Core Seminar "Key Issues and Methods in Post-Soviet Area Studies"

2024/2025

Academic Year

ENG

Instruction in English

3

ECTS credits

Delivered at:

Department of Political Science and International Affairs

Course type:

Compulsory course

When:

2 year, 1 module

Instructor

Starodubtsev, Andrey

Course Syllabus

Abstract

This core seminar aims to familiarize students of the educational trajectory “Eurasian (post-Soviet) area studies” with relevant approaches to and tools for academic and policy-oriented research in post-Soviet area studies. This will enable greater coherence of the educational process, set grounds for knowledge and understanding of the state of the art in the field, and help students to improve their professional communication skills. The seminar will focus on major scholarly discussions on key issues in post-Soviet area studies. It will also scrutinize various methodological paradigms and methods used for research on specific topics. This will be done both through regular seminar discussions based on extensive reading of seminal and innovative works in the field and through providing space for guest lectures by invited scholars who will present their work and provide feedback on students’ research ideas.

Learning Objectives

• This core seminar aims to familiarize students of the educational trajectory “Eurasian (post-Soviet) area studies” with relevant approaches to and tools for academic and policy-oriented research in post-Soviet area studies.

Expected Learning Outcomes

• knows and applies the case study and comparative case study methodology
• knows contemporary state of the art in the post-soviet studies
• does reviews of academic articles and books

Course Contents

• Methodology of Case Studies and Comparative Case Studies
• Theoretical paradigms of political science: focus on post-soviet studies
• Key issues in the post-soviet studies

Assessment Elements

• In-class participation
• Article Review
• Test
• Book review
• Research essay
• Reflection paper
  Students are to write a paper in which they reflect on how the content of the course was useful (or not) in the development of their research projects and/or professional development in general.

Interim Assessment

• 2023/2024 2nd module
  0.35 * Article Review + 0.35 * Article Review + 0.3 * In-class participation + 0.3 * In-class participation + 0.35 * Test + 0.35 * Test
• 2023/2024 4th module
  0.5 * Book review + 0.5 * Book review + 0.5 * In-class participation + 0.5 * In-class participation
• 2024/2025 1st module
  0.3 * In-class participation + 0.3 * In-class participation + 0.35 * Reflection paper + 0.35 * Reflection paper + 0.35 * Research essay + 0.35 * Research essay

Bibliography

Recommended Core Bibliography

• Hale, H. E. . (DE-588)136496350, (DE-576)301049882. (2015). Patronal politics : Eurasian regime dynamics in comparative perspective / Henry E. Hale. New York, NY: Cambridge Univ. Press. Retrieved from http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&site=eds-live&db=edswao&AN=edswao.419984909
• Levitsky, S., & Way, L. (2010). Competitive Authoritarianism : Hybrid Regimes After the Cold War. Cambridge University Press.

Recommended Additional Bibliography

• Hale, H. E. (2006). Why Not Parties in Russia? : Democracy, Federalism, and the State. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. Retrieved from http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&site=eds-live&db=edsebk&AN=146164

Authors

• STARODUBTSEV Andrei VLADIMIROVICH