Last update: Mgr. Karel Svoboda, Ph.D. (06.10.2023)
The main aim of the course is to discuss the problems of post-communist Russia from their political, economic, and social perspective. Rather than giving final answers, the course should open new questions and promote critical thinking about Russia and its politics. We should challenge the established truths and subject them to a critical evaluation. The course aims to explain the current topics based on the development of the previous almost thirty years. True, the war against Ukraine changed a lot, but we will concentrate on long-term patterns and systemic features.
The main questions we should try to address are topics such as: What is post-soviet in Russia? Why is Vladimir Putin still popular in Russia while negatively perceived in the West? Who rules the country? Is Russia a great power? Does it promote its borders or defend its territory? Nevertheless, students are welcomed and encouraged to raise their questions.
After finishing this course, students should be able to analyze the problems of contemporary Russia in their depth and explain them not only by simple declarations and truths so well known in newspapers. We will be simply asking questions, trying to find possible explanations.
Our goal is to understand and discuss, not to judge.
After absolving this course, students should be able to analyze impartially and without emotions the situation in Russia and its role in the world.
Aim of the course
Last update: Mgr. Jiřina Tomečková (26.09.2023)
The course aims to present the problems of the development of post-Soviet Russia. The students should be able to present their views and critically evaluate alternative explanations. They learn the basic characteristics of Russian political, economic, and social development. The student should train the skill to present arguments for his views and to use others' arguments for improvement of his stances.
Course completion requirements
Last update: Bc. Sára Lochmanová (05.10.2023)
Please note that any case of plagiarism results in failing the assignment and the need to write it anew. It will also be delivered to the Disciplinary Board of the Faculty of Social Sciences.
Suggested internet sources): BOFIT, World Bank, Novaya Gazeta, Expert, Jamestown Foundation, politcom.ru, polit.ru, Kommersant etc. Levada.ru, Vedomosti.ru, meduza.io, svoboda.org do not forget about the existence of databases (EBSCO, Proquest)!
Literature related to the separate fields:
Perestroika:
Dallin A. Causes of the Collapse of the USSR. Post-Soviet Affairs. 1992. Vol. 8. N 4.
Harris J., Subverting the system: Gorbachev´s reform of the party´s apparatus 1986-1991. Rowman and Littlefield 2004.
Vykoukal J., Tejchman Litera B. Východ: Vznik, vývoj a rozpad sovětského bloku, Praha 2000.
Economy
Aslund A., 2019, Russia's Crony Capitalism, Yale UP
Gustafson, Thane. 2012. Wheel of fortune: the battle for oil and power in Russia. Cambridge, Mass: Belknap Press of Harvard University Press.
Hanson P., The Rise and Fall of the Soviet Economy. An Economic History of the USSR from 1945. London 2003.
Political system:
Brown A., Shevtsova L., Gorbachev, Yeltsin, and Putin: Political Leadership in Russia's Transition. Carnegie Endowmenet 2001.
Clark W. A., Russia at the Polls, Problems of Post- Communism, March/April 2004.
Frye T., Weak Strongman: The Limits of Power in Putin's Russia, Princeton UP, 2021
Galeotti, M. We Need to Talk about Putin
Gelman V., Nedostoynoe pravlenie, Izdatelstvo Evropeyskogo Universiteta v Sankt Peterburge, 2019
Zygar M., All Kremlin's men, Public Affairs, 2016
Guriev S., Treisman D., Spin dictators, Princeton University Press, 2022
Society:
Klebnikov P., Godfather of the Kremlin: Boris Berezovsky & the Looting of Russia,
Sakwa, Richard. 2014. Putin and the Oligarch: The Khodorkovsky-Yukos Affair. London: I.B.Tauris.
Ledeneva, Alena V. 2013. Can Russia Modernise?: Sistema, Power Networks and Informal Governance. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.
Dawisha, Karen, Putin’s kleptocracy : who owns Russia? 2014
Chebankova, Elena, Civil Society in Putin’s Russia, Routledge, 2013.
Markedonov, Sergey. 2013. Rise of radical and nonofficial islamic groups in russia's volga region. [Place of publication not identified]: Rowman & Littlefield Publ.¨
Rawlinson, Patricia. From Fear to Fraternity: A Russian Tale of Crime, Economy and Modernity. London: Pluto, 2010.
Regionalism
Badovskii, D.V., Shutov, A.Iu., Regional elites in Post-Soviet-Russia. Russian Social Science Review; May/Jun97, Vol. 38 Issue 3, p32, 24p.
Cashback D., Risky Strategies? Putin?s Federal Reforms and the Accommodation of Difference in Russia, Journal for Ethnopolitics and Minority Issues in Europe,
Issue 3/2003
Solanko L., Tekoniemi M., To recentralise or decentralise ? some recent trends in Russian fiscal federalism, http://www.bof.fi/bofit/fin/7online/05abs/05pdf/bon0505.pdf.
Foreign policy
Ambrosio T., Russia´s Quest for Multipolarity: A Response to US Foreign Policy in the Post- Cold War Era. European Security, Vol. 10, No.1, pp. 45-67
Timmins G., Strategic or Pragmatic Partnership? The European Union´s Policy Towards Russia Since the End of the Cold War.
Tsygankov, Andrei P. 2012. Russia and the West from Alexander to Putin: honor in international relations. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.
Cadier, David, and Margot Light. 2015. Russia's foreign policy: ideas, domestic politics and external relations.
Tsygankov, Andrei P. 2010. Russia's foreign policy: change and continuity in national identity. Lanham, Md: Rowman & Littlefield Publishers. http://site.ebrary.com/id/10386488
Teaching methods
Last update: Mgr. Karel Svoboda, Ph.D. (23.09.2023)
The class will be on-site, in Jinonice
Do not worry about asking questions, raising remarks, etc. Your reading materials will be in moodle. https://dl2.cuni.cz/course/view.php?id=3969
Since this is a master's class, a discussion will be the core of our work. Nevertheless, even those who do not possess previous training in Russian affairs are welcomed since the discussions should be based on readings. The readings are chosen to present diverse views on Russia, be it pro-government, anti-government, liberal, statist, etc.
Requirements to the exam
Last update: Mgr. Karel Svoboda, Ph.D. (06.10.2023)
Students are expected to have a reasonable command of English. The core of the course should be a discussion, not a lecture. Therefore, the ability to formulate your thoughts is essential for the success of the course.
The course should be lively, not boring listening to my lectures. For each class, up to 50 pages of readings are assigned. Students are expected to contribute to the discussions with questions and remarks based on their readings. Furthermore, for each of the classes, each student should be able to bring some news from current affairs (please, not newborn cute puppy…) and interpret it somehow.
The student should write a book review on a chosen book from the given list of readings (nine thousand characters including spaces - 1400 words). The deadline for the review submission is November 28. The review will be submitted via Moodle.
The final test is based on a multiple-choice plus open-question system, it covers both reading and the topics for the whole course - in person. It represents 60 percent of the final grade.
Grading from the total result is determined as follows:
• 91 and more = A
• 81 - 90 % = B
• 71 - 80 % = C
• 61 - 70 % = D
• 51 - 60 % = E
• 0 - 50 % = F
Syllabus
Last update: Mgr. Karel Svoboda, Ph.D. (06.10.2023)
October 6
introduction to the course. Requirements, expectations etc.
October 20, 2023
forming of the state, was the fall of the Soviet Union a real catastrophe for Russia? Why was the fall of the Soviet Union "the greatest geopolitical catastrophe"? What went wrong?
November 3
were the 1990s a disaster? Were the reforms of 1990s a complete failure?
November 10
Vladimir Putin a rise of a strongman? How did Vladimir Putin get to power? Why the system become so stable? What were the conditions of the environment? Russia as a dictatorship? President’s power in the system. Putin’s use of a parliament etc.
November 24
Russian elections: fraud or reflection of voters’ preferences? Party system. Reforms of the party system as a limitation of democracy etc. Setting the authoritarian rule?
December 1
groups of power. Siloviks, liberals etc. informal power, rules.
December 8
Russian federation united we stand? Is Russia still a federation or a unitary state?
December 15
Media, historical policy, and state communication
December 22
Russian economy colossus on clay feet? Dependency on oil. Current problems of Russia’s economy
January 5
Russian foreign policy: Is Russia losing its role? Relations with the close neighborhood. Russian aspect in their policies. Russian minority.
Entry requirements
Last update: Mgr. Karel Svoboda, Ph.D. (06.10.2023)
Sound command of English is the most critical requirement. Students should be able to express their thoughts. Students are expected to discuss papers they read and their broader context.
Russian language command is an asset but not a condition. All the papers are submitted in English.
basic computer literacy is enough
For the January class, we will use MS Teams application.
