Post Soviet Russia. Getting Right its Politics, Identity and Culture 2100-MON-PSRU-OG

The list of discussed topics

Part I: Foundations of Power and Empire

Topic 1: The Organisational Class

Topic 2: Imperial Russia: The Genesis, the Fall, and the Resurrection
An exploration of the deep historical roots of the Russian state. This lecture analyzes the ideological foundations of the Tsarist Empire, its dramatic collapse in 1917, and the persistent pull of imperial geography and messianism in modern political thought.

Topic 3: The End of the USSR: Why Did it Fall Apart and What Came After?
A critical investigation into the structural, economic, and nationalistic triggers behind the 1991 Soviet collapse. We will map the immediate, chaotic aftermath of the transition, focusing on the psychological and economic shocks of the early 1990s.

Part II: Domestic Evolution and the Politics of Identity

Topic 4: What Went Wrong: The Critical Junctures in Politics of the Russian Federation
This session isolates the pivotal moments where Russia's democratic transition derailed. Key focus areas include the 1993 constitutional crisis, the controversial 1996 election, the transition of power to Vladimir Putin in 1999/2000, and the systematic dismantling of political pluralism.

Topic 5: The Evolution of Identity Narratives in Post-Soviet Russia: From "Ordinary Country" to Exceptional Power
Tracking the profound shift in how Russia defines itself. We will examine the trajectory from the early post-Soviet desire to become a "normal," Western-style democratic nation to the adoption of a unique "state-civilization" identity rooted in Eurasianism and anti-Western exceptionalism.

Topic 6: The Past Will Save the Future: Memory Politics in Putin’s Russia
An analysis of the state-directed weaponization of history. We will deconstruct the cult of the "Great Patriotic War" (WWII), the rehabilitation of specific Soviet and Tsarist legacies, and how historical myth-making is used to legitimize current domestic oppression and foreign aggression.

Part III: Geopolitics and Cultural Refraction

Topic 7: Yet Another Imperial Turn: Ukraine, the “Near Abroad”, the West and Beyond
This lecture confronts Russia’s modern foreign policy aggression. We will dissect the concept of the "near abroad" (blizhnee zarubezhye), the ideological motivations behind the invasions of Ukraine, and the definitive geopolitical rupture with the West.

Topic 8: Russia’s Place in the World: Still a Great Power?
An evaluation of Russia’s contemporary global standing. Balancing military capabilities, economic vulnerabilities, energy diplomacy, and new alliances (e.g., with China and the Global South), we will debate whether Russia remains a genuine global superpower or a destabilizing regional actor.

Topics 9 & 10: Analyzing the Texts of Culture (Student Presentations)
The final block of the course shifts agency to the students. These interactive seminar sessions are dedicated to student presentations and group discussions analyzing specific "texts of culture"—including contemporary Russian cinema, literature, digital media, pop culture, or state propaganda—to see how the political and identity shifts studied in class manifest culturally.

Student Workload (ECTS Credits)
Type of Student Activity / Hourly Workload
Contact Hours: Participation in seminars in the classroom – workload: 18 h
Contact hours: Participation in office hours (during scheduled office hours) – workload: 2 h
Independent study: Studying the literature and preparing for upcoming classes – workload: 20 h
Independent work: Self-study and preparation for the presentation —workload: 15 h
TOTAL STUDENT WORKLOAD (h): 55 hours

Koordynatorzy przedmiotu

Alicja Curanović

Rodzaj przedmiotu

ogólnouniwersyteckie

Tryb prowadzenia

w sali

Założenia (opisowo)

The Russian invasion of Ukraine in 2022 took most experts by surprise. Hearing Vladimir Putin justify the aggression against a sovereign, neighboring country by the need to regain historic territories and reestablish the unity of a Russian-Ukrainian nation raised old questions about whether Russia, in its development, is so heavily determined by its past and particular traditions that it cannot escape an imperialist, expansionist policy. It seems that since the fall of the USSR, Russia has once again come full circle in its relations with the West: starting with the ambition to emulate Western solutions, including democracy, then emphasizing its own original path of development, and ultimately ending up in full antagonism. However, embracing the assumption that Russia is ever hostile to the West helps little in understanding it or devising effective policies. The goal of the lecture is to highlight crucial developments in post-Soviet Russia and use this retrospective view to address the difficult questions brought to the forefront by the invasion. The course aims to discuss post-Soviet Russia’s politics in connection with Russian identity and its various expressions in Russian culture. It offers a comprehensive overview of the changes the Russian Federation has undergone since 1991 while also placing them in a historical perspective. The course consists of four thematic sections. The first section provides a historic overview of Russian statehood, emphasizing the significance of establishing the empire. The second section focuses on internal developments after 1991, dedicated to the rough beginnings and gradual erosion of the democratization process initiated by Gorbachev’s perestroika. This section demonstrates the formation of the current political regime, referred to by some as Putinism. The third section draws attention to the role of ideas, identity, and ideology that drive today's Russian actions. The fourth section addresses Russia’s foreign policy, its relations with the West, and the ongoing war in Ukraine. This course is designed for students interested in Russian politics and culture, aiming to obtain an in-depth understanding of Russia and its role in European affairs. Prior knowledge of Russian history, culture, and politics is welcomed but not a formal requirement to participate. Students are expected to come prepared to discuss the required readings. A pdf of all readings will be provided to course participants.

Efekty uczenia się

Students primarily learn about post-Soviet Russia, yet the developments since the fall of the USSR are discussed with references to Russian history. It's noteworthy that, in addition to academic readings, students will receive training in using cultural texts as valuable sources for a deeper understanding of politics. This training fosters their ability to interpret and critically analyze data, enabling them to form their own opinions about ongoing processes and cultivate a critical understanding of Russian politics. Moreover, they enhance their debating skills and learn creative methods for presenting their work.
K_W02
K_W04
K_W05
K_U02
K_U03
K_U04
K_U07
K_K01

Kryteria oceniania

The fundamental requirement for receiving a graded pass is attendance during classes. A student is permitted one absence, exclusively during weeks when they are not scheduled to deliver a presentation.

Throughout the course, students are expected to:

- Engage actively in class, encompassing compulsory readings, asking questions, making comments, and participating in discussions. (0,5-2 points per one meeting) (48%)

- Present a Russian cultural text during the final session. Each student must select a Russian text of culture (such as a film, book, painting, poster, song, comic book, joke, etc.) that, in their opinion, provides insight into understanding Russia
and its politics. Each presentation should be a maximum of 7 minutes, wherein the student briefly introduces their chosen cultural text and elucidates the rationale behind their selection. (52%)

THE CRITERIA of the evaluation of the presentation of the cultural text – max 5 points, including:
a) the originality of the choice of the text of culture – max 1 point
b) the merit, the logic and the coherence of the argument – max 2 points
c) how well the chosen text of culture illustrates the argument – max 1 point
d) the style of presentation: additional 1 point

The scale
3-4,5 points – grade: 3+
5-6,5 points - grade: 4
7-8,5 points - grade: 4+
9-13,5 points - grade: 5
14 and more points - grade: 5!

The following teaching methods are used during the course to achieve the learning outcomes assigned to the course
Method
1. Seminar-style lecture with visual slides- learning outcomes achieved: K_W02, K_W04, K_W05
2. Moderated discussion—learning outcomes achieved: K_W02, K_W04, K_W05; K_U02, K_K01
3. Discussion in groups - K_U02, K_U03
4. Q&A - K_U07

Literatura

Literature:
Domańska, Maria, Rogoża, Jadwiga. Forward, into the Past! Russia’s politics of memory in the service of ‘eternal’ authoritarianism, OSW Report, 22 November 2021.
Gelman, Vladimir. The Politics of Bad Governance in Russia, University of Michigan Press 2022, pp. 53-70.
Götz Elias, Merlen, Camille-Renaud. “Russia and the Question of world order”, European Politics and Society 2019, vol. 20, no. 2, pp. 133-153.
Greenfeld, Liah. ‘The Formation of the Russian National Identity: The Role of Status Insecurity and Ressentiment’, Comparative Studies in Society and History , 1990, Vol. 32, No. 3, pp. 549-591.
Hanson Stephen E., Kopstein, Jeffrey S., ‘The Weimar/Russia Comparison’, Post-Soviet Affairs, 1997.
Neumann, Iver B. Entry into international society reconceptualised: the case of Russia, Review of International Studies, April 2011, Vol. 37, No. 2 (April 2011), pp. 463-484.
Neumann, Iver B. “Russia’s Europe, 1991–2016: inferiority to superiority”, International Affairs 2016, vol. 92, no. 6, pp. 1381-1399.
Neumann, Iver B. Russia as a great power 1815-2017, Journal of International Relations and Development 2008, vol. 11, pp. 128-151.
Neumann, Iver B. Wigen, Einar, The Steppe Tradition in International Relations. Russians, Turks and European State-Building 4000 bce–2018 ce, Cambridge University Press 2018, pp. 163-198.
Lieven, Dominic. Russian, Imperial and Soviet Identities’, Transactions of the Royal Historical Society, 1998, Vol. 8, pp. 253-269.
Zubkov, Vladislav. Collapse: The Fall of the Soviet Union, Yale University Press 2021.

The texts of culture:
Alexander Blok, ”Skify”, available as: https://allpoetry.com/the-scythians
Karl Ove Knausgaard, “A Literary Road Trip Into the Heart of Russia”, New York Times Magazine, 14 February 2018, available as https://www.nytimes.com/2018/02/14/magazine/a-literary-road-trip-into-the-heart-of-russia.html.
the selected paintings of Ilya Glazunov (1930-2017)
the paintings of Vassily Vereshchagin (1842-1904)
the selected songs of the rock band Leningrad
the selected songs of the band ShortParis
the film “Alexander Nevsky” by Sergei Eisenstein (1938)
the film “Kolovrat” by Dzhanik Faiziyev and Ivan Shurkhovetskiy (2019)
the film “Brat vol. 2” by Aleksei Balabanov (2000)
the film “The Tsar” by Pavel Lungin (2009)
the film “the Humorist” by Michael Idov, (2019)
the film “Shirli Mirli” by Vladimir Menshov (1995)
the film “White Sun of the Desert” by Vladimir Motyl, (1970)

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