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Regular version of the site

Russia in World Politics

2021/2022
Academic Year
ENG
Instruction in English
6
ECTS credits
Course type:
Elective course
When:
1 year, 1, 2 module

Course Syllabus

Abstract

This course is devoted to the analysis of various roles that Russia is claiming to play in the contemporary world politics, and Russian positioning at different scales – global and regional. Theoretical part of the course is supported by empirical cases.
Learning Objectives

Learning Objectives

  • The main goal of the course is the analysis of Russia's role in world politics, its relations with China, the EU, the USA. The course introduces students to Russia's strategies in international field and offers different perspectives on Russia's foreign policies
Expected Learning Outcomes

Expected Learning Outcomes

  • Able to use relevant research results in political science and adjacent sciences, to develop applications of political science for solving practical tasks
  • Able to develop proposals and recommendations for applied research and consulting
  • Able to use relevant research results in political science and adjacent sciences, to develop applications of political science for solving practical tasks
  • Knows Russia's place in world politics' hierarchy
  • Is familiar with Russia's direction in IR
  • Is familiar with notion of great power politics and its manifestation in Russia's case
  • Is familiar with Russia's view on relationship between Russia and USA
  • Is familiar with notion of soft power and its use by Russia
  • Knows role and reasons for Russian engagement in Africa
  • Distinguishes between main points of Russia-EU relations' history
  • Is familiar with modern state of Russia-EU relations
  • Is familiar with Cinese-Russian relations
  • Is familiar with Russia's strategy in the post-Soviet region
Course Contents

Course Contents

  • Introduction to the course
  • The rise of Russia (in Eurasia and elsewhere) and its explanations.
  • Russia: The rise or decline?
  • Great power Russia. Great power politics.
  • Russia / US relations (from Russian perspective)
  • Global power: operating far beyond the borders
  • Russia as a member of IOs
  • Soft power Russia
  • BRICS: alternative for the West
  • Russian engagement in Africa
  • Evolution of Russia -EU relations: 1994 - 2019
  • Russia-EU relations
  • Coalition-building
  • Regional leadership and regional hegemony
  • Russia and China
  • Russia: Looking for allies
  • Post-Soviet space
  • Russia: Peace-builder? Security guarantor? Instability producer?
  • Russia and Ukraine
  • Russia and de facto states
Assessment Elements

Assessment Elements

  • non-blocking Class participation
    Contribution of a student to discussions during seminars, her / his knowledge of the subject and level of literature comprehension.
  • non-blocking Essay
  • non-blocking Final Exam
    An exam is conducted in the session period in a written format (open questions)
Interim Assessment

Interim Assessment

  • 2021/2022 2nd module
    0.3 * Essay + 0.25 * Final Exam + 0.45 * Class participation
Bibliography

Bibliography

Recommended Core Bibliography

  • Busygina, I. (2018). Russia–EU Relations and the Common Neighborhood : Coercion Vs. Authority. London: Routledge. Retrieved from http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&site=eds-live&db=edsebk&AN=1560734
  • Ohannes Geukjian. (2017). Explaining Russian Foreign Policy Behavior. Theory and Practice. Europe-Asia Studies, 4, 704. https://doi.org/10.1080/09668136.2017.1314624
  • Tsygankov, A. P. (2018). Routledge Handbook of Russian Foreign Policy. Abingdon, Oxon: Routledge. Retrieved from http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&site=eds-live&db=edsebk&AN=1735577

Recommended Additional Bibliography

  • A twenty-first century concert of powers promoting great power multilateralism for the post-transatlantic era The 21st Century Concert Study Group. Peace Research Institute Frankfurt. (2014). Retrieved from http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&site=eds-live&db=edswao&AN=edswao.427237939
  • Newman, E., & Zala, B. (2018). Rising powers and order contestation: disaggregating the normative from the representational. Third World Quarterly, 39(5), 871–888. https://doi.org/10.1080/01436597.2017.1392085

Authors

  • BUSYGINA IRINA MARKOVNA