Russia's Politics and Religions

Study Course Description

Course Description Statuss:Approved

Course Description Version:1.00

Study Course Accepted:14.03.2024 09:27:02

Study Course Information
Course Code:		SZF_058		LQF level:		Level 7
Credit Points:		2.67		ECTS:		4.00
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)		9	Lecture Length (academic hours)		2	Total Contact Hours of Lectures		18
Classes (count)		6	Class Length (academic hours)		2	Total Contact Hours of Classes		12
Total Contact Hours								30
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 study, analyse and describe the role of religions in Russia’s domestic and foreign policy; to provide students with information and guidelines, i.e. skillset, methods, and sources 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	Christianisation of Kievan Rus: what lead to it and how it influenced Russia			Lectures		1.00	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 secularisation?			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 organisations			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		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 desecularisation 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	Christianisation 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 secularisation?			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 organisations			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 desecularisation or the forefront of atheism?			Classes		1.00	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 political directions. • 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.
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:		Students will evaluate the main types of Russian religion and their historical development. Analyse how religion influences Russian political life and processes, both through its historical prism and today. Students will contrast and differentiate the determinants of religious thinking, their impact on society, politics, economy, culture and social processes.
Skills:		Students will 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 will explain the impact of religion on Russian society in a reasoned and in-depth way and perform a critical analysis of historical problem situations.
Competencies:		Students will evaluate and substantiate the role of religion in Russia’s domestic and foreign policy. Students will model possible future scenarios for the role of religion in Russia and its society. Students will also recommend new ideas about a possible model for building Russian relations model in relations between religious organisations and public administration institutions.
Bibliography
No.	Reference
Required Reading
1	Visa literatūra ir angļu valodā un piemērota gan latviešu, gan angļu plūsmas studentiem
2	Anderson, J. Religion, State And Politics In The Soviet Union And Successor States. (Cambridge, GBR: Cambridge University Press). 2010. Pp. 6-181
3	Carlson, J. D., and Owens, E. C. The Sacred And The Sovereign. (Washington: Georgetown University Press), 2003. Pp. 90-154
4	Crummey, R. O. "The Orthodox Church And The Schism". The Cambridge History Of Russia. 2006. 618-639.
5	Garrard, J. and Garrard, C. Russian Orthodoxy Resurgent. (Princeton: Princeton University Press). 2008. Pp. 36-100
6	Hamant, Y. The Christianization Of Ancient Russia. (Paris: Unesco). 1992. Pp. 29-75
7	Polonsky, A. The Jews In Poland And Russia. 2019. Pp. 320-440
8	Pospielovsky, D. The Orthodox Church In The History Of Russia. (Crestwood: St. Vladimir's Seminary Press). 1998. Pp. 1-57
9	Shubin, D. H. A History Of Russian Christianity. (New York: Agathon Press). 2004. Pp. 87-155.
10	Shubin, D. H. History Of Russian Christianity, Volume Four, The Russian Orthodox Church During The Twentieth Century. (lulu.com). 2016. Pp. 29-145
11	Shubin, D. H. A History Of Russian Christianity, Volume II The Patriarchal Era Through Tsar Peter The Great 1586 To 1725. (New York: Algora). 2005. Pp. 5-36
12	Shubin, D. H. A History Of Russian Christianity, Volume III The Synodal Era And The Sectarians 1725 To 1894. (New York:Algora). 2005. Pp. 95-207
13	Snelling, J. Buddhism In Russia. (London: Vega). 2002. Pp. 236-268
14	Tolstaya, K. Orthodox Paradoxes. (Boston: Brill). 2014. Pp. 71-90
15	Welchman, A. Politics Of Religion/Religions Of Politics. (Dordrecht: Springer Netherlands). 2015. Pp. 171-187
16	Yemelianova, G. M. Russia And Islam. (New York: Palgrave). 2002. Pp. 1-55