Russian Politics after Communism

Module Code: POU44172

Module Name: Russian Politics after Communism

ECTS Weighting: 5
Semester/Term Taught: Semester 1
Contact Hours: 1.5 hours per week
Module Personnel: Lecturer - Dr. Noah Buckley
Office Hours: TBA

Learning Outcomes

This module covers Russian domestic politics in a descriptive way, but also in relation to academic research in political science. Research will be presented that puts Russian and other post-Soviet politics into perspective.

Module Learning Aims

On successful completion of this module, students will:

Have an understanding of how the Russian political system has developed since the fall of communism in 1991
Be familiar with academic research on Russian politics and political economy, as well as related topics such as authoritarianism and natural resources in politics
Be familiar with the connections between Russian domestic politics and Russia’s geopolitical posture

Module Content

After over 70 years of Soviet communist rule, in the 1990s the Russian Federation found itself struggling with political disintegration, chaotic democracy, and caustic legacies of a planned economy. This course explores the evolution of Russian politics from the dynamic times of Gorbachev to the “vertical of power” in Putin’s third term in office. This module covers topics including the collapse of the Soviet political and economic systems, Russian national and subnational political institutions such as presidentialism and federalism, corruption, “petropolitics,” political parties, and social movements.