POL2087 : Contemporary Russian Politics (Inactive)
POL2087 : Contemporary Russian Politics (Inactive)
- Inactive for Year: 2024/25
- Module Leader(s): Professor Valentina Feklyunina
- Owning School: Geography, Politics & Sociology
- Teaching Location: Newcastle City Campus
Semesters
Your programme is made up of credits, the total differs on programme to programme.
Semester 2 Credit Value: | 20 |
ECTS Credits: | 10.0 |
European Credit Transfer System | |
Pre-requisite
Modules you must have done previously to study this module
Pre Requisite Comment
None
Co-Requisite
Modules you need to take at the same time
Co Requisite Comment
None
Aims
This module will explore the politics of the Russian Federation, the largest country in the world. It will discuss Russia’s transition from Communist to post-Communist rule, and will examine the key features of Russia’s political system. It will consider a range of challenging questions: What were the reasons for the disintegration of the Soviet Union? What role does Russia seek to play in the international arena? Can we define Russia as a democracy?
The module aims:
- To provide a comprehensive introduction to contemporary Russian politics
- To develop a critical understanding of the key political actors and processes in post-Soviet Russia
- To introduce students to key issues in Russian domestic and foreign policies, with an emphasis on the post-Soviet period
Outline Of Syllabus
1. Introduction: Russian History and Political Culture
2. The Rise of the Soviet Union
3. Perestroika and the Collapse of the Soviet Union
4. Political and Economic Reforms of the 1990s (i)
5. Political and Economic Reforms of the 1990s (ii)
6. Political and Economic Reforms of the 1990s (iii)
7. The Executive Branch and the Presidency: From El’tsin to Medvedev
8. The Judicial Branch
9. The Legislative Branch
10. Elections and Voting
11. Political Parties and their Substitutes
12. Civil Society in Post-Communist Russia
13. Human Rights
14. Russian Media and Political Communication
15. Social Policies
16. Economic and Business Policies
17. Reforming the Federation: Moscow and the Regions
18. Foreign Policy: Russia and Its Neighbours
19. Foreign Policy: Russia and the West
20. Russia’s Soft Power
21. Defence and Security Policies
22. Classifying Russian Political System: Democracy or Authoritarianism?
Learning Outcomes
Intended Knowledge Outcomes
At the end of the module students should be able to:
- Understand key issues in contemporary Russian politics
- Make informed statements about political processes in the Russian Federation
- Apply key concepts learned through Politics modules at Stage 1 to analysis of Russia’s case
Intended Skill Outcomes
At the end of the module students should be able to:
- Critically analyse issues in contemporary Russian politics
- Articulate their understanding of Russian politics through oral and written communication
Teaching Methods
Teaching Activities
Category | Activity | Number | Length | Student Hours | Comment |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Scheduled Learning And Teaching Activities | Lecture | 22 | 1:00 | 22:00 | N/A |
Scheduled Learning And Teaching Activities | Small group teaching | 11 | 1:00 | 11:00 | N/A |
Scheduled Learning And Teaching Activities | Drop-in/surgery | 3 | 1:00 | 3:00 | N/A |
Guided Independent Study | Independent study | 1 | 164:00 | 164:00 | N/A |
Total | 200:00 |
Teaching Rationale And Relationship
Lectures will introduce key issues in contemporary Russian politics and will provide students with guidelines for private study on each topic of the module. Seminars will give students an opportunity to discuss a variety of topics related to the subject of the module, which will help them to advance their understanding of Russian politics and to enhance their analytical and communication skills.
Reading Lists
Assessment Methods
The format of resits will be determined by the Board of Examiners
Exams
Description | Length | Semester | When Set | Percentage | Comment |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Written Examination | 90 | 2 | A | 45 | Unseen written exam |
Other Assessment
Description | Semester | When Set | Percentage | Comment |
---|---|---|---|---|
Essay | 2 | M | 45 | 2000 word essay |
Prof skill assessmnt | 2 | M | 10 | Seminar Participation |
Assessment Rationale And Relationship
The written examination will assess students’ general understanding of Russian politics, including its key actors and processes. The essay will provide students with a chance to critically examine a particular issue in greater depth, which will allow students to further develop their analytical and presentation skills.
Timetable
- Timetable Website: www.ncl.ac.uk/timetable/
- POL2087's Timetable
Past Exam Papers
- Exam Papers Online : www.ncl.ac.uk/exam.papers/
- POL2087's past Exam Papers
General Notes
N/A
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