| Course Name | Post-Soviet Politics |
| Code | Semester | Theory (hour/week) | Application/Lab (hour/week) | Local Credits | ECTS |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| IREU 435 | Fall/Spring | 3 | 0 | 3 | 5 |
| Prerequisites | None | |||||
| Course Language | English | |||||
| Course Type | Service Course | |||||
| Course Level | First Cycle | |||||
| Mode of Delivery | - | |||||
| Teaching Methods and Techniques of the Course | - | |||||
| Course Coordinator | - | |||||
| Course Lecturer(s) | ||||||
| Assistant(s) | - | |||||
| Course Objectives | |
| Learning Outcomes | The students who succeeded in this course;
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| Course Description | This course focuses on transitions away from socialist regimes toward market economies and plural democracies in the cases of the former Soviet Union states. The focus is on the problems created by this transition in the realm of politics, economics and nationality – referred to as the “triple transition” by Claus Offe. The empirical literature on this process is now substantial and rich for theorizing. At first situated in the comparative context of “democratic transitions” and the socalled Third Wave of democratization, the countries are increasingly being studied for their own characteristics and for the diversity of trajectories that calls for explanation. What kinds of states are actually being created? How best should one characterize the process of change – a transition? a wholesale transformation? a revolution? What are the characteristics and consequences of a simultaneous political (democratization) and economic (marketization and capitalism) transformation? Are class structures of a new type being created? Is it a variety of capitalism, or something else? Why is ethnonationalism so prominent a feature of the political landscape? Why is there so much diversity if the countries share common systemic starting points and trajectories? The course will be divided into (1) historical background of the Soviet system and its legacy (2) the specific case studies of the different regions of the former Soviet Union geography (3) literature on transition and change (what does “transition” imply and condition? where are these regimes going? how can one analyze that process and its varied paths?) Students will be exposed to literature on advanced democracies (the new EU members from the Baltic states), regime transition, democratization (including “illusions” and lack of consolidation), comparative political economy (e.g., privatization, marketization, dismantling welfare and developmentalist states, and liberalization in a global context), nationalism and ethnic conflict, and changing class structures, mentalities, and gender relations. |
| Related Sustainable Development Goals |  |
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| Core Courses | X |
| Major Area Courses | ||
| Supportive Courses | ||
| Media and Managment Skills Courses | ||
| Transferable Skill Courses |
| Week | Subjects | Required Materials |
| 1 | Introduction | |
| 2 | The Soviet Legacy | |
| 3 | The Soviet Legacy | |
| 4 | PostSoviet Transition | |
| 5 | PostSoviet Transition | |
| 6 | Midterm | |
| 7 | PostSoviet Russian Politics | |
| 8 | The Baltic States: Case Study of Latvia | |
| 9 | Western Eurasia: Case Study of the Ukraine | |
| 10 | The Caucasus: Case Study of Georgia | |
| 11 | Central Asia Case: Study of Uzbekistan | |
| 12 | Transition Literature Analysis | |
| 13 | Presentations | |
| 14 | Presentations | |
| 15 | Review | |
| 16 | Review of the Semester |
| Course Notes/Textbooks | •Mark A. Cichock. Russian and Eurasian Politics: A Comparative Approach, Longman Publishers, 2003 •Thomas F. Remington. Politics in Russia, fourth edition. Pearson/Longman Publishers, 2006. Makaleler •Suny, Ronald Grigor. “Chapter I: The Imperial Legacy: Land and People” in The Soviet Experiment: Russia, the USSR, and the Successor States. Oxford University Press, 1998 •Suny, Ronald Grigor. “Chapter 3: StateBuilding and NationMaking The Soviet Experience” in The Revenge of the Past: Nationalism, Revolution and the Collapse of the Soviet Union. Stanford University Press, 1993 •Laitin, David. “Chapter 1” in Identity in Formation: The RussianSpeaking Populations in the Near Abroad. Cornell University Press, 1998 • Schmitter, Phillippe C. and Terry Lynn Karl. “The Conceptual Travels of Transitologists and Consolidologists: How Far East Should They Attempt to Go?” Slavic Review, Vol. 53, No. 1 (Spring 1994), pp. 173185 •Plakans, Andrejs, “Democratization and political participation in postcommunist societies: the case of Latvia” •Bunce, Valerie. “Should Transitologists Be Grounded?” Slavic Review, Vol.54, No. 1 (Spring 1995), pp. 111127 •Jowitt, Ken. “The New World Disorder” •Schmitter and Karl, “What Democracy Is and Is Not...” •Samuel P. Huntington, “The Third Wave” •Kathleen Collins, Clans, Pacts and Politics in Central Asia •Claus Offe, Capitalism By Democratic Design •Barbara Geddes, “What Do We Know About Democratization After Twenty Years” |
| Suggested Readings/Materials | International and national news publications and other published books on the economics of the European Union |
| Semester Activities | Number | Weighting |
| Participation | 1 | 10 |
| Laboratory / Application | ||
| Field Work | ||
| Quizzes / Studio Critiques | ||
| Portfolio | ||
| Homework / Assignments | 1 | 25 |
| Presentation / Jury | 1 | 15 |
| Project | ||
| Seminar / Workshop | ||
| Oral Exam | ||
| Midterm | 2 | 50 |
| Final Exam | ||
| Total |
| Weighting of Semester Activities on the Final Grade | 5 | 100 |
| Weighting of End-of-Semester Activities on the Final Grade | ||
| Total |
| Semester Activities | Number | Duration (Hours) | Workload |
|---|---|---|---|
| Course Hours (Including exam week: 16 x total hours) | 16 | 3 | 48 |
| Laboratory / Application Hours (Including exam week: 16 x total hours) | 16 | ||
| Study Hours Out of Class | 10 | 2 | 20 |
| Field Work | |||
| Quizzes / Studio Critiques | |||
| Portfolio | |||
| Homework / Assignments | 1 | 20 | |
| Presentation / Jury | 1 | 10 | |
| Project | |||
| Seminar / Workshop | |||
| Oral Exam | |||
| Midterms | 2 | 10 | |
| Final Exams | 15 | ||
| Total | 118 |
| # | Program Competencies/Outcomes | * Contribution Level | ||||
1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | ||
| 1 | To be able to use the theoretical and practical knowledge acquired in the areas of Political Science and International Relations. | X | ||||
| 2 | To be able to have the basic knowledge of, and make use of other disciplines which contribute to the areas of Political Science and International Relations. | X | ||||
| 3 | To be able to distinguish the differences between classical and contemporary theories and to assess their relationship. | X | ||||
| 4 | To be able to recognize regional and global issues, and develop solutions based on research. | X | ||||
| 5 | To be able to assess the acquired knowledge and skills in the areas of Political Science and International Relations critically. | X | ||||
| 6 | To be able to transfer ideas and proposals on issues in the areas of Political Science and International Relations to other people and institutions verbally and in writing. | X | ||||
| 7 | To be able to identify the historical continuity and changes observed in the relations between the actors and institutions of national and international politics. | X | ||||
| 8 | To be able to examine concepts, theories, and developments with scientific methods in the areas of Political Science and International Relations. | X | ||||
| 9 | To be able to take responsibility as an individual and as a team member. | X | ||||
| 10 | To be able to act in accordance with the scientific and ethical values in studies related to Political Science and International Relations. | X | ||||
| 11 | To be able to collect data in the areas of Political Science and International Relations and communicate with colleagues in a foreign language ("European Language Portfolio Global Scale", Level B1). | X | ||||
| 12 | To be able to speak a second foreign language at a medium level of fluency efficiently. | X | ||||
| 13 | To be able to relate the knowledge accumulated throughout human history to their field of experience. | |||||
*1 Lowest, 2 Low, 3 Average, 4 High, 5 Highest
