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PL50978: Russian politics in comparative perspective

[Page last updated: 15 October 2020]

Follow this link for further information on academic years Academic Year: 2020/1
Further information on owning departmentsOwning Department/School: Department of Politics, Languages and International Studies
Further information on credits Credits: 6      [equivalent to 12 CATS credits]
Further information on notional study hours Notional Study Hours: 120
Further information on unit levels Level: Masters UG & PG (FHEQ level 7)
Further information on teaching periods Period:
Semester 2
Further information on unit assessment Assessment Summary: CW 100%
Further information on unit assessment Assessment Detail:
  • Essay Research Paper (CW 80% - Qualifying Mark: 35)
  • Essay Reaction Paper (CW 20% - Qualifying Mark: 35)
Further information on supplementary assessment Supplementary Assessment:
Like-for-like reassessment (where allowed by programme regulations)
Further information on requisites Requisites:
Description: Aims:
The unit examines the various ways that the study of Russian politics intersects with, and contributes to, current debates in Comparative Politics. It offers a variety of ways to understand the interaction of Soviet and Russian area studies with the development of Comparative Politics as a subfield, how Russia figures as a case study for different political phenomena, and how studying Russia raises methodological challenges of broader concern for political science. The second part of the course examines the contributions of Russian studies, including: democratization and electoral politics; regionalism and nationalism; ethnic conflict and counter-insurgency; economic reform and the resource curse; autocratization and autocracy promotion; informal politics and patronage; and gender and legitimacy.

Learning Outcomes:
Students successful completing the unit will demonstrate:
* Knowledge of current theoretical debates in comparative politics and their application in regard to Russia
* Understanding of the value of Russian area studies for comparative politics
* Awareness of predominant methodologies used in the study of Russian politics, and the ability to assess their relative strengths and weaknesses.

Skills:
Skills in critical analysis, ability to identify core theoretical debates and appropriateness of methodological strategies used to engage them, precision and effectiveness in written presentation of arguments and assessments of existing research, and leveraging of case studies for engaging theoretical frameworks in Comparative Politics through independent research are developed and assessed in this unit.

Content:
1. Introduction: Studying Russia in comparative perspective
2. Nationalist mobilization and collapse of the USSR
3. Democratization derailed and post-Soviet electoral politics
4. Postcommunism, protest, and (un)civil society
5. Informal politics and political culture
6. Regionalism, federalism, and nationalism
7. Market transition and the petrostate
8. Autocratization and diffusion-proofing
9. Ethnic conflict and counter-insurgency
10. Gender and regime legitimacy.
Further information on programme availabilityProgramme availability:

PL50978 is Optional on the following programmes:

Department of Politics, Languages and International Studies

Notes:

  • This unit catalogue is applicable for the 2020/21 academic year only. Students continuing their studies into 2021/22 and beyond should not assume that this unit will be available in future years in the format displayed here for 2020/21.
  • Programmes and units are subject to change in accordance with normal University procedures.
  • Availability of units will be subject to constraints such as staff availability, minimum and maximum group sizes, and timetabling factors as well as a student's ability to meet any pre-requisite rules.
  • Find out more about these and other important University terms and conditions here.