Russia Today. 3 US credits. Taught in English

Introduction to current social, political and economic situation 

Topics

1. The Population of Russia: demographic survey.

2. The Demographic structures and their dynamics. The quality of the population. Regional peculiarities in the reproduction of the population.

3. Social and economical factors in demographic dynamics and life expectancy. Employment and unemployment. Employment migration. Brain drain. Living standard at transition period.

4. Family. Social support of the family. Social and demographic politics at current economic situation in Russia. Social support family with children. Ethnic and political problems of reproduction of the population. Demographic factors of geopolitical conflicts. Demographic perspectives.

5. The State system of the Russian Federation

The formation of the Russian Federation - Tree branches of the power - President: his rights and responsibilities - Parliament: principles of formation, structure and power - Government - Court: Constitution Court and Supreme Court - Administrative division of the national territory 

6. Survey of Russian Geography

'Northern' location of the country and its climate conditions - Main rivers and lakes - Relief and mineral resources - Mosaic of landscapes - Environmental impact - Demography of Russia - Main cities - Nationalities' division and migration - Russian agriculture - Geography of mining and manufacturing - Transportation and Communication - Brief portrait of Russian regions 

7. Federalism and Regional Policy in Russia

Basic principles of Russian federalism - Relations between federal centre and regions - Main tasks and mechanisms of regional policy - Fiscal federalism - Budgetary and tax system - Development of regional and local self-government - Separatism vs. Interregional cooperation 

8. Political Geography of Russia

Elections in contemporary Russia: regional dimension - Regional blocks in Politics - Red Belt and democratic areas

9. Political system of Russia (parties, government, etc.).
 
10. The opposition and the government: survey of the political parties and movements in modern Russia.
 
11. Topical political and legal problems of contemporary Russia and the ways of overcoming them.
 
12-13. Meetings with Russian politicians. Discussion on current social and political topics.
 
14. Visit to State Duma (Russian Parliament). Meeting with the Member of State Duma.
 
15. Industry in Russia. Visit to Red October plant.
 

Russian History  and Culture. 3 US credits. Taught in English

Introduction to Russian History 

Topics

1.      Kievan Rus - The domination of the Tatars in Russia.

2.      Ivan the Terrible and his politics - The time troubles (1598 - 1613)

3.      The schism in the Russian Orthodox Church in the XVII century.

4.      Peter the Great: alternative of the national development.

5.      Catherine the Second: epoch of nobility and peasant's wars.

6.      Napoleon’s invasion of 1812 - The "Decembrists" conspiracy.

7.      The Westerners and Slavophiles.

8.      The Great reforms of Alexander the Second.

9.      The populist's movement ("narodniky").

10.  Revolution of 1905 and P. Stolipin's reforms.

11.  The fall of the Romanov's dynasty - The roots of bolshevism.

12.  The Civil War in Russia (1918 - 1921).

13.  Stalin's economic reforms.

14.  The time of Nikita Khushchev - Brezhnev's stagnation.

15.  M. Gorbachev as a leader of the CPSU.  The collapse of the Soviet Union.

 Introduction to Russian Culture 

 Topics

1.      Basic concepts and problems of Russian cultural development.

2.      Historic antecedents of Russian Culture.  Pre-Christian Slavs.

3.      Introduction of Christianity and its Role in Shaping Russian Culture.

4.      Formation of Christian Art in Russia.

5.      Tatar-Mongol yoke and cultural development of Russia.

6.      Strengthening of Moscow. The processes of centralization in Russian Culture.

7.      Artistic development in the Moscow period.

8.      Russian Socio-cultural situation in the XVII century.

9.      Cultural dynamics in the XVII century.

10-11.   The Age of Reform

12. Art and Culture in the Age of Reform.

13 - 15. Russian Enlightenment.