Russia, East Europe, Caucasus, Central Asia and Baltics - Domestic and Foreign Politics Between Past and Present

Study Course Description

Course Description Statuss:Approved

Course Description Version:6.00

Study Course Accepted:19.02.2024 12:06:08

Study Course Information
Course Code:		PZK_181		LQF level:		Level 7
Credit Points:		5.00		ECTS:		7.50
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)		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:
Basic knowledge about methods and theories of International Relations, as well as general knowledge on regionalism, Russia, Eastern Europe, Baltics, Central Asia, and Caucasus as well as their foreign and domestic policy.
Objective:
To explore, analyze and describe the history, current situation, domestic and foreign policy of Russia, Eastern European, Baltic, Central Asian, and Caucasus’ states; to provide information and guidelines, i.e. skillset, methods, and sources to the students for further research on these regions.
Topic Layout (Full-Time)
No.	Topic			Type of Implementation		Number	Venue
1	History of Russia: How It Became the Largest State in the World			Lectures		1.00	auditorium
2	Modern Russia: A Quest for Past Influence between the West and East			Lectures		1.00	auditorium
3	Russia’s Foreign Policy towards its Neighbours: Not a Backyard Anymore			Classes		1.00	auditorium
4	Russia’s Future: No More than Regional Power?			Classes		1.00	auditorium
5	History of Central Asia: At the Junction of Many Cultures			Lectures		1.00	auditorium
6	Modern Central Asia: How to Remain Independent, Sovereign, and Secure			Lectures		1.00	auditorium
7	Central Asian Foreign Policy towards its Neighbours: Unequal Partnership			Classes		1.00	auditorium
8	Central Asia’s Future: Survival of the Fittest?			Classes		1.00	auditorium
9	History of Caucasus: A Quest for Survival			Lectures		1.00	auditorium
10	Modern Caucasus: Powder Keg of Eurasia?			Lectures		1.00	auditorium
11	Caucasus’s Foreign Policy Towards its Neighbors: A Constant Search for Protection			Classes		1.00	auditorium
12	Caucasus’s Future: Incessant Conflicts?			Classes		1.00	auditorium
13	History of Eastern Europe: Finding and Preserving Own Identity			Lectures		1.00	auditorium
14	Modern Eastern Europe: At the Crossroads Between West and East			Lectures		1.00	auditorium
15	Eastern Europe’s Policy towards its Neighbours: Mixed Feelings			Classes		1.00	auditorium
16	Eastern Europe’s Future: Prosperity or Oblivion?			Classes		1.00	auditorium
17	History of Baltics: A Long Way for Independence			Lectures		1.00	auditorium
18	Modern Baltics: Chasing “Old Europe”			Lectures		1.00	auditorium
19	Baltics’ Foreign Policy Towards its Neighbors: Always Pragmatic?			Classes		1.00	auditorium
20	Baltics’ Future: Multi-speed Europe?			Classes		1.00	auditorium
Topic Layout (Part-Time)
No.	Topic			Type of Implementation		Number	Venue
1	History of Russia: How It Became the Largest State in the World			Lectures		1.00	auditorium
2	Modern Russia: A Quest for Past Influence between the West and East			Lectures		1.00	auditorium
3	Russia’s Foreign Policy towards its Neighbours: Not a Backyard Anymore			Classes		1.00	auditorium
4	Russia’s Future: No More than Regional Power?			Classes		1.00	auditorium
5	History of Central Asia: At the Junction of Many Cultures			Lectures		1.00	auditorium
6	Modern Central Asia: How to Remain Independent, Sovereign, and Secure			Lectures		1.00	auditorium
7	Central Asian Foreign Policy towards its Neighbours: Unequal Partnership			Classes		1.00	auditorium
8	Central Asia’s Future: Survival of the Fittest?			Classes		1.00	auditorium
9	History of Caucasus: A Quest for Survival			Lectures		0.50	auditorium
10	Modern Caucasus: Powder Keg of Eurasia?			Lectures		0.50	auditorium
11	Caucasus’s Foreign Policy Towards its Neighbors: A Constant Search for Protection			Classes		0.50	auditorium
12	Caucasus’s Future: Incessant Conflicts?			Classes		0.50	auditorium
13	History of Eastern Europe: Finding and Preserving Own Identity			Lectures		0.50	auditorium
14	Modern Eastern Europe: At the Crossroads Between West and East			Lectures		0.50	auditorium
15	Eastern Europe’s Policy towards its Neighbours: Mixed Feelings			Classes		0.50	auditorium
16	Eastern Europe’s Future: Prosperity or Oblivion?			Classes		0.50	auditorium
17	History of Baltics: A Long Way for Independence			Lectures		0.50	auditorium
18	Modern Baltics: Chasing “Old Europe”			Lectures		0.50	auditorium
19	Baltics’ Foreign Policy Towards its Neighbors: Always Pragmatic?			Classes		0.50	auditorium
20	Baltics’ Future: Multi-speed Europe?			Classes		0.50	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. In order to evaluate the quality of the study course as a whole, the student must fill out the study course evaluation questionnaire on the Student Portal.
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:		Using in-depth knowledge gained in the course on the interaction of four different regions and also Russia and their internal dynamics, students will describe the main internal and external political, economic and social processes of these regions in the interaction sectors in which it takes place. Students will analyze current domestic political events in the region in the context of the interaction between these regions, as well as the role of external centers of power, especially the People's Republic of China.
Skills:		Working in a group, students will select, read and critically evaluate scientific literature, justify their choice, interpretation and analysis of literature to group members. By developing individual and group works, students will identify, compare and evaluate alternative arguments and opinions in person and in writing, formulate, explain and argue their views on the interaction and internal dynamics of the four different regions and also Russia.
Competencies:		Students will develop a report based on interdisciplinary scientific literature, analyzing the domestic and foreign policy of Russia, Central Asia, the Caucasus, Eastern Europe and the Baltic States, and the dynamics of relations between these regions. Students will explain the influence of key actors on the dynamics of regional relations. Students will appreciate the interdisciplinary nature of complex problems and combine research results and methods from different fields in analyzing complex issues. Students will model possible future scenarios for inter-regional cooperation and future development scenarios, as well as contrast the problems of completely different regions, such as the Baltic and Central Asia, being able to identify unified and different links to other contemporary political, economic and social processes.
Bibliography
No.	Reference
Required Reading
1	Bideleux, R. and Ian Jeffries. A History Of Eastern Europe. (London: Routledge). 2007. Pp. 176-351
2	Bushkovitch, P. A Concise History Of Russia. (New York: Cambridge University Press). 2012. Pp. 38-154, 426-460.
3	Fagan, A., and Peter Kopecký. Routledge Handbook Of East European Politics. (Routledge). 2017. Pp. 265-358.
4	Hiro, D. Inside Central Asia. (New York: Overlook Duckworth). 2011. Pp. 125-358.
5	Kasekamp, A. A History Of The Baltic States. (Palgrave). 2010. Pp. 68-172, 172-198.
6	King, C. The Ghost Of Freedom. (New York: Oxford University Press). 2012. Pp. 165-266.
7	Lo, B. Russia And The New World Disorder. (Brookings Inst. Press). 2015. Pp. 71-203.
8	Peimani, H. Conflict And Security In Central Asia And The Caucasus. (Santa Barbara: ABC-CLIO). 2009. Pp. 23-40, 85-100.
9	Plakans, A. A Concise History Of The Baltic States. (Cambridge: Cambridge University Press). 2012. 402-449.
10	Saparov, A. From Conflict To Autonomy In The Caucasus. (London: Routledge). 2015. Pp. 140-170.