Политика России В Азии

Магистратура 2020/2021

Статус: Курс обязательный (Социально-экономическое и политическое развитие современной Азии)

Направление: 58.04.01. Востоковедение и африканистика

Кто читает: Школа востоковедения

Где читается: Факультет мировой экономики и мировой политики

Когда читается: 1-й курс, 1 модуль

Формат изучения: без онлайн-курса

Преподаватели: Мищенко Яна Вадимовна

Прогр. обучения: Социально-экономическое и политическое развитие современной Азии

Язык: английский

Кредиты: 3

Контактные часы: 42

Full Syllabus

Abstract

In contrast to Russia's relations with Western countries, which have been developing throughout history and now in the 21st century, but are experiencing ups and downs, various conflicts and confrontations, Russia's relations with Asian countries are developing much more conflict-free. With the exception of the Russian-Japanese war in the early 20th century and the current territorial dispute with Japan, our country has no acute conflicts of interests in the eastern direction. And if even in the 20th century this was not a significant factor in Russian international relations, due to the very recent colonial past of most Asian countries and their relative weakness in the world economy and politics, in the 21st century the situation is different. Asian countries have transformed into one of the world's three "centers of power", along with the US and the EU. These are economically developed and dynamically developing countries that now hold strong positions in the world. The fact that Russia's relations with them are still largely conflict-free creates a favorable ground for Russia's integration into the Asian region and building mutually beneficial cooperation in various spheres, the most important of which today are the economy, politics, and security.

Learning Objectives

The course focuses on 3 major areas of contemporary Russian cooperation in Asia: economic, political, and security cooperation. Energy policy and cooperation, which is related to all the three areas listed above, is also being considered. It also provides a comprehensive description of the multipolar Asian region, highlights the main and most important partners of Russia in the region, and provides a description and historical retrospective of the development of their relations with Russia.

Expected Learning Outcomes

to develop the ability to research “cases” - implementation of “case study” method
to correctly interpret, analyze and compare data provided in a wide range of sources
to effectively work with official documents, literature, statistical materials, media provided materials, reference literature and different types of information resources; to develop skills for presenting papers, to conduct scientific debates and discussions
to identify and explain the basic challenges and contemporary threats to security, stability and development of Asia and Russia as an integrated part of the region
to understand the specific features and differentiation of Russia's strategic interests and aims in relations with various countries in Asia
to characterize key spheres of mutually benefitial, bilateral and multilateral cooperation between Russia and regional countries
to formulate their understanding of the proccesses taking place in Russia's geopolitical and economic cooperation with Asian countries
to identify factors influencing Russian policies in Asia

Course Contents

Overview of Russia’s general foreign policy goals and strategic national interests in Asia, оverview of Russia’s historical relationships with Asian countries.
Overview of Russia’s general foreign policy goals and strategic national interests in Asia based on the analysis of official documentation of the Ministries in charge. Overview of Russia’s historical relationships with Asian countries. Characteristics of contemporary Asia, the multidimensional architecture and polycentricity of the region. Prospects, feasibility, and obstacles to Russia's integration in it.
The context of Russia’s relations bilateral relations with key partner states in Asia: Japan, China, South Korea, South East Asian countries, India.
The context of Russia’s relations bilateral relations with key partner states in Asia: Japan, China, South Korea, South East Asian countries, India. Economic dynamics of cooperation (trade, investment), key focus of international relations. Free trade agreements with Singapore and Vietnam.
The context of Russia’s relations multilateral partnership in Asia
The context of Russia’s relations multilateral partnership in Asia: participations in regional organizations, establishing relations with various political and economic regional structures (Asia-Pacific economic cooperation, Shanghai Cooperation Organization, ASEAN dialogue partnership, Pacific trade and development conference, United Nations ESCAP, Asian Development Bank, Pacific economic cooperation council, Asia Cooperation Dialogue, etc).
Russia's involvement and approach towards security problems in the region.
Russia's involvement and approach towards security problems in the region. Russia's position in the Korean peninsula denuclearization problem. Territorial disputes in the region. Russia's efforts to suggest and arrange collective security system in Asia.
Final overview
This section will be almost completely in seminar format. Each student will be asked beforehand to choose a topic freely on what is interesting personally to him/her in the framework of the course, or – in case of difficulties - from the list of “additional questions” and prepare a written document
Russia's energy dialogue with Asian countries as the most significant area of cooperation in the 21st century.
Russia's energy dialogue with Asian countries as the most significant area of cooperation in the 21st century. Key partners and interests in the region. Energy diplomacy, energy trade, geopolitics of new pipelines' construction. Russia's cooperation in nuclear sphere with China, India, Vietnam.

Assessment Elements

Class attendance
25% of final grade
Group discussion and readings
20% of final grade
Participation at the class work
15% of final grade
Exam
40 % of final grade

Interim Assessment

Interim assessment (1 module)
0.25 * Class attendance + 0.4 * Exam + 0.2 * Group discussion and readings + 0.15 * Participation at the class work

Bibliography

Recommended Core Bibliography

Kimura, H., & Ealey, M. (2008). The Kurillian Knot : A History of Japanese-Russian Border Negotiations. Stanford, Calif: Stanford University Press. Retrieved from http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&site=eds-live&db=edsebk&AN=713570
Lukin, A. (2003). The Bear Watches the Dragon: Russia’s Perceptions of China and the Evolution of Russian-Chinese Relations Since the Eighteenth Century : Russia’s Perceptions of China and the Evolution of Russian-Chinese Relations Since the Eighteenth Century. Armonk, N.Y.: Routledge. Retrieved from http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&site=eds-live&db=edsebk&AN=1361008
Russia’s foreign policy : ideas, domestic politics and external relations / ed. by David Cadier . (2015). Palgrave Macmillan.
Warren I. Cohen. (2000). East Asia at the Center : Four Thousand Years of Engagement with the World. Columbia University Press.

Recommended Additional Bibliography

A. V. Kuznetsov. (2018). Integration Processes in the asia-Pacific Region with the Participation of China and the Position of Russia. Финансы: Теория и Практика, 22(6), 95–105. https://doi.org/10.26794/2587-5671-2018-22-6-95-105
Carter, H., & Ehteshami, A. (2004). The Middle East’s Relations with Asia and Russia. London: Routledge. Retrieved from http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&site=eds-live&db=edsebk&AN=102872
RAVINA, M. (2015). Tokugawa, Romanov, and Khmer: The Politics of Trade and Diplomacy in Eighteenth-Century East Asia. Journal of World History, 26(2), 269–294.
Russia’s Turn to the East Domestic Policymaking and Regional Cooperation edited by Helge Blakkisrud, Elana Wilson Rowe. (2018).
Samokhvalov, V. (2018). Russia and its shared neighbourhoods: a comparative analysis of Russia-EU and Russia-China relations in the EU’s Eastern neighbourhood and Central Asia. Contemporary Politics, 24.
Swaine, M. D. . V. (DE-588)132810239, (DE-576)174504829, aut. (2015). Conflict and cooperation in the Asia-Pacific region : a strategic net assessment / Michael D. Swaine, Nicholas Eberstadt, M. Taylor Fravel, Mikkal Herberg, Albert Keidel, Evans J.R. Revere, Alan D. Romberg, Eleanor Freund, Rachel Esplin Odell, Audrye Wong.

Course Syllabus