Russian Politics and Society

Catalog description

An introduction to the politics and society of the Russian Federation, from its Soviet past to its turbulent transition to a free market democracy, and its current attempts to define itself in the 21st century. This course will provide historical and comparative context for those of you unfamiliar with Russian or Soviet history and will examine the basic institutional structure of Russian politics, assess the political, economic, and social order that has been created since the end of the Cold War, and investigate some of the more significant challenges Russia has faced and is facing in order to understand Russia’s current place in the world.