Politics of Former Soviet States Political Science 347 Winter 2019
Prof. Scott Cooper 11:00 - 11:50 am Mon/Wed/Fri Email: [email protected] 280 Kimball Tower Phone: 801-422-4053 Office: 762 Kimball Tower Office Hours: 2-3 Mon/Wed/Fri or by appointment If you can’t come during my office hours, contact me to set up another time. Don’t be afraid to come see me.
Prerequisites: Poli Sci 150, 250, or 350 recommended Poli Sci 200 recommended
Knowledge of the Russian language is not a prerequisite, but we will use some Russian terms–e.g., “perestroika”–to describe key events and concepts. If I use a term in class that you are not familiar with, please remind me to write it on the board and define it.
Subject Matter and Course Goals: This course examines the politics of all fifteen newly independent countries that emerged from the disintegration of the Soviet Union. These are an incredibly diverse group on many dimensions–including size and power, economic conditions, political behavior and institutions, geography, religion, language, and culture–but they can be usefully compared because of their common heritage within the Soviet Union, and, for most, within the Russian Empire. We will begin by looking at their common history, but the bulk of our time will be spent comparing these countries’ post-1991 transformations. Some of the important questions we will address include the following: • What kinds of political structures have they adopted? • How have their economies and societies changed over two and a half decades of independence? What is continuing to change? • What ties have they formed with Russia, the dominant regional power, and with countries beyond the borders of the old Soviet Union? • Why have Russia and many other post-Soviet states adopted authoritarianism instead of democracy? How do authoritarian regimes maintain support? • Why is Putin so popular in Russia? • Why did the Baltic states move to reduce ties with Russia? • Why are some countries, like Ukraine, seemingly stuck in between Russia and the West? • Why are these countries, which share a similar history, so different in many ways?
1 Notice that this is not a course exclusively in Russian politics, although Russia will be emphasized. This is a course in comparative politics, examining similarities and differences across the full spectrum of Soviet successor states. We will obviously only scratch the surface of many interesting and important issues, but the goal is to help you acquire a foundation for continued study of this fascinating region throughout your life.
This course fills GE requirements in Global and Cultural Awareness. Those specific learning outcomes can be found at http://ge.byu.edu/content/foundation-documents
Readings: The reading load for this course is heavy. You should expect to read over 150 pages per week. All readings should be done before class. There are 2 required books:
Catherine Danks, Politics Russia, 2009 (Pearson Longman)
Brent Hierman, Russia & Eurasia 2018-2019, 49th ed., 2018 (Rowman & Littlefield)
There will also be a painfully large set of additional required readings on Learning Suite.
Grading: 12% Exam 1 26% Exam 2 26% Final Exam 16% Participation/Reading Response Essays 20% 2 Analysis Papers (10% each)
All Exams are given in class. Exams will consist primarily of short answer and short essay questions. In preparing for exams, general understanding is useful, but does not substitute for a firm grasp of the details. You will need to pay close attention to both lectures and readings to do well on exams. Notice that, according to BYU policy, satisfactory or average work merits a C grade. Only good or excellent work merits higher grades.
Because the course is organized so that later topics build on earlier topics, all exams will be comprehensive. However, the focus of each exam, including the final, will be the most recent material. You may not use cellphones or electronic devices during exams. Remember also that according to BYU policy the final exam cannot be given early; make all travel plans accordingly.
You are required to turn in 12 Reading Response Essays: 6 on Russia and 6 on the other countries. Specific dates and topics will be announced in class. Each essay should be about 1½ pages (typed and double spaced). The goal is to help you in your preparation, so that you will be better able to participate in our class discussions. As a result, each assignment is due in class on the day indicated in the syllabus: late assignments cannot be accepted (even if your computer crashes or car breaks down). You will be able to choose which assignments to complete, but it is
2 your responsibility to make sure that you turn in all twelve. Start turning in assignments early in the semester, in case unforeseen circumstances force you to skip later assignments.
The two Analysis Papers require you to make an argument about key themes of Russian and Former Soviet politics. For each paper, you will have two topics to choose from. You will use class readings, lecture material, and your own analytical abilities to make your own persuasive claim about the topic, along with reasons and evidence to support your claim. Some additional research may also be needed. Papers will be at least five pages long, double spaced, plus a title page and references. Due dates are shown in the schedule below.
This course will emphasize class discussion of important issues and ideas. Regular preparation for and participation in class discussions is crucial to your learning. For this reason, I will evaluate Participation (on a 0 to 4 scale) to encourage everyone to join our discussions.
Attendance in class is expected. I will not take attendance every day, but may do so at any time. If you are unable to be in class for non-voluntary reasons (i.e., illness, death in the family, BYU travel), please send me a brief email or voicemail explaining why you were unable to be in class. Multiple unexcused absences will affect your grade.
Finally, you should remember that all forms of cheating, including plagiarism, are grave violations of the standards of any university. I have occasionally had to give failing grades as a result of academic dishonesty at BYU, and I will do so again if necessary. BYU’s Academic Honesty Policy is in the catalog and on the web at http://honorcode.byu.edu. If you have any questions about what constitutes academic honesty in this class, please don’t hesitate to ask me.
Other University Policies: Federal law and BYU policy provide protections for students against sex discrimination and sexual harassment, including professor-to-student and student-to-student harassment, and also require reasonable accommodation of students with disabilities. I believe strongly in giving all students a fair chance to succeed in my classes, and that includes helping students facing difficulties of any kind and making accommodations for special circumstances.
If you feel you have encountered sexual harassment or discrimination, please talk to me, the Title IX Coordinator ([email protected] or 801-422-8692), and/or the Equal Opportunity Office (801-422-5895). Be aware that I may have to report anything you tell me to the Title IX office. You can view BYU’s full “Sexual Misconduct Policy” at https://policy.byu.edu/view/index.php?p=155 and find more information and resources at http://titleix.byu.edu
If you have any disability which may impair your ability to complete this course successfully, please contact the University Accessibility Center (https://uac.byu.edu or 801-422-2767) and discuss it with me. Sooner is better than later, but it’s never too late to ask.
3 BYU’s office of Counseling and Psychological Services offers help to students with common issues such as anxiety, depression, eating disorders, interpersonal conflicts, marital problems, low self-esteem, difficult social relationships, and stress management. Consistent with the highest standards of professional psychology, all of these services are confidential. Full-time BYU students are treated at no cost. Counseling and Psychological Services is located at 1500 WSC (or call 801-422-3035). Visit their website at https://caps.byu.edu for more information or to make an appointment. You are not the only student struggling with these issues. Please ask for help.
PART ONE: SOVIET HERITAGE Remember: Reading questions for every reading are on Learning Suite.
Jan 7 Introduction, Syllabus
Jan 9 Rise and Fall of the Russian Empire Hierman, Russia & Eurasia, pp. 1-29
Jan 11 Revolution and Lenin Hierman, Russia & Eurasia, pp. 29-37
Jan 14 Soviet Politics Under Stalin Hierman, Russia & Eurasia, pp. 37-60
Jan 16 Soviet Politics After Stalin Donald Kelley, Politics in Russia, 1999, ch. 5
Jan 18 Soviet Economy Daron Acemoglu & James Robinson, Why Nations Fail, 2012, pp. 124-32
Hierman, Russia & Eurasia, pp. 60-78, 108-14
Jan 21 No Class: Holiday
Jan 23 Gorbachev’s Revolution Danks, Politics Russia, ch. 1
Jan 25 Disintegration of the USSR Hierman, Russia & Eurasia, pp. 138-41
4 Jan 28 EXAM 1 (beginning of class!) Commonwealth of Independent States Henry Hale, “The Makeup and Breakup of Ethnofederal States,” Perspectives on Politics, March 2005
Hierman, Russia & Eurasia, pp. 141-49
PART TWO: RUSSIAN POLITICS Jan 30 Russian Constitution Danks, Politics Russia, pp. 146-53
Brian Whitmore, “Separated at Birth: Ukraine’s and Russia’s Divergent Paths,” Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, 24 February 2015
David Brooker, “Founding Presidents of Soviet Successor States,” Demokratizatsiya, Winter 2004
Feb 1 Presidency: Yeltsin Danks, Politics Russia, pp. 109-40, 143
Lee Hockstader, “Rough-Hewn Father of Russian Democracy,” Washington Post, 24 April 2007
The Onion, “Society for Creative Anachronism Seizes Control of Russia,” 26 May 1999
Feb 4 Parliament and Parties Danks, Politics Russia, pp. 154-70, ch. 12
Valentin Baryshnikov and Robert Coalson, “Numbers Don’t Lie: Statistics Point to Massive Fraud in Russia’s Duma Vote,” Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, 22 September 2016
Matthew Luxmoore, “Russian Communist All But Barred From Rerun of an Election He Nearly Won,” Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, 21 November 2018
5 Feb 6 Presidency: Putin (2000-2008) Hierman, Russia & Eurasia, pp. 86-97
Richard Sakwa, “Regime Change From Yeltsin to Putin,” in Russian Politics Under Putin, 2004
Dmitri Trenin, “The Legacy of Vladimir Putin,” Current History, October 2007
Zbigniew Brzezinski, “Putin’s Choice,” Washington Quarterly, Spring 2008
Ralph Peters, “The Genius of Vladimir Putin,” Washington Post, 26 September 2011
Feb 8 Presidency: Medvedev and Putin (since 2008) Danks, Politics Russia, ch. 16
Steven Levitsky and Lucan Way, “The Rise of Competitive Authoritarianism,” Journal of Democracy, April 2002
Kathrin Hille, “Putin: Russia’s Great Propagandist,” Financial Times, 16 April 2014
Neil MacFarquhar and Ivan Nechepurenko, “Protesters in Russia Accuse Government of Entrapping Young Critics,” New York Times, 15 August 2018
Yelizaveta Mayetnaya and Robert Coalson, “Not So United: Russia’s Ruling Party Rattled by Pension-Reform Crisis,” Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, 5 August 2018
Kathrin Hille, “Vladimir Putin Softens Russia’s Tough Pension Reforms,” Financial Times, 29 August 2018
Feb 11 Center vs. Regions Danks, Politics Russia, pp. 172-94, 199-202
Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, “Tatarstan Steps Up Defense of Tatar Language in Schools,” 8 September 2017, and “Language Conflict Flares Up In Russia’s Tatarstan,” 7 November 2017
6 Feb 13 Chechnya and the North Caucasus Danks, Politics Russia, pp. 195-99, 238-41
BBC News, “Timeline: Chechnya”
Kathy Lally, “In Chechnya, Apprehensions Over a Roughshod Leader,” Washington Post, 20 March 2011
Emil Souleimanov, “The Caucasus Emirate,” Middle East Policy, Winter 2011
Thomas Joscelyn, “New Leader of Islamic Caucasus Emirate Killed by Russian Forces,” Long War Journal, 11 August 2015
Feb 15 Economic Reform Under Yeltsin and Putin Danks, Politics Russia, ch. 14
Jerry Hough, The Logic of Economic Reform in Russia, 2001, ch. 2
Feb 18 No Class: Holiday
Feb 19 Yeltsin’s Privatization and Putin’s Statism (Tuesday) Hierman, Russia & Eurasia, pp. 121-27
Danks, Politics Russia, pp. 63-74
Marshall Goldman, “Render Unto Caesar: Putin and the Oligarchs,” Current History, October 2003
Peter Lavelle, “What Does Putin Want?” Current History, October 2004
Peter Finn, “Kremlin Inc. Widening Control Over Industry,” Washington Post, 19 November 2006
Marshall Goldman, “Moscow’s New Economic Imperialism,” Current History, October 2008
7 Feb 20 Russian Economy in Comparative Perspective Andrei Shleifer and Daniel Treisman, “A Normal Country,” Foreign Affairs, March/April 2004
Peter Leeson and William Trumbull, “Comparing Apples,” Post-Soviet Affairs, July-September 2006
Jack Farchy, “Rouble Slides Amid Fears For Russian Economy,” Financial Times, 30 December 2015
Neil Buckley, “Russia’s Renewed Might Rests on Weak Economic Foundations,” Financial Times, 31 October 2016
Andrew Higgins, “Russia Wants Innovation, But It’s Arresting Its Innovators,” New York Times, 9 August 2017
Feb 22 Media Danks, Politics Russia, ch. 11
Will Englund, “Head of Russian News Website Faces Prison,” Washington Post, 19 June 2013
Neil MacFarquhar, “Russia Quietly Tightens Reins on Web With ‘Bloggers Law,’” New York Times, 6 May 2014
Michael Birnbaum, “Russia’s Putin Signs Law Extending Kremlin’s Grip Over Media,” Washington Post, 15 October 2014
Feb 25 National Identity and Public Opinion Danks, Politics Russia, ch. 4
Richard Pipes, “Flight From Freedom: What Russians Think and Want,” Foreign Affairs, 2004
Jonas Bernstein, “Almost Two-thirds of Russians Believe Democracy is the Best Political System,” Eurasia Daily Monitor, 16 January 2008
Charles Clover, 3 articles, Financial Times, October-December 2012
Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, “Russian Condemnation of Stalin’s Repressions Plunges” and “Russia’s Fading Fears,” September 2017
8 Feb 27 Foreign Policy Danks, Politics Russia, pp. 89-91, 95-99, ch. 13
Fyodor Lukyanov, “Putin’s Foreign Policy,” Foreign Affairs, May/June 2016
Mark Galeotti and Andrew Bowen, “Putin’s Empire of the Mind,” Foreign Policy, 21 April 2014
Feb 28 ANALYSIS PAPER #1 DUE by 4:45 pm (745 Kimball Tower, by elevators) (Thursday)
Mar 1 Foreign Policy in the Near Abroad Neil Buckley, “Russia Sets Sights on Eurasian Economic Union,” Financial Times, 16 August 2011
Jack Farchy, “Eurasian Unity Under Strain Even as Bloc Expands,” Financial Times, 23 December 2014
Brian Whitmore, “An Old Game With New Rules in Russia’s Backyard,” Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, 27 September 2013
Svante Cornell, “War in Georgia, Jitters All Around,” Current History, October 2008
Mar 4 Foreign Policy in Georgia and Ukraine Serhy Yekelchyk, The Conflict in Ukraine, 2015, chs. 1, 6, and pp. 153-57
Economist, “Reversal of Fortune,” 6 September 2014
Michael Birnbaum, “Putin Was Surprised At How Easily Russia Took Control of Crimea,” Washington Post, 15 March 2015
Alanna Petroff, “Russia Issues New Banknote to Honor Crimea,” CNN Money, 23 December 2015
Mar 6 Exam Review
Mar 8 EXAM 2
9 PART THREE: BALTIC DEMOCRACIES Mar 11 Baltic Politics and Foreign Policy Wayne Thompson, Nordic, Central, and Southeastern Europe, 2012, pp. 116-24, 155-68, 169-71 (Baltics, Lithuania, Kaliningrad)
James Kurth, “Between Russia and the West,” Current History, Oct 1999
Daniel Hamilton, “Still Punching Above Their Weight,” Current History, March 2008
Richard Milne, “Latvia Sees Joining Euro as Extra Protection Against Russia,” Financial Times, 30 December 2013
Mar 13 Baltic Ethnic Politics Wayne Thompson, Nordic, Central, and Southeastern Europe, 2012, pp. 143-54 (Latvia)
David Laitin, “The Four Nationality Games and Soviet Politics,” Journal of Soviet Nationalities, Spring 1991 [1992]
Richard Milne, “Frontline Latvia Feels Heat as Putin Probes Baltic States’ Resolve,” Financial Times, 8 October 2014
Mar 15 No Class: University Holiday
Mar 18 Baltic Economic Transition Wayne Thompson, Nordic, Central, and Southeastern Europe, 2012, pp. 125-42 (Estonia)
R. A. Panagiotou, “Estonia’s Success: Prescription or Legacy,” Communist and Post-Communist Studies, September 2001
PART FOUR: DIVIDED COUNTRIES Mar 20 Ukraine: Contested Identity Steven Pifer, “Ukraine’s Perilous Balancing Act,” Current History, March 2012
Rawi Abdelal, “Memories of Nations and States,” Nationalities Papers, September 2002
Associated Press, “Heroes or Traitors? Ukraine Deeply Divided Over WWII Legacy,” Washington Post, 1 August 2013
10 Mar 22 Ukraine: Between Russia and the West Serhy Yekelchyk, The Conflict in Ukraine, 2015, ch. 5 and pp. 157-66
Robert Coalson, “Ukraine Risks ‘Feudalization’ As Conflict With Oligarchs Boils Over,” Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, 25 March 2015
Max Seddon, “Ukraine’s Economy Minister Resigns, Cites High-Level Corruption,” Financial Times, 3 February 2016
Mar 25 Divided Moldova Hierman, Russia & Eurasia, pp. 192-208
Theodor Tudoroiu, “Structural Factors vs. Regime Change: Moldova’s Difficult Quest for Democracy,” Democratization, February 2011
Balazs Jarabik and Daria Goncearova, “The Fall of Filat: Moldova’s Crisis Deepens,” CarnegieEndowment.org, 28 October 2015
Jakub Pienkowski, “New Electoral Law in Moldova Criticized as a Tool to Keep Power,” Polish Institute of International Affairs Bulletin, July 2017
Mar 27 Georgia: Ethnic Conflict and Divided Government Hierman, Russia & Eurasia, pp. 241-57
Svante Cornell, “Autonomy as a Source of Conflict,” World Politics, January 2002
Molly Corso, “Is Rule-of-Law a Requisite Component of Democratization?” EurasiaNet, 7 December 2012
Claire Bigg, “Mikheil Saakashvili’s Polarizing Legacy,” Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, 24 October 2013
David Herszenhorn, “Georgia Elects New President, But Real Power Will Rest With Next Premier,” New York Times, 27 October 2013
11 PART FIVE: AUTHORITARIAN POLITICS Mar 29 Belarus: Europe’s “Last Dictatorship” Hierman, Russia & Eurasia, pp. 150-64
Grigory Ioffe, “Understanding Belarus,” Europe-Asia Studies, January 2004
Alex Nice, “Playing Both Sides: Belarus Between Russia and the EU,” DGAPanalyse, March 2012
Apr 1 Central Asian State-Building: Uzbekistan Hierman, Russia & Eurasia, pp. 312-25
Jack Farchy, “Meet the New (and Tougher) Uzbek Boss: Shavkat Mirziyoyev,” Financial Times, 13 September 2016
Edward Walker, “Islam, Islamism, and Political Order in Central Asia,” Journal of International Affairs, 2003
Apr 3 Central Asian Clans: Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan Hierman, Russia & Eurasia, pp. 273-99
Kathleen Collins, “Clans, Pacts, and Politics in Central Asia,” Journal of Democracy, July 2002
Abdujalil Abdurasilov, “Kyrgyzstan Election: A Historic Vote, But Is It Fair?” BBC News, 15 October 2017
Deutsche Welle, “Kyrgyzstan: Sooronbai Jeenbekov Set to Win Presidental Election,” 15 October 2017
Apr 5 Central Asian Economic Development: Kazakhstan Hierman, Russia & Eurasia, pp. 258-72
Jack Farchy, “China’s Great Game: In Russia’s Backyard,” Financial Times, 14 October 2015
Apr 8 Central Asian Resource Curse? Michael Ross, “Does Oil Hinder Democracy?” World Politics, April 2001
12 Apr 10 Central Asian Oil: Turkmenistan Hierman, Russia & Eurasia, pp. 300-311
BBC News, “Has Turkmenistan Changed At All?” 11 February 2012
Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, “Turkmen President Honors Himself With Giant Gold Horse Statue,” 25 May 2015
Apr 11 ANALYSIS PAPER #2 DUE by 4:45 pm (745 Kimball Tower, by elevators) (Thursday)
Apr 12 Armenia and Nagorno-Karabakh Hierman, Russia & Eurasia, pp. 209-24, 230
Razmik Panossian, “The Irony of Nagorno-Karabakh,” Regional & Federal Studies, Autumn 2001
Pete Baumgartner, “Moscow Watches Anxiously As Pashinian Realigns Armenia’s Foreign Policy,” Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, 7 September 2018
Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, “Pashinian Alliance Scores ‘Revolutionary Majority’ in Landslide Armenian Win,” 10 December 2018
Apr 15 Azerbaijani Monarchy Hierman, Russia & Eurasia, pp. 225-40
Mehran Kamrava, “State-Building in Azerbaijan,” Middle East Journal, Spring 2001
Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, “Scores Detained in Azerbaijan Amid Countrywide Protests,” 14 January 2016
Jack Farchy, “Azerbaijan Resorts to Capital Controls as Oil Crunch Worsens,” Financial Times, 19 January 2016
Apr 17 Final Thoughts, Exam Review
Apr 20 11:00 am - 12:20 pm: FINAL EXAM (regular classroom, be on time) (Saturday)
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