Master 2023/2024

Regional Dimension of Russian Politics

Type: Compulsory course (Politics. Economics. Philosophy)

Area of studies: Political Science

Delivered by: School of Politics and Governance

Where: Faculty of Social Sciences

When: 1 year, 1, 2 module

Mode of studies: offline

Open to: students of one campus

Instructors: Yury Gaivoronsky

Master’s programme: Политика. Экономика. Философия

Language: English

ECTS credits: 6

Contact hours: 52

Course Syllabus

Abstract

The course provides students with the knowledge of regional (subnational) political development in contemporary Russia. Its regional dimension gives us a range of distinct political practices despite the reforms of political and territorial centralization in the 21th century. The topic has been in high demand today and can be studied in subnational comparative perspective. There is special attention to subnational political regimes in the context of the evolution of center-periphery relations under Vladimir Putin. The course sheds light on the issues of regional management, the dynamics of gubernatorial appointments, and political conflicts. The course also introduces the students relevant literature on regional lobbyism, representation, political consequences of fiscal federalism. Features of local politics and self-government will be explored as well. A significant part of the course is dedicated to electoral performance of political parties and gubernatorial candidates. This presupposes to focus on the question of how institutional design affects the development of the party system in subnational units. The section also includes the review of the evolution of «United Russia» as a dominant party paying attention to capabilities and obstacles of its institutionalization. The students will learn the results of subnational elections and factors of electoral behavior (economic voting, social cleavages etc.). The course will familiarize the students with models of electoral space at the federal and subnational levels covering such topics as regionalization, nationalization and institutionalization of electoral space as well as some aspects of electoral volatility and transition.