Politics and Society in Belarus, Moldova and Ukraine

2025/2026

Academic Year

ENG

Instruction in English

Delivered at:

Department of Political Science and International Affairs

Course type:

Elective course

When:

2 year, 1, 2 module

Instructor

Maksimovtsova, Ksenia

Course Syllabus

Abstract

This course explores politics and society in Belarus, Moldova and Ukraine. While the course programme is mostly focused on the contemporary period, it will also touch upon historic period of the Russian Empire and the USSR. Key themes of the course are: existing conceptualisations of the region; state building and state fragility; Russian/Soviet legacies; ethnicity, nationhood, nation building and nationalism; (ethnic) conflict and conflict resolution; role of gender, family, religion, formal and informal networks and institutions in state-society relations; good governance and democracy promotion, its effect on the political regimes and its limitations; regional integration projects, key factors and possible integration formats. The course will help students to acquire knowledge on the nature of state, politics and society in Belarus, Moldova and Ukraine, and develop critical thinking on variations in and drivers of political, economic, social and cultural transformations in this part of the world. This course is designed as a joint online course between HSE and JLU Giessen (Germany).

Learning Objectives

• It aims to provide students with nuanced understanding of political and societal transformations in in Belarus, Moldova and Ukraine.

Expected Learning Outcomes

• Able to develop proposals and recommendations for applied research and consulting
• Able to evaluate, model and forecast social and political processes at the global, international, national, regional, and local levels using methodology of empirical and theoretical research
• Able to independently prepare the summary of analytical materials (reviews, notes, reports, reports, recommendations, etc.) and proposals for decision-makers in the political sphere in the countries of the Eurasian (post-Soviet) region
• Able to organize and conduct political science expertise of socially significant projects in the countries of the Eurasian (post-Soviet) region
• Able to use the current results of scientific research in political science, as well as interdisciplinary research in the Eurasian (post-Soviet) region to solve practical problems of professional activity.

Course Contents

• The complex historical legacy of Belarus, Ukraine, and Moldova. The Soviet period and its influence on the current state of affairs in politics and societal development
• Reaching independence: new challenges, new opportunities for Belarus, Moldova, and Ukraine. Overcoming the Soviet legacy.
• Complicated nation-building and multiple identities in post-Soviet Belarus, Moldova, and Ukraine.
• Ethnicity, nationalism, and language policy (I). Minority issues
• Ethnicity, nationalism, and language policy (II)- Minority issues
• Civil society and the prospects of democratization in the region
• Foreign and domestic policy agenda: Eastern Partnership Program and the prospects of integration into the EU
• Foreign and domestic policy agenda: A relationship with Russia
• Protest movements and revolutions
• Migration issues
• Concluding discussion: The prospects of the region. European integration and/or overcoming the Soviet legacy?

Assessment Elements

• In-class participation
  Assessment will be based on attendance, preparation of readings, participation in class discussion with the focus on qualitative contribution to the discussion, ability to answer questions based on the readings, come up with own interpretations and reflections and react to comments made by other students.
• Tests/quizzes
  It is expected that there will be 10 tests/quizzes where students’ understanding, and knowledge of the literature and subject will be controlled. The quizzes will be conducted online, using Google Forms or Extended forms. Mini quizzes contain 10 questions to be answered in 7 minutes. The questions are MCQ with one correct answer to be picked among several. These questions are based on the class materials (lectures and mandatory readings for the class) for each topic.
• Group presentations
  Each tutorial (starting from the week 4) will commence by a presentation prepared by a small group of students (up to 4 students per group). During the first tutorial, students should propose for approval by the instructor: 1) composition of their groups; 2) topics for their presentations based on the topics/readings for the tutorials; 3) outlines of their presentations. These presentations will function as basis for further class discussion. Therefore, presenters are supposed to cover mandatory and optional readings and, preferably, use other non-assigned sources for their analysis on the chosen topic in order to make a genuinely original contribution. Assessment criteria: «Excellent» (10) A well-structured, analytical presentation of project work which literally knocks the instructor’s socks off by its beauty, coherence and the quality of information. Shows strong evidence and broad background knowledge. In a group presentation all members contribute equally and each contribution builds on the previous one clearly. «Excellent» (9) A well-structured, analytical presentation of project work. Shows strong evidence and broad background knowledge. In a group presentation all members contribute equally and each contribution builds on the previous one clearly. Answers to follow-up questions reveal a good range and depth of knowledge within what is covered in the presentation and show confidence in discussion. «Excellent» (8) A well-structured, analytical presentation of project work. Shows strong evidence and broad background knowledge. In a group presentation all members contribute, but maybe not quite as equally and seamlessly. Answers to follow-up questions reveal a good range of knowledge. «Good» (7) Clearly organized analysis, showing evidence of a good overall knowledge of the topic. The presenter of the project work highlights key points and responds to follow up questions appropriately. There is evidence that the group has met to discuss the topic and is presenting the results of that discussion, in an order previously agreed. «Good» (6) Some analysis is presented, showing evidence of the general knowledge of the topic with occasional detailed highlights. The presenters respond to follow up questions with gaps. There might not be enough group work invested in making it a group presentation, and the performance of group members is uneven. «Satisfactory» (5) Takes a rather basic approach to the topic, using broadly appropriate material but lacking focus. The presentation is not very well structured. Knowledge of the topic is limited. Most of the work seems to be done by one or two students and the individual contributions do not add up. «Satisfactory» (4) Takes a very basic approach to the topic, the material used is of low quality, presentation lacks focus. The presentation of project work is largely unstructured, and some points are irrelevant to the topic. No specialist knowledge of the topic is presented, and there may be evidence of basic misunderstanding. Most of the work seems to be done by one or two students and the individual contributions do not add up. «Fail» (3) Fails to demonstrate any appropriate knowledge. There is a PowerPoint (or similar) presentation to go with the talk, but it is of a poor quality. The follow-up Q&A session reveals lack of understanding of the topic. «Fail» (2) Fails to demonstrate any appropriate knowledge. There is no PowerPoint (or similar) presentation to go with the talk. To the rest of the group the talk may even be misleading. The follow-up Q&A session reveals complete lack of understanding of the topic. «Fail» (1) Fails to demonstrate any appropriate knowledge. There is no PowerPoint (or similar) presentation to go with the talk. The follow-up Q&A session reveals complete lack of understanding of the topic. The material presented is in fact false. «Fail» (0) The presentation is not presented, or is abysmally poor in its substance and presentation.
• Final paper/final essay (2500-3000 words)
  The final essay should relate to any aspect of the course. It can be a critical review of the existing literature on a specific topic, or an original piece of research, or a small comparative research project (format and topic need to be approved by the instructor by the week 6). The final paper is due by the tutorial 12. The usage of Artificial Intelligence (AI) software is not allowed for this type of tasks. All essays will be checked through Antiplagiarism software and AI-generated detection services. In the case when the report states that "it highly likely that the content was AI-generated", "the text is likely to be AI-generated", the final grade for the essay will be "0" ("unsatisfactory"). The 1st retake is possible in the same form - writing an argumentative essay. The 2nd retake (with the commission) will be an oral examination with questions covering the content of the course. Assessment criteria: «Excellent» (10) – Essay is well-written; all standards of academic writing are met. Essay demonstrates an extraordinary level of critical thinking, logical reasoning, and argumentation, with references to academic sources that are beyond the basic expectations from the course’s participants. The key conclusions and implications are clearly elucidated. The number of cited academic sources is far beyond the requested number of academic sources (min. 5 sources). Excellent (9) - Essay is well-written; all standards of academic writing are met. The student mobilizes relevant information. The key conclusions and implications are clearly elucidated. Though the paper both meets all the relevant criteria of the task description and presents an original argument, minor errors occur. Excellent (8) - Has a clear argument, which addresses the topic and responds effectively to all aspects of the task. Fully satisfies all the requirements of the task; rare minor errors occur. Good (7) - Responds to most aspects of the topic with a clear, explicit argument. Covers the requirements of the task; may produce occasional errors. Good (6) - Responds to most aspects of the task; nevertheless, some parts of the task are missing, may produce occasional or factual errors. Satisfactory (5) - Generally, addresses the task; the format may be inappropriate in places; display little evidence of (depending on the assignment): independent thought and critical judgement include a partial superficial coverage of the key issues, lack critical analysis, may make frequent errors. Satisfactory (4) - Generally, addresses the task, but some major part of the essay has major flaws. Major problems in writing an academically relevant text were detected. Fail (3) - Generally, addresses the task, but major editing and argumentative flaws appear throughout the task. Essay does not meet the standards of academic writing. Fail (2) - The failure to meet the requirements of the task. Fail (1) - The task completely fails to address the task appropriately. Fail (0) - Unsubmitted paper, or plagiarism/academic dishonesty (usage of Artificial Intelligence) detected.

Interim Assessment

• 2025/2026 2nd module
  0.25 * Final paper/final essay (2500-3000 words) + 0.25 * Group presentations + 0.25 * In-class participation + 0.25 * Tests/quizzes

Bibliography

Recommended Core Bibliography

• Burlyuk, O., Shapovalova, N., & Zarembo, K. (2017). Introduction to the special issue : civil society in Ukraine : building on Euromaidan legacy. KYIV-MOHYLA LAW AND POLITICS JOURNAL ; ISSN: 2414-9942. https://doi.org/10.18523/kmlpj119977.2017-3.1-22
• Cheskin, A., & Kachuyevski, A. (2019). The Russian-Speaking Populations in the Post-Soviet Space: Language, Politics and Identity. Europe-Asia Studies, 71(1), 1–23. https://doi.org/10.1080/09668136.2018.1529467
• Pal Kolsto. (2018). Political Construction Sites : Nation Building In Russia And The Post-soviet States. Routledge.
• Paul D’anieri. (2018). Politics And Society In Ukraine. Routledge.

Recommended Additional Bibliography

• Dr. Aneta Pavlenko. (2008). Multilingualism in Post-Soviet Countries. Multilingual Matters.
• Lutsevych, O. aut. (2013). How to finish a revolution civil society and democracy in Georgia, Moldova and Ukraine Orysia Lutsevych.
• Maksimovtsova, K. (2019). Language Conflicts in Contemporary Estonia, Latvia, and Ukraine : A Comparative Exploration of Discourses in Post-Soviet Russian-Language Digital Media. ibidem.

Authors

• Maksimovtsova Kseniia Viktorovna