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:1.00

Study Course Accepted:14.03.2024 08:57:26

Study Course Information
Course Code:		SZF_056		LQF level:		Level 7
Credit Points:		4.67		ECTS:		7.00
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)		12	Lecture Length (academic hours)		2	Total Contact Hours of Lectures		24
Classes (count)		14	Class Length (academic hours)		2	Total Contact Hours of Classes		28
Total Contact Hours								52
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 study, analyse and describe the history, current situation, domestic and foreign policy of Russia, Eastern European, Baltic, Central Asian, and Caucasus’ states; to provide students with information and guidelines, i.e. skillset, methods, and sources 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		2.00	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		2.00	auditorium
9	History of Caucasus: a quest for survival			Lectures		1.00	auditorium
10	Modern Caucasus: important geostrategic region			Lectures		1.00	auditorium
11	Caucasus’s foreign policy towards its neighbours: a constant search for protection			Classes		1.00	auditorium
12	Caucasus’s future: incessant conflicts?			Classes		2.00	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		2.00	auditorium
18	Modern Baltics: chasing “old Europe”			Lectures		2.00	auditorium
19	Baltics’ foreign policy towards its neighbours: always pragmatic?			Classes		1.00	auditorium
20	Baltics’ future: multi-speed Europe?			Classes		2.00	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: important geostrategic region			Lectures		0.50	auditorium
11	Caucasus’s foreign policy towards its neighbours: 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 neighbours: always pragmatic?			Classes		0.50	auditorium
20	Baltics’ future: multi-speed Europe?			Classes		0.50	auditorium
Assessment
Unaided Work:
Within the module, students will prepare for seminars, write essays and a report. • The aim of essays is to write one’s opinion in a structured, reasoned, and consistent manner, emphasising the essentials by researching and analysing the acquired information; to develop policy analysis skills and the ability to develop recommendations for the development of policies. • The objective of the seminars is to develop students’ ability to justify their point of view; to stimulate activity; to test their knowledge of the topic and the material. • The objective of the report is to develop the ability to identify the main problem of the topic; to identify and evaluate alternative arguments and points of view; to present one’s own point of view, explaining and arguing why this point of view is more acceptable and superior to any other. The report must compare all possible alternatives, considering all their weaknesses and strengths. Another objective is to develop the skills to independently research situations and problems, evaluate them and develop solutions. To assess the overall quality of the study course, the student must complete the course evaluation questionnaire on the Student Portal.
Assessment Criteria:
Essays – 25%. Active participation in seminars – 25%. Report and its presentation – 25%. Final examination (exam) – 25%.
Final Examination (Full-Time):		Exam (Written)
Final Examination (Part-Time):		Exam (Written)
Learning Outcomes
Knowledge:		Using in-depth knowledge gained in the study 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 analyse current domestic political events in the region in the context of the interaction between these regions, as well as the role of external centres 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. Through individual and group work, students will identify in oral and written form, compare and evaluate alternative arguments and points of view, formulate, explain and justify their opinion 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, analysing 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 and, therefore, will be able to explain the influence of key actors on the dynamics of regional relations. Students will evaluate the interdisciplinary nature of complex problems and combine research results and methods from different fields to analyse complex problems. 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 Baltics 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	Visa literatūra ir angļu valodā un piemērota gan latviešu, gan angļu plūsmas studentiem
2	Bideleux, R. and Ian Jeffries. A History Of Eastern Europe. (London: Routledge). 2007. Pp. 176-351
3	Bushkovitch, P. A Concise History Of Russia. (New York: Cambridge University Press). 2012. Pp. 38-154, 426-460.
4	Fagan, A., and Peter Kopecký. Routledge Handbook Of East European Politics. (Routledge). 2020. Pp. 265-358.
5	Hiro, D. Inside Central Asia. (New York: Overlook Duckworth). 2011. Pp. 125-358.
6	Kasekamp, A. A History Of The Baltic States. (Palgrave). 2011. Pp. 68-172, 172-198.
7	King, C. The Ghost Of Freedom. (New York: Oxford University Press). 2012. Pp. 165-266.
8	Lo, B. Russia and The New World Disorder. (Brookings Inst. Press). 2015. Pp. 71-203.
9	Peimani, H. Conflict and Security In Central Asia And The Caucasus. (Santa Barbara: ABC-CLIO). 2009. Pp. 23-40, 85-100.
10	Plakans, A. A Concise History Of The Baltic States. (Cambridge: Cambridge University Press). 2012. 402-449.
11	Saparov, A. From Conflict To Autonomy In The Caucasus. (London: Routledge). 2017. Pp. 140-170.