SS375 explores the fascinating - and often confounding - politics of Russia and the other states that once comprised the Soviet Union. Recognizing the role that historical legacies play in shaping the region's contemporary politics, the course begins with a review of the political, economic, and social history of the Soviet empire and its abrupt collapse in 1991. The course then shifts to an exploration of contemporary post-Soviet politics, utilizing political science theories and methods to explore a wide variety of political phenomena in the region including democratization, authoritarianism, mass mobilization, economic transition and reform, governance and corruption, nationalist conflict, and more. Finally, the course examines the international relations of the post-Soviet states, with particular emphasis on the ends, ways, and means that Russia uses to advance its strategic interests in the region and beyond.
