Бакалавриат
2025/2026
Политическая регионалистика
Статус:
Курс обязательный (Политология и мировая политика)
Где читается:
Санкт-Петербургская школа социальных наук
Когда читается:
3-й курс, 1, 2 модуль
Охват аудитории:
для всех кампусов НИУ ВШЭ
Преподаватели:
Стародубцев Андрей Владимирович
Язык:
английский
Кредиты:
5
Контактные часы:
56
Course Syllabus
Abstract
Political Regional Studies is an advanced level course for undergraduate students devoted to the spatial dimension of political processes in nations. The course’s object is subnational units (regions) in modern states as well as interrelations between regions, national governments, and supranational structures. The particular attention will be payed to federations and federalism as well as the most important issues of decentralization. The course is taught through lectures and discussion groups (hereafter DGs). DGs are interactive and include discussions over the essential readings and assignments which should be completed at home.
Learning Objectives
- The main goal of this course is to introduce students to political regional studies, its basics and main characteristics
Expected Learning Outcomes
- Define and Differentiate: Students will be able to define key concepts such as federalism, multi-level governance, and subnational politics, and distinguish between different institutional arrangements (federal, unitary, confederal) as well as various theoretical approaches to studying them
- Analyze Theoretical Frameworks: They will be able to explain the core arguments of classical and modern theories of federalism and decentralization, including fiscal federalism and institutional theories, and apply these frameworks to understand how power is distributed and exercised in multi-level systems.
- Formulate Research Questions: They will be able to critically evaluate academic literature and formulate a focused and researchable question for their final project, demonstrating an understanding of how to frame an inquiry within the field of comparative subnational politics.
- Engage in Scholarly Discussion: Through seminar discussions, students will be able to critically analyze foundational academic texts and participate in debates about the theoretical and practical aspects of subnational governance.
- Analyze the European Multi-level System: Students will be able to explain how the European Union operates as a complex multi-level system, understanding the roles of regional and local governments and their interactions with national states and EU institutions.
- Compare and Contrast European Models: They will be able to compare and contrast different models of federalism and regional governance within Europe, specifically using the cases of Germany and Spain to highlight variations in institutional design, power distribution, and political dynamics.
- Evaluate Regionalism and Secessionism: Students will be able to analyze the drivers behind regional independence movements in Europe (e.g., Catalonia, Scotland) and evaluate the political, economic, and social factors that contribute to or challenge central state authority.
- Assess Local Governance Structures: They will gain an understanding of the diversity of local government structures in Europe, differentiating between various systems (e.g., mayor-council vs. parliamentary) and assessing their impact on policy outcomes.
- Conduct Policy Analysis: Through case studies and discussions, students will apply policy analysis skills to real-world issues at the regional and local levels, such as urban planning, fiscal policy, or social welfare programs.
- Analyze Decentralization in Authoritarian Regimes: Students will be able to explain how subnational politics and a degree of fiscal or political decentralization can function within a highly centralized, single-party authoritarian state, using the case of China as a primary example.
- Understand Hybrid Federalism: They will gain an understanding of the unique characteristics of "hybrid federalism" in countries like Mexico and Brazil, and be able to analyze how historical legacies of authoritarianism, populism, and persistent inequality shape subnational dynamics.
- Compare and Contrast Different Political Systems: Students will be able to apply comparative methods to analyze how different regime types—authoritarian vs. democratic—impact the relationship between central and subnational governments and the role of regional actors.
- Evaluate Subnational Actors in Global Policy: They will be able to assess the growing role of cities and regions in international relations and global policy, understanding the concept of "paradiplomacy" and its implications for issues such as climate change.
- Synthesize Complex Case Studies: Through the analysis of specific cases from China and Latin America, students will develop the ability to synthesize complex political, economic, and social factors that define subnational politics in non-Western contexts.
- Analyze Russian and Post-Soviet Federalism: Students will be able to explain the specific characteristics of Russian federalism, including the role of ethnic republics and the trend of recentralization, and compare these dynamics to the subnational political systems in other post-Soviet states.
- Compare Institutional Designs: They will be able to critically evaluate how different institutional designs in the post-Soviet space have shaped regional politics and the relationship between central and subnational authorities.
- Synthesize and Apply Course Knowledge: Students will be able to synthesize knowledge from all four modules to develop a sophisticated research paper, demonstrating their ability to apply theoretical concepts and research methodologies to a specific case study in comparative subnational politics.
- Conduct Independent Research: They will acquire practical skills in independent academic research, including finding and evaluating sources, structuring a research argument, and presenting findings in a clear and coherent manner.
- Engage in Peer Review: Through the final project workshop and presentations, students will develop peer review skills, providing constructive feedback on their peers' research and effectively communicating their own findings.
Course Contents
- Module 1: Foundations of Subnational Research and Multi-level Governance
- Module 2: Subnational Politics in Developed Democracies (Europe)
- Module 3: Non-Western and Hybrid Systems (China and Latin America)
- Module 4: Post-Soviet Subnational Politics and Final Project
Assessment Elements
- TestsOn 10 out of the 15 seminars, short tests will be conducted, covering material from the previous lecture and the current seminar. Each test will consist of three questions: two closed-ended and one open-ended. Students will be given 7 minutes to complete the test.
- ProjectProject Objective: To apply theoretical knowledge and analytical skills to prepare a concise analytical report (memo) and a presentation on a specific case of subnational politics. The project consists of two parts: a written memorandum (memo) and an oral presentation with slides. Part 1: Analytical Memorandum Students must prepare a memo of 2-3 pages (1.5 line spacing, 12pt font) addressed to a political analyst or advisor. The memo should be concise yet substantive and include the following sections: To, From, Date, Subject: Standard memo header. Executive Summary: A brief summary of key findings and recommendations. (1 paragraph) Problem Statement: An outline of the problem or research question being analyzed. Analysis: The application of a course-based theoretical framework to the chosen case. You must provide a well-reasoned argument (e.g., using data or examples), not just a descriptive account of the situation. Conclusion & Recommendations: A summary of the analysis and practical recommendations or conclusions. Part 2: Slide Presentation Each student must prepare and deliver a 10-minute presentation covering their case and main findings. The presentation should include 7-10 slides and follow the memo's logical structure: Slide 1: Project title, student's name. Slide 2: Research question and its relevance. Slide 3: Brief description of the theoretical framework. Slides 4-8: Case analysis, supported by key data (graphs, charts, key quotes). Slide 9: Main conclusions and recommendations. Slide 10: List of key sources. Requirements and Grading Sources: The memo and presentation must use at least 7 academic sources. Deadlines: Preliminary plan with research hypothesis and list of sources: Week 8. Presentations: Week 14. Grading Criteria: Memorandum (50%): Clarity and conciseness, depth of analysis, logical argumentation, quality of recommendations. Presentation (50%): Structure and visual design of the slides, clarity and persuasiveness of the oral delivery, ability to answer audience questions.
- Exam
Bibliography
Recommended Core Bibliography
- 9780429826160 - Norbert Vanhove - Regional Policy : A European Approach - 2020 - Routledge - http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=nlebk&AN=1996626 - nlebk - 1996626
- Chung, J. H. (2016). China’s Local Governance in Perspective: Instruments of Central Government Control. China Journal, 75(1), 38–60. https://doi.org/10.1086/683210
- Falleti, T. G. (2010). Decentralization and Subnational Politics in Latin America. New York: Cambridge University Press. Retrieved from http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&site=eds-live&db=edsebk&AN=324100
- Filippov, M., Ordeshook, P. C., & Shvetsova, O. (2004). Designing Federalism : A Theory of Self-Sustainable Federal Institutions. New York: Cambridge University Press. Retrieved from http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&site=eds-live&db=edsebk&AN=157922
- Gibson, E. L. (2012). Boundary Control : Subnational Authoritarianism in Federal Democracies. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. Retrieved from http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&site=eds-live&db=edsebk&AN=498282
- Hix, S. (DE-588)130507725, (DE-576)174263716. (2011). The political system of the European Union / Simon Hix and Bjørn Høyland. Basingstoke: Palgrave Macmillan. Retrieved from http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&site=eds-live&db=edswao&AN=edswao.333686942
- Janssen-Jansen, L., Vries, J. de, Zonneveld, W., & IOS Press. (2012). European Territorial Governance. IOS Press.
- Junyan Jiang. (2018). Making Bureaucracy Work: Patronage Networks, Performance Incentives, and Economic Development in China. American Journal of Political Science, 4, 982. https://doi.org/10.1111/ajps.12394
- Karmis, D., & Norman, W. J. (2005). Theories of Federalism : A Reader (Vol. First edition). New York, N.Y.: Palgrave Macmillan. Retrieved from http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&site=eds-live&db=edsebk&AN=1230871
- Liesbet, H., & Gary, M. (2003). Unraveling the Central State, but How? Types of Multi-level Governance. American Political Science Review, 2, 233.
- Peter Rutland. (n.d.). Chapter 3 Post-Socialist States and the Evolution of a New Development Model: Russia and China Compared.
- Rodden, J. (2006). Hamilton’s Paradox : The Promise and Peril of Fiscal Federalism. Cambridge University Press.
- Starodubtsev, A. (2016). Federalism and Regional Policy in Contemporary Russia. London: Routledge. Retrieved from http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&site=eds-live&db=edsebk&AN=1689345
- Starodubtsev, A. (2018). Coordination, Subordination and Control in Russian Territorial Governance. Russian Politics, 3(2), 260–281. https://doi.org/10.1163/2451-8921-00302006
- Wallace E. Oates. (2005). Toward a Second-Generation Theory of Fiscal Federalism. Retrieved from http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&site=eds-live&db=edsbas&AN=edsbas.3B42C3CB
- Weingast, B. R. (1995). The Economic Role of Political Institutions: Market-Preserving Federalism and Economic Development. Journal of Law, Economics, and Organization, (1), 1. Retrieved from http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&site=eds-live&db=edsrep&AN=edsrep.a.oup.jleorg.v11y1995i1p1.31
- William A. Joseph. (2014). Politics in China : An Introduction, Second Edition: Vol. Second edition. Oxford University Press.
Recommended Additional Bibliography
- Czachor, R. (2016). Between sustainability and uncertainty. Political systems of Abkhazia, South Ossetia and the Nagorno-Karabakh Republic – conditions and features. Retrieved from http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&site=eds-live&db=edsbas&AN=edsbas.D72D8333
- Falleti, T. G., & Lynch, J. (2006). Context and Causal Heterogeneity in Historical Analysis. Conference Papers —— American Political Science Association, 1–36.
- Ohannes Geukjian. (2011). Ethnicity, Nationalism and Conflict in the South Caucasus : Nagorno-Karabakh and the Legacy of Soviet Nationalities Policy. Routledge.