DAFF 25A29 - Contemporary Russia's Domestic Politics And Foreign Policy

This course focuses on the evolutions of domestic politics and foreign policy in Russia since the collapse of the USSR. After a brief introduction to the nature of the Soviet political system, the course is divided into three parts. The first part deals with the period of political transition following the collapse of the Soviet Union, and the genesis of the political system in contemporary Russia. Contrary to hopes of liberalization, Russian society was plunged into a financial, economic, political and social crisis, which favored a rapid return to authoritarianism. The second part looks at the genesis of Putinism and how the ruling elite came to dominate society. Finally, the third part focuses on post-Soviet Russia's foreign policy and the implementation of its ambitions on the international stage.
Victor VIOLIER
Séminaire
English
None
Spring 2024-2025
1. Students will work in pairs to prepare a press review, which they will present at a session of their choice (40%) ; 2. A participation and commitment grade will be awarded for attendance, participation and involvement (10%) ; 3. 1h-Final exam in class (50%).
• Alena Ledeneva, Can Russia Modernise ? Sistema, Power Networks and Informal Governance, Cambridge : Cambridge University Press, 2013.
• Guzel Garifullina, « The best among the connected (men) : promotion in the Russian state apparatus, Post-Soviet Affairs, Vol. 39, issue 6, 2023.
• Nikolay Petrov, « Siloviki in Russian Regions: New Dogs, Old Tricks », The Journal of Power Institutions in Post-Soviet Societies [Online], Issue 2 | 2005.
• Vladimir Gel'man, The Politics of Bad Governance in Contemporary Russia, The University of Michigan Press, 2022.
« Putin: The New Tsar », Patrick Forbes
« Putin's witnesses », Vitaly Mansky
« Putin's Palace », Aleksey Navalny