(Political Science 4053)

Spring 2000

Professor Robert H. Donaldson

This course seeks to provide an understanding of Russian government and politics, not as isolated phenomena, but in the comparative perspective of modernizing and advanced systems. Our analysis of Russian politics will also illustrate the method by which political scientists describe and explain the operation of political systems.

Requirements of the course are as follows:

1) Participation in class discussion;

2) Two mid-term examinations, to be given on February 14 and March 15 (each of which counts 20% of the final grade);

3) A research paper, about 15 pages in length, on a topic chosen in consultation with the instructor, due on April 24 (counting 20% of the final grade);

4) A comprehensive final examination, to be given during the week of May 1 (counting 40% of the final grade).

Texts:

(Political Science 4023)

Spring 1998

Professor Robert H. Donaldson

The course--a senior seminar--analyzes the foreign policy of the Russian Federation against the background of the foreign policies conducted by Russia during the Tsarist and Soviet periods. The processes by which foreign policy decisions are made and the role of ideas in shaping policy are given special attention. The changing priorities given to Russia's policies toward the "Near Abroad," the West, and the "Non-West" help to illuminate the developing concepts of identity and national interest in democratizing Russia.

Requirements of the course are as follows:

1) Participation in class discussion;

2) Two mid-term examinations, to be given on February 20 and April 10 (each of which counts 25% of the final grade);

3) A research paper of about 20-25 pages, on a topic to be chosen in consultation with the instructor, a preliminary version of which is to be presented orally in class on April 24, with a final copy due no later than May 6 (counting 50% of the final grade).

Texts:

The books below are basic texts. To follow current issues, students are encouraged to read a good daily or weekly newspaper, such as The New York Times or The Economistt, or journals such as Foreign Affairs,, Foreign Policy, International Security, or The National Interest. The outline below suggests the relation of the assigned readings to topics covered in class sessions; keeping up with the reading is essential in a seminar.

1. Robert H. Donaldson and Joseph L. Nogee, The Foreign Policy of Russia: Changing Systems, Enduring Interests , M.E. Sharpe, 1998.
2. Jeffrey T. Checkel, Ideas and International Political Change: Soviet/Russian Behavior and the End of the Cold War, Yale University Press, 1997.

January 12-16 Analysis of Russian Foreign Policy: Roots and Setting

Donaldson & Nogee, ch. 1

January 23 Soviet Foreign Policy: From Revolution to Cold War

Donaldson & Nogee, ch. 2

January 30 & February 6 Soviet Foreign Policy: The Cold War

Donaldson & Nogee, ch. 3

February 13 Foreign Policy Decision-Making in Russia

Donaldson & Nogee, ch. 4

Checkel, entire

February 20 FIRST MIDTERM EXAMINATION

February 27 Russia and the Near Abroad

Donaldson & Nogee, ch. 5

March 6 & 20 Russia and the West

Donaldson & Nogee, ch. 6

March 27 & April 3 Russia and the Non-West

Donaldson & Nogee, ch. 7

April 10 SECOND MIDTERM EXAMINATION

April 17 The Future of Russian Foreign Policy

Donaldson & Nogee, ch. 8

April 24 ORAL PRESENTATIONS OF PAPERS

(Political Science/History 2663)

Spring 2000

Professor Robert H. Donaldson

This course provides an introduction to contemporary Russia. It traces Russia's roots from the Tsarist and Soviet periods and explores enduring geopolitical interests and ethnographical characteristics. It analyzes issues of national identity and political culture and describes the political institutions and practices of the Russian Federation in a comparative perspective. Finally, it examines Russia's economy, social structure, and foreign and defense policies. Ultimately, the course seeks to provide a foundation for understanding the nature of a state in the process of fundamental transition, as well as for developing hypotheses about Russia's future evolution.

Requirements of the course are as follows:

1) Participation in class discussion;

2) Two mid-term examinations, to be given on February 14 and March 27 (each of which counts 20% of the final grade;

3) A comprehensive final examination, to be given on May 1 (counting 50% of the final grade).

Texts:

The books listed below are basic texts. The outline below suggests the relation of the assigned readings to broad topics covered in class sessions. At certain times during the semester, video documentaries will be viewed in class. Students who wish to follow the current changes in Russia should be regular readers of a good daily or weekly newspaper, such as The New York Times or The Economist. Students may also follow developments in Russia on a daily basis via a free e-mail newsletter, Johnson's Russia List, obtainable by means of a "subscribe JRL" message sent to davidjohnson@erols.com.

1. Robert H. Donaldson and Joseph L. Nogee, The Foreign Policy of Russia: Changing Systems, Enduring Interests, M.E. Sharpe paperback, 1998.
2. Thomas F. Remington, Politics in Russia, Longman paperback, 1999.
3. Thane Gustafson, Capitalism Russian-Style, Cambridge paperback, 1999.
4. Robert Strayer, Why Did the Soviet Union Collapse? Understanding Historical Change, M.E. Sharpe paperback, 1998

January 10 Russia: Its Land, its People, and its Imperial Past

Donaldson and Nogee, ch. 1

January 17 Martin Luther King holiday -- NO CLASS TODAY

January 24 and January 31The Legacy of the Soviet Period

Strayer, entire

Remington, ch. 1

Gustafson, prologue and ch. 1

Donaldson and Nogee, chs. 2-3

February 7 Issues of National Identity and Political Culture

Remington, ch. 3

February 14 FIRST MIDTERM EXAMINATION (First hour)

The Politics of the Transitional Period

Remington, ch. 2

February 21 and February 28 Developing Democratic Practices: Parties and Elections

Remington, chs. 4-5

March 6 Spring Break -- NO CLASS TODAY

March 13 and March 20 Russia's Economy and Society

Remington, ch. 6

Gustafson, chs. 2-5, 8-9

March 27 SECOND MIDTERM EXAMINATION (First hour)

Crime and Justice in Russia

Remington, ch. 7

Gustafson, chs. 6-7

April 3 The Politics of Nationality: Russia's Regions and "Near Abroad"

Donaldson and Nogee, ch. 5

April 10 and April 17 Russia's Foreign and Defense Policies

Donaldson and Nogee, chs. 4, 6, 7, and 8

April 24 Whither Russia?

Remington, ch. 8

Gustafson, ch. 10