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Бакалаврская программа «Политология и мировая политика»

Political Regional Studies

2020/2021
Учебный год
ENG
Обучение ведется на английском языке
6
Кредиты
Статус:
Курс обязательный
Когда читается:
4-й курс, 1, 2 модуль

Преподаватели


Бусыгина Ирина Марковна


Тиняков Даниил Кириллович

Course Syllabus

Abstract

The course is designed for fourth-year undergraduate students following the program “Political Science and World Politics”. Its main goal is to familiarize the students with the analysis of subnational level of political and policy processes in federal and non-federal states. The topics covered include: the discussion around basic terms of regional studies (federalism, decentralization, regional policy, etc.), challenges the federal territorial arrangement meets, nature and strategies of regional policy and particularities of federalism, decentralization and regional development in different countries (necessarily including Russia). The course consists of lectures (26 hours) and seminars (26 hours). The main teaching and learning methods includes lectures, reading, discussions, preparing group projects.
Learning Objectives

Learning Objectives

  • Development of in-depth understanding of the main phenomena and processes associated with the territorial dimension of politics in Russia and foreign countries
  • Acquisition of knowledge, skills and abilities necessary for a competent analysis of the territorial policy of states with various forms of territorial structure, as well as political processes at the subnational and local levels
  • Expansion of students' political science and professional horizons
Expected Learning Outcomes

Expected Learning Outcomes

  • Able to solve professional problems based on synthesis and analysis
  • Able to efficiently communicate based on the goals and communication situations
  • Work with information: find, define and use the information from different sources which required for solving of research and professional problems (including the system approach)
  • Student is capable of retrieving, collecting, processing and analyzing information relevant for achieving goals in the professional field
Course Contents

Course Contents

  • Introduction
  • Territorial arrangements. Federations and their forming
  • Federalism as unstable institutional structure
  • Conditions for robust federalism
  • Decentralization and its types. How to measure decentralization
  • The ambiguity of causes and effects of decentralization
  • Regional development and its strategies
  • Local government
  • Regions and globalization
  • Subnational interests in the EU
  • Territorial system in the USSR
  • Territorial system in the Russian Federation
  • Comparative federalism
Assessment Elements

Assessment Elements

  • non-blocking Written Assignments (Essay)
    An essay on the course “Political Regional Studies” is aimed at developing the students’ ability to apply the polsci concepts on political processes in (federal) states to various examples of modern countries. To prepare the essay, a student must choose any modern state except the Russian Federation and the United States. We recommend to select a federal state for analysis, but a decentralized unitary state can be chosen if desired. In her or his paper, the student should characterize one issue concerning the sphere of territorial governance. For instance, the problem of repetitive political crisis in Belgium, the current status of Kashmir in India, or significant decentralization in unitary and authoritarian China can be called such issues. The student’s aim is to describe and explain selected political problems through the lenses of the concepts discussed in the frameworks of the course. A closed list of such concepts is not offered, but students are advised to focus on the list of authors whose work is studied in the course of Political Regional Studies. The work should be 1500 - 2000 words. In case of non-compliance with the length of paper (both downward and upward), the final grade for the work is reduced by one point. We do not limit the number and nature of the use of sources, but we hope that students will follow the regulations used on the program Political Science and World Politics. Plagiarism is prohibited and penalized with a score of 0 (unsatisfactory) for the essay. The deadline is 23.59 December 12, 2020. Papers submitted later will not be accepted. An essay is a written self-study on a topic offered by the teacher or by the student him/herself approved by teacher. The topic for essay includes development of skills for critical thinking and written argumentation of ideas. An essay should include clear statement of a research problem; include an analysis of the problem by using concepts and analytical tools within the subject that generalize the point of view of the author. Essay structure: 1. Introduction and formulation of a research question. 2. Body of the essay and theoretical foundation of selected problem and argumentation of a research question. 3. Conclusion and argumentative summary about the research question and possibilities for further use or development.
  • non-blocking In-class Participation
  • blocking Exam
    The exam will be carried out in the format of test which will include both multiple-choice questions and open questions with the request to write relatively detailed answers. There will be 15 questions overall. The students will have 80 minutes to answer the questions The exam will include all themes the course covers. To be prepared to take the exam students should be familiar with all texts given for reading at home and materials of discussions in the frameworks of discussion groups. The exam will be organized during the session period.
Interim Assessment

Interim Assessment

  • Interim assessment (2 module)
    0.4 * Exam + 0.3 * In-class Participation + 0.3 * Written Assignments (Essay)
Bibliography

Bibliography

Recommended Core Bibliography

  • Lijphart, A. (2012). Patterns of Democracy (Vol. 2nd ed). New Haven [Conn.]: Yale University Press. Retrieved from http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&site=eds-live&db=edsebk&AN=474918

Recommended Additional Bibliography

  • Bednar, J. (2009). The robust federation : principles of design / Jenna Bednar. Cambridge: Cambridge Univ. Press. Retrieved from http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&site=eds-live&db=edswao&AN=edswao.301536481
  • Bednar, J. (2009). The Robust Federation : Principles of Design. Cambridge, UK: Cambridge University Press. Retrieved from http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&site=eds-live&db=edsebk&AN=263474
  • Falleti, T. G. (2010). Decentralization and Subnational Politics in Latin America. New York: Cambridge University Press. Retrieved from http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&site=eds-live&db=edsebk&AN=324100
  • Filippov, M., Ordeshook, P. C., & Shvetsova, O. (2004). Designing Federalism : A Theory of Self-Sustainable Federal Institutions. New York: Cambridge University Press. Retrieved from http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&site=eds-live&db=edsebk&AN=157922
  • Starodubtsev, A. (2016). Federalism and Regional Policy in Contemporary Russia. London: Routledge. Retrieved from http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&site=eds-live&db=edsebk&AN=1689345