Russia's Politics and Religions

Study Course Description

Course Description Statuss:Approved

Course Description Version:7.00

Study Course Accepted:19.02.2024 12:12:40

Study Course Information
Course Code:		PZK_183		LQF level:		Level 7
Credit Points:		3.00		ECTS:		4.50
Branch of Science:		Politics		Target Audience:		Political Science
Study Course Supervisor
Course Supervisor:		Artūrs Bikovs
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)		8	Lecture Length (academic hours)		2	Total Contact Hours of Lectures		16
Classes (count)		6	Class Length (academic hours)		2	Total Contact Hours of Classes		12
Total Contact Hours								28
Part-Time - Semester No.1
Lectures (count)		6	Lecture Length (academic hours)		2	Total Contact Hours of Lectures		12
Classes (count)		4	Class Length (academic hours)		2	Total Contact Hours of Classes		8
Total Contact Hours								20
Study course description
Preliminary Knowledge:
Basic knowledge about methods and theories of International Relations, as well as general knowledge on Russia and religions, in particular Christianity, Islam, and Buddhism.
Objective:
To explore, analyze and describe the role of religions in Russia’s domestic and foreign policy; to provide information and guidelines, i.e. skillset, methods, and sources to the students for further research on Russia’s domestic and foreign policy.
Topic Layout (Full-Time)
No.	Topic			Type of Implementation		Number	Venue
1	Religion and the State: How Religion Influences Domestic Policy of the State			Lectures		0.50	auditorium
2	Religion and the State: How Religion Influences Foreign Policy of the State			Lectures		0.50	auditorium
3	Christianization of Kievan Rus': What Lead to It and How It Influenced Russia			Lectures		0.50	auditorium
4	The Orthodox Church in the System of Relations Between Russia and the Golden Horde			Classes		0.50	auditorium
5	From the Fall of Constantinople to Moscow, Third Rome: the “Golden Era” of the Russian Orthodox Church?			Classes		0.50	auditorium
6	The Long Way to Autocephaly: How Russian Orthodox Church Became Independent			Lectures		1.00	auditorium
7	“Troubled Times” for Orthodoxy: the Reforms of Patriarch Nikon and Raskol			Lectures		1.00	auditorium
8	Abolition of Patriarchy and Establishment of the Holy Synod: on the Way to a Secularization?			Classes		0.50	auditorium
9	Russian Orthodox Church Before and After the October Revolution			Classes		0.50	auditorium
10	“Opium of the People”: Elimination of Religion from Establishment of the Soviet Union to the start of the Great Patriotic War			Lectures		1.00	auditorium
11	Russian Orthodox Church During Great Patriotic War: a Short Rehabilitation?			Classes		0.50	auditorium
12	From Death of Stalin to the Collapse of the Soviet Union: Secret Life of Religious Organizations			Lectures		1.00	auditorium
13	Patriarch Alexy II: Formation of Modern Russian Orthodox Church			Lectures		1.00	auditorium
14	Patriarch Kirill I: Church in Tandem with the State			Classes		0.50	auditorium
15	Structure and Key Actors in Modern Russian Orthodox Church			Classes		1.00	auditorium
16	What Role Russian Orthodox Church Plays in Russia’s Domestic and Foreign Policy?			Lectures		1.00	auditorium
17	History of Islam in Russia: in a Struggle to Find a Place Under the Sun			Lectures		0.50	auditorium
18	How Other Branches of Christianity influenced Russia’s Domestic and Foreign Policy?			Classes		0.50	auditorium
19	Buddhism and Judaism in Russia: Unimportant or Unnoticed?			Classes		0.50	auditorium
20	Future of Religion in Russia: Rise of Islam, Further Desecularization or the Forefront of Atheism?			Classes		1.00	auditorium
Topic Layout (Part-Time)
No.	Topic			Type of Implementation		Number	Venue
1	Religion and the State: How Religion Influences Domestic Policy of the State			Lectures		0.50	auditorium
2	Religion and the State: How Religion Influences Foreign Policy of the State			Lectures		0.50	auditorium
3	Christianization of Kievan Rus': What Lead to It and How It Influenced Russia			Lectures		0.50	auditorium
4	The Orthodox Church in the System of Relations Between Russia and the Golden Horde			Classes		0.25	auditorium
5	From the Fall of Constantinople to Moscow, Third Rome: the “Golden Era” of the Russian Orthodox Church?			Classes		0.25	auditorium
6	The Long Way to Autocephaly: How Russian Orthodox Church Became Independent			Lectures		1.00	auditorium
7	“Troubled Times” for Orthodoxy: the Reforms of Patriarch Nikon and Raskol			Lectures		1.00	auditorium
8	Abolition of Patriarchy and Establishment of the Holy Synod: on the Way to a Secularization?			Classes		0.25	auditorium
9	Russian Orthodox Church Before and After the October Revolution			Classes		0.25	auditorium
10	“Opium of the People”: Elimination of Religion from Establishment of the Soviet Union to the start of the Great Patriotic War			Lectures		0.50	auditorium
11	Russian Orthodox Church During Great Patriotic War: a Short Rehabilitation?			Classes		0.25	auditorium
12	From Death of Stalin to the Collapse of the Soviet Union: Secret Life of Religious Organizations			Lectures		0.50	auditorium
13	Patriarch Alexy II: Formation of Modern Russian Orthodox Church			Lectures		0.50	auditorium
14	Patriarch Kirill I: Church in Tandem with the State			Classes		0.25	auditorium
15	Structure and Key Actors in Modern Russian Orthodox Church			Classes		0.50	auditorium
16	What Role Russian Orthodox Church Plays in Russia’s Domestic and Foreign Policy?			Lectures		1.00	auditorium
18	How Other Branches of Christianity influenced Russia’s Domestic and Foreign Policy?			Classes		0.50	auditorium
19	Buddhism and Judaism in Russia: Unimportant or Unnoticed?			Classes		0.50	auditorium
20	Future of Religion in Russia: Rise of Islam, Further Desecularization or the Forefront of Atheism?			Classes		1.00	auditorium
Assessment
Unaided Work:
During the module students will prepare for the seminars, write the essays and report. • 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 an essay is to write one's opinion in a structured, reasoned, and consistent manner, emphasizing the essentials by researching and analyzing the acquired information; to develop policy analysis skills and the ability to write recommendations. • 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:
Essays – 25% Active participation during the workshops – 25% Report and presentation – 25% Written exam – 25%
Final Examination (Full-Time):		Exam (Written)
Final Examination (Part-Time):		Exam (Written)
Learning Outcomes
Knowledge:		Students evaluate the main types of Russian religion and their historical development. Analyze how religion influences Russian political life and processes, both through its historical prism and today. Students contrast and differentiate the determinants of religious thinking, their impact on society, politics, economy, culture and social processes.
Skills:		Students independently develop analytical research on the future of religion in Russia and / or its impact on Russian policy, critically selecting sources of information, presenting their conclusions and debating in answer and question sessions. Students explain the impact of religion on Russian society in an argumentative and in-depth way and perform a critical analysis of historical problem situations.
Competencies:		Students evaluate and substantiate the role of religion in Russia's domestic and foreign policy. Students model possible future scenarios for the role of religion in Russia and its society. Students also recommend new ideas about a possible model for building Russian relations model in relations between religious organizations and public administration institutions.
Bibliography
No.	Reference
Required Reading
1	Anderson, J. Religion, State And Politics In The Soviet Union And Successor States. (Cambridge, GBR: Cambridge University Press). 2010. Pp. 6-181
2	Carlson, J. D., and Owens, E. C. The Sacred And The Sovereign. (Washington: Georgetown University Press), 2003. Pp. 90-154
3	Crummey, R. O. "The Orthodox Church And The Schism". The Cambridge History Of Russia. 2006. 618-639.
4	Garrard, J. and Garrard, C. Russian Orthodoxy Resurgent. (Princeton: Princeton University Press). 2008. Pp. 36-100
5	Hamant, Y. The Christianization Of Ancient Russia. (Paris: Unesco). 1992. Pp. 29-75
6	Polonsky, A. The Jews In Poland And Russia. 2012. Pp. 320-440
7	Pospielovsky, D. The Orthodox Church In The History Of Russia. (Crestwood: St. Vladimir's Seminary Press). 1998. Pp. 1-57
8	Shubin, D. H. A History Of Russian Christianity. (New York: Agathon Press). 2004. Pp. 87-155.
9	Shubin, D. H. History Of Russian Christianity, Volume Four, The Russian Orthodox Church During The Twentieth Century. (lulu.com). 2016. Pp. 29-145
10	Shubin, D. H. The Patriarchal Era Through Tsar Peter The Great 1586 To 1725. (New York: Algora). 2005. Pp. 5-36
11	Shubin, D. H. The Synodal Era And The Sectarians 1725 To 1894. (New York: Algora). 2005. Pp. 95-207
12	Snelling, J. Buddhism In Russia. (London: Vega). 2002. Pp. 236-268
13	Tolstaya, K. Orthodox Paradoxes. (Boston: Brill). 2014. Pp. 71-90
14	Welchman, A. Politics Of Religion/Religions Of Politics. (Dordrecht: Springer Netherlands). 2015. Pp. 171-187
15	Yemelianova, G. M. Russia And Islam. (New York: Palgrave). 2002. Pp. 1-55
Additional Reading
1	TBD