Russia's Domestic Politics - Factors and Actors

Study Course Description

Course Description Statuss:Approved

Course Description Version:1.00

Study Course Accepted:14.03.2024 09:42:04

Study Course Information
Course Code:		SZF_059		LQF level:		Level 7
Credit Points:		4.00		ECTS:		6.00
Branch of Science:		Politics		Target Audience:		Political Science
Study Course Supervisor
Course Supervisor:		Māris Andžāns
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)		13	Class Length (academic hours)		2	Total Contact Hours of Classes		26
Total Contact Hours								46
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:
General knowledge of Russia’s history in the 20th and 21st centuries, as well as basic knowledge of Russian domestic politics.
Objective:
To provide knowledge on the main aspects of the Russia’s domestic policy; to contribute to the development of students’ analytical skills by offering tools for the analysis of Russian domestic policy.
Topic Layout (Full-Time)
No.	Topic			Type of Implementation		Number	Venue
1	Insight into the most important political processes in Russia and the USSR until 1991			Lectures		1.00	auditorium
2	Development of political thought (ideas) in Russia			Lectures		1.00	auditorium
3	Political culture in Russia			Lectures		1.00	auditorium
4	Liberal reforms of the 1990s, 1994 Constitution of the Russian Federation. Main features of Boris Yeltsin’s governance			Lectures		1.00	auditorium
5	The impact of the Chechen war, the demise of the Kursk submarine, the hostage crises at the musical “Nord-Ost” and the school in Beslan on domestic politics during Vladimir Putin’s first presidential term in office. Control over media.			Lectures		1.00	auditorium
6	Impact of the ‘coloured revolutions’ in the neighbouring countries on Russia’s domestic politics in Putin’s second presidential term			Lectures		1.00	auditorium
7	The structure of the federal state, Putin’s “vertical of power” and regions			Lectures		1.00	auditorium
8	Parliamentarism in Russia. Ideologies of political parties and their role in public policy in the 21st			Lectures		1.00	auditorium
9	The role of the administration of the President of Russia in the domestic policy of the country. Putin’s “circle of trust” – oligarchs and representatives of power structures			Lectures		1.00	auditorium
10	Culture, history and religion in Russia of the 21st century. The relationship of the Russian Orthodox Church with the state power.			Lectures		1.00	auditorium
11	Modernization initiatives in the Russian Federation during the rule of President Dmitry Medvedev. Literature Discussion. Presentations of Reports.			Classes		1.00	auditorium
12	Authoritarianism and propaganda in Putin’s system of power. Literature Discussion. Presentations of Reports.			Classes		2.00	auditorium
13	Security services and power in Russia. Literature Discussion. Presentations of Reports			Classes		1.00	auditorium
14	"Shadow State” – informal power formations in Russia. Organized crime and politics. Literature Discussion. Presentations of Reports			Classes		2.00	auditorium
15	Role of energy extraction and sales in domestic policy. Literature Discussion. Presentations of Reports			Classes		1.00	auditorium
16	Russia’s economic policy. Literature Discussion. Presentations of Reports			Classes		1.00	auditorium
17	Social issues on Russia’s internal policy agenda. Pension system reform in 2018. Literature Discussion. Presentations of Reports			Classes		1.00	auditorium
18	Human rights, civil society and "non-systemic” opposition in Russia. Literature Discussion. Presentations of Reports			Classes		1.00	auditorium
19	Impact of Russia’s domestic policies on regional foreign policy. Russia in global politics. Presentations of Reports			Classes		2.00	auditorium
20	Current issues in Russia’s domestic policies. Presentations of Reports. Conclusion of the Course			Classes		1.00	auditorium
Topic Layout (Part-Time)
No.	Topic			Type of Implementation		Number	Venue
1	Insight into the most important political processes in Russia and the USSR until 1991			Lectures		1.00	auditorium
2	Development of political thought (ideas) in Russia			Lectures		1.00	auditorium
3	Political culture in Russia			Lectures		1.00	auditorium
4	Liberal reforms of the 1990s, 1994 Constitution of the Russian Federation. Main features of Boris Yeltsin’s governance			Lectures		1.00	auditorium
5	The impact of the Chechen war, the demise of the Kursk submarine, the hostage crises at the musical “Nord-Ost” and the school in Beslan on domestic politics during Vladimir Putin’s first presidential term in office. Control over media.			Lectures		0.50	auditorium
6	Impact of the ‘coloured revolutions’ in the neighbouring countries on Russia’s domestic politics in Putin’s second presidential term			Lectures		0.50	auditorium
7	The structure of the federal state, Putin’s “vertical of power” and regions			Lectures		0.50	auditorium
8	Parliamentarism in Russia. Ideologies of political parties and their role in public policy in the 21st			Lectures		0.50	auditorium
9	The role of the administration of the President of Russia in the domestic policy of the country. Putin’s “circle of trust” – oligarchs and representatives of power structures			Lectures		0.50	auditorium
10	Culture, history and religion in Russia of the 21st century. The relationship of the Russian Orthodox Church with the state power.			Lectures		0.50	auditorium
11	Modernization initiatives in the Russian Federation during the rule of President Dmitry Medvedev. Literature Discussion. Presentations of Reports.			Classes		1.00	auditorium
12	Authoritarianism and propaganda in Putin’s system of power. Literature Discussion. Presentations of Reports.			Classes		1.00	auditorium
13	Security services and power in Russia. Literature Discussion. Presentations of Reports			Classes		1.00	auditorium
14	"Shadow State” – informal power formations in Russia. Organized crime and politics. Literature Discussion. Presentations of Reports			Classes		1.00	auditorium
15	Role of energy extraction and sales in domestic policy. Literature Discussion. Presentations of Reports			Classes		0.50	auditorium
16	Russia’s economic policy. Literature Discussion. Presentations of Reports			Classes		0.50	auditorium
17	Social issues on Russia’s internal policy agenda. Pension system reform in 2018. Literature Discussion. Presentations of Reports			Classes		0.50	auditorium
18	Human rights, civil society and "non-systemic” opposition in Russia. Literature Discussion. Presentations of Reports			Classes		0.50	auditorium
19	Impact of Russia’s domestic policies on regional foreign policy. Russia in global politics. Presentations of Reports			Classes		0.50	auditorium
20	Current issues in Russia’s domestic policies. Presentations of Reports. Conclusion of the Course			Classes		0.50	auditorium
Assessment
Unaided Work:
Within the module, students will prepare for seminars, read recommended readings and prepare a report and its presentation. 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:
Activity and preparedness during seminars – 20% Presentation and paper – 40% Final essay – 40%
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 factors of Russian domestic politics and political actors, students will characterise the influence of specific actors on the development of Russia’s domestic politics (political and economic elite, armed forces, Orthodox Church and other players). Students will analyse current domestic political events in the context of historical events of the 20th century and earlier.
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 a domestic political problem of Russia.
Competencies:		Students will write a report based on interdisciplinary scientific literature, analysing Russia’s domestic policy issues in historical and regional contexts. Students will evaluate the interdisciplinary nature of complex problems and combine research results and methods from different fields to analyse complex problems.
Bibliography
No.	Reference
Required Reading
1	Visa literatūra ir angļu valodā un piemērota gan latviešu, gan angļu plūsmas studentiem
2	Akela, Jay Chandra. “The Party System In Post-Soviet Russia: A Case Study of the Party United Russia,” World Affairs: The Journal of International Issues, Vol. 21, No. 2 (Summer (April-June) 2017), pp. 34-49
3	Åslund, Anders. “Political Economy,” Russian Analytical Digest, No. 220, 2018.
4	Barany, Zoltan. “The Tragedy of the Kursk: Crisis Management in Putin's Russia,” Cambridge University Press, Government and Opposition, Vol. 39, No. 3 (Summer 2004), pp. 476-503.
5	Chawryło, Katarzyna, “The altar and throne alliance the Russian Orthodox Church vs. the government in Russia”, OSW, 2016.
6	De Stefano, Carolina, De Gregorio, Angela, Starodubtsev, Andrey. “Federalism,” Russian Analytical Digest, No. 201, 2017.
7	Desai, Padma, “Russian Retrospectives on Reforms from Yeltsin to Putin,” The Journal of Economic Perspectives, Vol. 19, No. 1 (Winter, 2005), pp. 87-106.
8	Kennan, George F., “Communism in Russian History,“ Foreign Affairs, Vol. 69, No. 5 (Winter, 1990), pp. 168-186.
9	Knight, Amy, “The KGB, Perestroika, and the Collapse of the Soviet Union,” Journal of Cold War Studies, Vol. 5, No. 1 (Winter 2003), pp. 67-93.
10	Lipman, Maria, Akhrarkhodjaeva, Nozima, “Media,” Russian Analytical Digest, No. 197, 2017.
11	Horvath, Robert, “Putin's 'Preventive Counter- Revolution': Post-Soviet Authoritarianism and the Spectre of Velvet Revolution,” Europe-Asia Studies, Vol. 63, No. 1 (January 2011), pp. 1-25
12	Oreshkin, Dmitry, “Putin’s Vertical and the Regions,” in Kudors, Andis, Hermanis. Jānis, (eds.), The Russian Economy: Prospects for Putin 4.0, Riga: University of Latvia Press, CEEPS, 2020.
13	Oreshkin, Dmitry, “Putin’s Third Term Ideology,” in Andis Kudors (ed.), Fortress Russia: Political, Economic, and Security Development in Russia Following the Annexation of Crimea and its Consequences for the Baltic States, Riga: University of Latvia Press, CEEPS, 2016.
14	Pleines, Heiko, Schimpfössl, Elisabeth, “Russia’s Oligarchs,” Russian Analytical Digest, No. 233, 2019.
15	Reuter, Ora John, Shenin, Andrey, “State Duma Elections,” Russian Analytical Digest, No. 189, 2016.
16	Rochlitz, Michael, Nomokonov, V.A. , Filippov, V.V., “Russian Siloviki,” Russian Analytical Digest, No. 223, 2018.
17	Schmid, Ulrich, Rollberg, Peter, Makarychev, Andrey, “Cultural Politics,” Russian Analytical Digest, 2018.
Additional Reading
1	Brand, Martin, Hornke, Theresa, “Need-based Social Policies,” Russian Analytical Digest, No. 249, 2020.
2	Cohen, Stephen F., “Was the Soviet System Reformable?” Slavic Review, Cambridge University Press, Vol. 63, No. 3 (Autumn, 2004), pp. 459-488.
3	Dollbaum, Matti, Domanska, Maria, “Putin's Power Games,” Russian Analytical Digest, No. 246, 2020.
4	Gorokhovskaia, Yana, Dollbaum, Jan Matti, “Russian Regional Elections,” Russian Analytical Digest, No. 239, 2020.
5	Khmelnitskaya, Marina, Klimovich, Stanislav, Pape, Ulla, “Social Issues”, Russian Analytical Digest, No. 254, 2020.
6	Lerhis, Ainārs, “Back to the USSR: A Selective Approach to Russian History,” in Andis Kudors (ed.), Fortress Russia: Political, Economic, and Security Development in Russia Following the Annexation of Crimea and its Consequences for the Baltic States, Riga: University of Latvia Press, CEEPS, 2016.
7	Marples, David R., “Revisiting the Collapse of the USSR, Canadian Slavonic Papers / Revue Canadienne des Slavistes, Vol. 53, No. 2/4 (June-Sept.-Dec. 2011), pp. 461-473.
8	Rutland, Peter, Wegren, Stephen K., “Russia's Economy,” Russian Analytical Digest, No. 241, 2020.
9	Von Gall, Caroline, Jäckel, Laura, Burkhardt, Fabian, “Putin,” Russian Analytical Digest, No. 250, 2020.
Other Information Sources
1	Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty.
2	Carnegie Moscow Center.
3	The Jamestown Foundation.