Russia's Foreign Policy and Unconventional Approaches

Study Course Description

Course Description Statuss:Approved

Course Description Version:5.00

Study Course Accepted:02.02.2024 12:29:08

Study Course Information
Course Code:		PZK_165		LQF level:		Level 7
Credit Points:		5.00		ECTS:		7.50
Branch of Science:		Politics		Target Audience:		Political Science
Study Course Supervisor
Course Supervisor:		Māris Cepurītis
Study Course Implementer
Structural Unit:		Faculty of Social Sciences
The Head of Structural Unit:
Contacts:		Dzirciema street 16, Rīga, szfrsu[pnkts]lv
Study Course Planning
Full-Time - Semester No.1
Lectures (count)		10	Lecture Length (academic hours)		2	Total Contact Hours of Lectures		20
Classes (count)		10	Class Length (academic hours)		2	Total Contact Hours of Classes		20
Total Contact Hours								40
Part-Time - Semester No.1
Lectures (count)		7	Lecture Length (academic hours)		2	Total Contact Hours of Lectures		14
Classes (count)		7	Class Length (academic hours)		2	Total Contact Hours of Classes		14
Total Contact Hours								28
Study course description
Preliminary Knowledge:
Overall knowledge of the methods and theories in the field of International Relations, as well as general knowledge on politics and foreign policy of Russia.
Objective:
To provide knowledge on foreign policy of Russia, specifically on so called “unconventional” foreign policy tools used by Russia with other states and other international actors; improve ability of students to analyse foreign policy, its causes and tools.
Topic Layout (Full-Time)
No.	Topic			Type of Implementation		Number	Venue
1	Basic Principles of Russian Foreign Policy			Lectures		1.00	auditorium
2	Main Actors and Process of Russian Foreign Policy			Lectures		1.00	auditorium
3	“Unconventional” Approaches in Russian Foreign Policy: An Overview			Lectures		1.00	auditorium
4	Hard, Soft and Sharp Power in Theory and Russian Foreign Policy			Lectures		1.00	auditorium
5	Russian Public Diplomacy and Cultural Relations			Lectures		1.00	auditorium
6	Russian Orthodox Church and Intercultural Dialogue			Lectures		1.00	auditorium
7	Economic and Energy Policy			Lectures		1.00	auditorium
8	Security Services and Active Measures			Lectures		1.00	auditorium
9	Cyberattacks and Information operations			Lectures		1.00	auditorium
10	Military Dimension of Russian Foreign Policy			Lectures		1.00	auditorium
11	“Unconventional” Approaches in Russian Foreign Policy in Practice			Classes		10.00	auditorium
Topic Layout (Part-Time)
No.	Topic			Type of Implementation		Number	Venue
1	Basic Principles of Russian Foreign Policy			Lectures		1.00	auditorium
2	Main Actors and Process of Russian Foreign Policy			Lectures		1.00	auditorium
3	“Unconventional” Approaches in Russian Foreign Policy: An Overview			Lectures		1.00	auditorium
4	Hard, Soft and Sharp Power in Theory and Russian Foreign Policy			Lectures		1.00	auditorium
5	Russian Public Diplomacy and Cultural Relations			Lectures		0.50	auditorium
6	Russian Orthodox Church and Intercultural Dialogue			Lectures		0.50	auditorium
7	Economic and Energy Policy			Lectures		0.50	auditorium
8	Security Services and Active Measures			Lectures		0.50	auditorium
9	Cyberattacks and Information operations			Lectures		0.50	auditorium
10	Military Dimension of Russian Foreign Policy			Lectures		0.50	auditorium
11	“Unconventional” Approaches in Russian Foreign Policy in Practice			Classes		7.00	auditorium
Assessment
Unaided Work:
During the module students will prepare for the seminars, read literature write report and prepare a presentation. • The aim of a seminar is to develop students' ability to argue and present their opinion in a consistent and logical manner; to promote activity; to test students’ knowledge of the topic and materials in question. • The aim of the individual report is to develop the ability to identify the key issue of the topic; to identify and evaluate alternative arguments and views; to offer an opinion, explaining and arguing why this particular opinion is better than any other. The report should compare all possible alternatives, considering all their strengths and weaknesses. Another goal is to develop skills to independently study the situation and the problem, give it an assessment and be able to find solutions.
Assessment Criteria:
Attendance – 10% Activity and preparedness during seminars – 30% Presentation and research paper – 40% Examination (essay) – 20%
Final Examination (Full-Time):		Exam (Written)
Final Examination (Part-Time):		Exam (Written)
Learning Outcomes
Knowledge:		Students will identify the principles of Russia's foreign policy formation. Students will describe and analyze the unconventional approaches used in Russian foreign policy, as well as distinguish conventional from unconventional approaches.
Skills:		Students will independently conduct an analytical research on Russia's foreign policy and unconventional approaches used in it, critically selecting sources of information, presenting their conclusions and answering questions. Students will explain Russia's foreign policy processes in an argumentative and in-depth way and model Russia's foreign policy trends.
Competencies:		Students will develop research works based on interdisciplinary scientific literature, analyzing the processes of Russian foreign policy and their determining factors. Students will evaluate a complex set of questions that influence the choice of one or another approach to the implementation of foreign policy interests.
Bibliography
No.	Reference
Required Reading
1	Foreign Policy Concept of the Russian Federation (approved by President of the Russian Federation Vladimir Putin on November 30, 2016). Available from: https://www.mid.ru/en/foreign_policy/official_documents/-/a…
2	Galeotti M., Putin`s Hydra: Inside Russia`s Intelligence Services. European Council on Foreign Relations, 2016). Available from: https://www.ecfr.eu/page/-/ECFR_169_-_Putins_hydra_inside_t…
3	Giles Keir, Russia’s ‘New’ Tools for Confronting the West Continuity and Innovation in Moscow’s Exercise of Power. (Chatham House, March 2016). Available from: https://www.chathamhouse.org/sites/default/files/publicatio…
4	Giles, Keir. The Next Phase of Russian Information Warfare, (NATO Strategic Communications Centre of Excellence, 2016). Available from: https://www.stratcomcoe.org/next-phase-russian-information-…
5	Herpen H. Van, Marcel. Putin's Propaganda Machine: Soft Power and Russian Foreign Policy. (Rowman & Littlefield, 2015) Pp. 47-126
6	Kudors A., Hermanis J.Eds., The Russian Economy: Prospects for Putin 4.0., (University of Latvia Press: Riga, 2020), 27-40; 75-94; 125-142.
7	Mankoff Jeffrey. Russian Foreign Policy. The Return of Great Power Politics. (Rowman & Littlefield Publishers, Mayland: 2009), pp. 53-97
8	Nye S, Joseph, What China and Russia Don`t Get About Soft Power. April 29, 2013. Foreign Policy. Available from: https://foreignpolicy.com/2013/04/29/what-china-and-russia-…
9	Rid, T., Active Measures: The Secret History of Disinformation and Political Warfare, (Farrar, Straus and Giroux, New York, 2020) 377-422.
10	Sherr, J. Kullamaa, K., The Russian Orthodox Church. Faith, Power And Conquest. (International Centre for Defence and Security: Tallinn 2019). Available from: https://icds.ee/wp-content/uploads/2019/12/ICDS_EFPI_Report…
11	Toler, Aric. Anatomy of a Russian “Troll Factory” News Site. June 8, 2018, Bellingcat. Available from: https://www.bellingcat.com/resources/case-studies/2018/06/0…
12	Velikaya Anna A., Simons Greg. Eds. Russia`s Public Diplomacy. Evolution and Practice. (Palgrave Macmillan, Cham: 2020), pp. 27-60.
13	Walker Christopher, Ludwig Jessica, From “Soft Power” to “Sharp Power”. Rising Authoritarian Influence in the Democratic World. National Endwment for Democracy. Available from: https://www.ned.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/12/Introduction…