Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences · Political Science and International Relations (English) · Undergraduate
Course Objective
This course aims to present students with an advanced introduction to the politics and international relations of post-Soviet Central Asia – a region that is here defined as the ensemble of the former Soviet republics of Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan - and Caucasus - Azerbaijan, Georgia and Armenia.
Course Content
This course aims to present students with an advanced introduction to the politics and international relations of post-Soviet Central Asia – a region that is here defined as the ensemble of the former Soviet republics of Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan - and Caucasus - Azerbaijan, Georgia and Armenia.
Required Resources
- Adeeb Khalid, Islam after communism: Religion and politics in Central Asia (University of California Press, 2014).
- Alexander Cooley, Great Games, local rules: The new great power contest in Central Asia (Oxford University Press, 2012).
- Jeff Sahadeo & Russell Zanca (eds.): Everyday Life in Central Asia: Past and Present (Indiana University Press, 2007).
- Kathleen Collins, Clan Politics and Regime Transition in Central Asia (Cambridge University Press, 2006).
- Mariya Y. Omelicheva, Democracy in Central Asia: Competing perspectives and alternative strategies (University Press of Kentucky, 2016).
- Sally N. Cummings: Understanding Central Asia: Politics and Contested Transformations (Routledge, 2012).
- Thomas Stephan Eder, China-Russia relations in Central Asia: Energy policy, Beijing’s new assertiveness and 21st Century geopolitics (Springer, 2013).
Course Learning Outcomes
- demonstrate coherent knowledge of the political evolution of post-Soviet Central Asia
- compare and contrast the principal connections between post-Soviet political developments and the region’s historical evolution in the pre-independence era;
- critically evaluate the different state approaches to post-Soviet socio-political transformation.
Core Area Distribution
Teaching Methods
Assessment & Evaluation
ECTS / Workload
| Activity | Quantity | Duration (h) | Total Workload |
|---|---|---|---|
| Course Duration (Including Exam Week) | 16 | 3 | 48 |
| Out of Class Study Period | 16 | 2 | 32 |
| Midterm | 1 | 15 | 15 |
| Quiz | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Assignment | 1 | 10 | 10 |
| Practice | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Final | 1 | 20 | 20 |
Course Schedule
| Week | Subject | Preparation |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | a brief overview of the course and introduce students to the region. | no preparation |
| 2 | The Soviet Era | book chapter |
| 3 | The Soviet Collapse and the Achievement of Independence | book chapters |
| 4 | Independence and Political Change: The Rise of Authoritarianism | book chapter |
| 5 | Independence and Economic Transformation: Explaining Diverging Paths | book chapter |
| 6 | The Geopolitics of Central Asian Energy | book chapter |
| 7 | Islam in Post-Soviet Central Asia | book chapter |
| 8 | midterm | midterm |
| 9 | Central Asia and the External World 1: The Russian Federation | book chapter |
| 10 | Central Asia and the External World 2: The People’s Republic of China | book chapter |
| 11 | Rethinking the International Politics of Central Asia and Caucasus | book chapter |
| 12 | Civil Society, NGOs, and International Actors in Central Asia | book chapter |
| 13 | Civil Society, NGOs, and International Actors in Caucasus | book chapter |
| 14 | Gender and the Debate on Tradition and Family | book chapter |
| 15 | final exam | final exam |