Eurasian Politics: The International Affairs of Russia, Central Asia, and the Caucasus - 46280 - POLS 4320 - 801 |
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CL: ASST 3030 (801). Topical Section Description: The Soviet Union may be long gone, but the countries that emerged from its collapse in 1991 remain highly significant in international affairs. This course traces the political and economic development of these independent states and highlights their continued difficulties in managing relations amongst themselves and with the world more generally. Inevitably, most attention in this regard goes to Russia. The largest country in the world, Russia dominates the Eurasian landmass and, via its veto in the UN Security Council and enormous nuclear arsenal, it retains a leading role in international politics. In discussing its global standing, this course places particular emphasis on Russia's status as an "energy superpower", its perception in the West as an unscrupulous spoiler, and its recent decision to reorient the country towards the Asia-Pacific. A further key topic is Russia's plan to create a Eurasian Union, a project condemned by the US as "a move to re-Sovietise the region". Away from Russia, this course has three further areas of focus. The first is Central Asia, where vast natural resources have encouraged the West and China to challenge Russia's hegemony. The second is the Caucasus where the 2008 Georgia-Russian war and the frozen conflict between Armenia and Azerbaijan have left an explosive legacy. Lastly, there is Eurasia's western fringe where the people of dictatorial Belarus and politically unstable Ukraine struggle to determine whether their future lies with Europe or Russia.
Associated Term: 2022 Spring Registration Dates: Oct 31, 2021 to Jan 20, 2022 Registration Levels: Graduate, NonDegree Continuing Undergrad, Undergraduate Japan Campus Base Lecture Schedule Type Classroom In-Person Instructional Method Credit Hours: 3.000 Seats Available: 10 |