy Relations in the 21st Century. London: Palgrave.
Youngs, Richard. 2017. Europe’s Eastern Crisis: The Geopolitics of Asymmetry. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.

Research element

The summative essay would require research based on literature from this module, and potentially additional material.

Interdisciplinary

The module bridges international relations, international security and comparative politics.

International

The module is exclusively focused on Russia and its role in Europe, the Balkans, Caucasus, Middle East, Central Asia, considers relationships with the US and NATO, other BRIC countries and international organizations.

Subject specific skills

1. Analyse political processes concerning Russia’s role in world politics.
2. Apply international relations, international security and comparative politics theories to the area studies of Russia in the post-communist space and in global politics.
3. Analyse both historical and contemporary political processes and develop ability to trace continuity and change.
4. Differentiate arguments related to how Russia approaches a variety of states, non-state actors and international organisations, and engages in geopolitics.
5. Acquire empirical knowledge on Russia per se, but also on Russia’s relationship with neighbouring regions in Eastern Europe, the Balkans, Caucasus, Central Asia and the Middle East, as well as BRIC countries, including China.

Transferable skills

The module provides students with opportunities to acquire or develop the following key skills:

• Written communication skills
• Oral communication skills
• Problem-solving skills
• Skills in the use of information technology
• Skills of interpretation and the critical analysis of primary and secondary sources
• Awareness and sensitivity to diversity (in terms of people, cultures) and the ability to understand unfamiliar ideas and ways of thinking
• Ability to digest, retain and apply complex information and ideas
• Ability to conduct research and reference their work appropriately
• Time management skills and the ability to meet deadlines.
• The ability to reflect critically on the extent and limitations of how and what they have learned, discovered and understood.
• Collaborative skills