Post-Soviet Politics and Societies
| Module title | Post-Soviet Politics and Societies |
|---|---|
| Module code | POC3128 |
| Academic year | 2024/5 |
| Credits | 15 |
| Module staff | Dr Catherine Owen (Convenor) |
| Duration: Term | 1 | 2 | 3 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Duration: Weeks | 10 |
| Number students taking module (anticipated) | 25 |
|---|
Module description
Complex yet fascinating, the post-Soviet region is one of the lesser-studied parts of the world. Fifteen highly diverse countries ranging from the democratic EU member states in the Baltic region to the closed, authoritarian states of Central Asia have emerged from the former Soviet Union. Divided into two parts, this module will trace the political history of the USSR and its collapse before examining the types of regime that have begun to consolidate in its place and the conflicts that have erupted as Soviet control has receded. No prior knowledge of the region is assumed; however, students will be expected to have an understanding of the basic categories of politics and international relations.
Module aims - intentions of the module
This module will introduce you to the history of the USSR and the internal politics and international relations of the states that have emerged in its place, namely Russia, Ukraine and Belarus, the Baltic states, the Caucasus and Central Asia.
The module has four main aims. First, it will enable you to analyse key processes and developments in Soviet and post-Soviet politics. By the end of the module, you will be able to identify and assess key legacies of the Soviet experience, evaluate the reasons behind the diversity of regime types in the region, appreciate the reasons for the domestic success of the Putin model of governance and understand some of the key conflicts that have erupted in the post-Soviet era. Second, it will enable you to critically employ key concepts and analytical frameworks associated with the region, including totalitarianism, the transition paradigm, frozen conflicts and Eurasianism. Thirdly, it will introduce you to concepts, perspectives and processes that will be useful in international relations and comparative politics more broadly, including post-colonialism, civil society and regionalism. Fourthly, it aims to develop a sensitivity towards the differences between Western and non-Western worldviews; by the end of the module, you will also be able to attune yourself to hidden assumptions in Western and Russian scholarly and journalistic reports on the region.
Intended Learning Outcomes (ILOs)
ILO: Module-specific skills
On successfully completing the module you will be able to...
- 1. Comprehend and evaluate the modern historical contexts for contemporary events and processes in the post-Soviet space.
- 2. Comprehend and critically evaluate a range of key concepts and theoretical approaches to the region.
- 3. Demonstrate an understanding of the significance of these countries at the international level
ILO: Discipline-specific skills
On successfully completing the module you will be able to...
- 4. Critically employ a range of theoretical frameworks to a variety of empirical cases.
- 5. Critically analyze theoretical and empirical materials.
- 6. Independently collect, analyse, and interpret relevant empirical materials
ILO: Personal and key skills
On successfully completing the module you will be able to...
- 7. Construct a reasoned and logical argument supported by evidence.
- 8. Communicate effectively through well-structured speech and writing.
- 9. Work independently to achieve goals.
Syllabus plan
Whilst the module’s precise content may vary from year to year, it is envisaged that the syllabus will cover some or all of the following topics:
Why study post-Soviet politics? What is the political geography of the region? What common legacies are shared across the 15 countries? With such variation in contemporary regime type, does it still make sense to speak of the region as a coherent unit?
Revolution and Transformation: The Creation and Consolidation of the USSR
Why did the Bolshevik Revolution occur? What was the ideology behind it? Why did the Bolsheviks win the Civil War? How did Communism become institutionalised across the region? How is 1917 interpreted in contemporary debates?
The Structure of the USSR: Empire or Anti-Colonial State?
What was the Soviet Nationalities Policy and how was it implemented? Did it institutionalise Soviet domination or empower ethnic minorities? What are the consequences of the nationalities policy for the break-up of the Soviet Union?
From Stalin to Brezhnev: Totalitarianism, Thaw, Stagnation
What was Soviet totalitarianism and to what extent can it be compared to Nazi Germany? How did the international climate influence domestic governance? What were the main governance problems of the USSR?
Gorbachev, Perestroika and Collapse
Why did Gorbachev implement glasnost and perestroika? How did these policies impact political and social life in the USSR? What explanations are there for the collapse of the USSR? Was it inevitable?
The Post-Soviet Years: From Unmanageable to Managed Democracy
What was life like in the decade after Soviet collapse? What accounts for the enormous amount of variation in the regime types of post-Soviet states? What was the transition paradigm and why is it now discredited?
Putinism and Authoritarian Governance
What are the main characteristics of Putin’s style of rule, in terms of state-building, ideology and domestic governance? Why does Putin enjoy such high levels of popularity in Russia? How sustainable is the Putin model?
State, Society and Protest
Why is the relationship between the government and civic groups in post-Soviet countries often seen as fraught? What were the ‘Colour Revolutions’ and what are their legacies? What roles do non-governmental organisations play in post-Soviet public life?
War and Violence 1: ‘Hot’ and ‘Frozen’ Conflicts in the Caucasus
Why has there been so much violence in the Caucasus since Soviet collapse? Why did Russia invade Chechnya and what are the legacies of this war? What are frozen conflicts and why have they been so difficult to resolve? Why doesn’t the international community recognise Abkhasia or South Ossetia?
War and Violence 2: The Ukrainian Tragedy
Why did Russia invade Ukraine, its most historically significant neighbour? What role did the West play in these two conflicts? What does the Ukrainian conflict mean for the European project?
Eurasian Regionalism or USSR 2.0? Russian Influence in the post-Soviet Space
What are Russian relations with the former Soviet countries like today? How is Russian soft power transmitted across its ‘near abroad’? What multi-lateral regional organisations exist and to what extent do they conflict with Western or Chinese organisations in the region?
Learning activities and teaching methods (given in hours of study time)
| Scheduled Learning and Teaching Activities | Guided independent study | Placement / study abroad |
|---|---|---|
| 20 | 130 | 0 |
Details of learning activities and teaching methods
| Category | Hours of study time | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Scheduled learning and teaching activity | 20 | 10 x 2 hours seminars |
| Guided independent study | 130 | Private study students are expected to read suggested texts and make notes prior to seminar sessions. They are also expected to read widely to complete their coursework assignments. More specifically, students are expected to devote at least: 60 hours to directed reading; 6 hours for completing the formative essay plan; 24 hours on completing the presentation; around 38 hours on completing the essay. |
Formative assessment
| Form of assessment | Size of the assessment (eg length / duration) | ILOs assessed | Feedback method |
|---|---|---|---|
| Essay plan | 1 page | 1-9 | Written |
Summative assessment (% of credit)
| Coursework | Written exams | Practical exams |
|---|---|---|
| 100 | 0 | 0 |
Details of summative assessment
| Form of assessment | % of credit | Size of the assessment (eg length / duration) | ILOs assessed | Feedback method |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Essay | 60 | 2,000 words | 1-9 | Written |
| Policy briefing | 40 | 1,750 words | 1-9 | Written |
| 0 | ||||
| 0 | ||||
| 0 | ||||
| 0 |
Details of re-assessment (where required by referral or deferral)
| Original form of assessment | Form of re-assessment | ILOs re-assessed | Timescale for re-assessment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Essay | Essay (2,000 words) | 1-9 | August/September re-assessment period |
| Policy briefing | Policy briefing (1,750 words) | 1-9 | August/September re-assessment period |
Indicative learning resources - Basic reading
Beissinger, Marc, Nationalist Mobilization and the Collapse of the Soviet State, (New York: Cambridge University Press, 2002).
Beissinger, Mark and Stephen Kotkin (eds), Historical Legacies of Communism in Russia and Eastern Europe, (Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 2014).
Carothers, Thomas, ‘The End of the Transition Paradigm’, Journal of Democracy, Vol. 13, No. 1 (January 2002).
Cohen, Stephen F. ‘Was the Soviet System Reformable?,” Slavic Review, Vol. 63, No. 3 (Autumn 2004).
Cooley, Alexander, Great Games, Local Rules: The New Great Power Contest in Central Asia, (New York: Oxford University Press, 2012).
Edgar, Adrienne Lynn, Tribal Nation: The Making of Soviet Turkmenistan, (Princeton, N.J.: Princeton University Press, 2006).
Hirsch, Francine, ‘Toward an Empire of Nations: Border-Making and the Formation of Soviet National Identities’, Russian Review Vol. 59, No. 2 (2000).
Sakwa, Richard, Putin: Russia’s Choice, 2nd Edition, (Abingdon: Routledge, 2008).
Sakwa, Richard, The Crisis of Russian Democracy: The Dual State, Factionalism and the Medvedev Succession, (Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 2011).
Sakwa, Richard, Frontline Ukraine: Crisis in the Borderlands, (London: I.B. Taurus, 2014).
Tsygankov, Andrei, Russia’s Foreign Policy: Change and Continuity in National Identity, Third Edition, (Lanham, MA: Rowman and Littlefield, 2013)
Yurchak, Alexei, Everything Was Forever, Until It Was No More: The Last Soviet Generation, (Princeton: Princeton University Press, 2006).
Indicative learning resources - Web based and electronic resources
This course will require you to keep up to date with political developments in the post-Soviet region, not only from Western/European perspectives, but also from Russian perspectives. This means reading widely across different news and commentary platforms.
Western Perspectives (aside from the standard reputable Western media sources, you might like to browse the following)
Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty: https://www.rferl.org/
Eurasianet: http://www.eurasianet.org/
You can also receive updates from a number of think tanks and analytical sites:
https://www.chathamhouse.org/about/structure/russia-eurasia-programme
Official Russian Perspectives
Russia in Global Affairs: http://eng.globalaffairs.ru/
Russia Today: https://www.rt.com/
Sputnik: https://sputniknews.com/
Valdai Club: http://valdaiclub.com/
Other English language Russian news portals with a more critical perspective:
Meduza: https://meduza.io/en/articles
The Moscow Times: https://themoscowtimes.com/
Riddle: https://www.ridl.io/en/
| Credit value | 15 |
|---|---|
| Module ECTS | 7.5 |
| Module pre-requisites | None |
| Module co-requisites | None |
| NQF level (module) | 6 |
| Available as distance learning? | No |
| Origin date | 05/02/2020 |
| Last revision date | 05/02/2023 |
