Courses

Over the last twenty-five years, Russia has transformed from a state weakened by years of economic decline and dominated by competing powerful actors into an authoritarian regime with imperial aspirations and global reach. Yet headlines seldom tell the whole story. Who is Vladimir Putin and what does the political system he presides over – often called the power vertical – consist of? What explains the electoral dominance of United Russia? Why are there massive but rare protests in Russia? What role does masculinity play in public politics in Russia? What motivated and what was gained by the annexation of the Crimea? This class will answer these questions and others by examining issues relevant to contemporary Russian politics. Students will begin with an overview of the collapse of the Soviet Union and the painful transition of the 1990s. Students will then examine Russia’s current political regime as well as the political career of Vladimir Putin. The course will devote significant time to the topic of elections, protest and civil society in Russia before concluding with a look at Russia’s foreign policy ambitions.