B2888 - (I)EAST EUROPEAN AND EURASIAN STUDIES: EMPIRES, NATIONS AND MODERNITY

Conoscenze e abilità da conseguire

This module aims at introducing students to East European and Eurasian studies, by analysing the intellectual underpinnings of the region’s political vicissitudes throughout Modern and Contemporary history. Particular attention will be paid to Russia as a key example of Eurasian empires; the roots, nature, forms, and implications of the ‘Russian Eurasianism;’ as well as other, contending interpretations/practices of Eurasia in contemporary history. By the end of the module, students will be able to understand the enduring impact of the region’s imperial past and intellectual specifics on current events.

Contenuti

The module explores the dynamics of cultural, social and political change in Eastern Europe and Eurasia. The idea behind the module is to provide students with the chance to get familiar with the main methodological approaches to the analysis of contemporary social and political issues, such as national identity, border change, ethnic conflict and migration, adopting East-Central Europe and Eurasia as a laboratory for understanding the complex legacy of historical processes taking shape since the XIX century.

Throughout the course we will investigate and deconstruct two main conceptual frameworks:

(a) Eastern Europe and Eurasia as geographic, political and conceptual terms, and

(b) Nation-building as a contested process based on a wide array of cultural narratives and political tools.

These conceptual frames will constantly intersect in our classes and will be the groundwork for joint discussions.

The module is aimed to offer to the students a broad and introductory knowledge of the most relevant aspects that have marked politics and history from the crisis of the modern dynastic empires to the collapse of the communist federations in Eastern Europe and Eurasia. The module will concentrate diachronically and synchronically on the processes that have characterized the development of (a) nationalism, as a key ideological framework in East Central Europe and Eurasia, and (b) the nation/state building process since the 19th century with its controversial interpretations. The mechanisms connected to the implementation of the ideas of self-determination and secession will be analyzed in their own theoretical and substantial implications, following either the dynamics between civic and ethnic nation-building process or the conflict between the ideas/projects of inclusiveness via federalism. Particular attention will be paid to Russia as a key example of Eurasian empires.

 

Among the main topics that will be discussed during the course, we may mention:

 

1) Eastern Europe and Eurasia as macro-regions, including several sub-regions.

2) The political evolution of Eastern Europe and Eurasia and the parallel evolution of studies related to the region.

3) The East European and Eurasian region between imperial and national polities.

4) Eurasia as Imperial space, with a dedicated focus on the role of imperial Russia as an example of Eurasian imperial polity.

5) A specific focus on the political concept of Eurasia and Russian Eurasianism.

6) Eurasia as a modern political space. Different meanings and paths of Eurasia (Russia, Kazakhstan and Turkey).

 

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Course outline:

 

Class 1: Framing Eastern Europe and Eurasia: Introduction to the course and overview of the key concepts

Class 2: East European and Eurasian Studies: Looking from the inside

Class 3: The Language/s of Nationalism: Political Representations of the Self

Class 4: Towards a Typology of Nationalism

Class 5: Nationalism and the Social Question: The Idea of Modernity and Its Multiple Shapes

Class 6: What does it mean to be a Eurasian Empire? The Russian dilemma

Class 7: Eastern Europe and Eurasia meeting the Nation-State: State-formation and Self-Determination

Class 8: An Empire of Nations? A Transnational History of the Soviet Union

Class 9: Soviet and Post-Soviet Eurasia

Class 10: From Eurasia to Eurasianism (and Neo-Eurasianism/s): Empires, Nations and Civilizations

N.B. A detailed list of the introductory readings to each class will be published by mid-September, before the start of the course. Readings will be available on ‘Virtuale’ (Moodle Platform).

Testi/Bibliografia

Compulsory readings:

 

1. Florian Bieber, Debating Nationalism: The Global Spread of Nations, Bloomsbury Academic, 2020 (Selected pages: 1-128).

2. Geoffrey Mankoff, Empires of Eurasia: How Imperial Legacies Shape International Security, Yale University Press, 2022 (Selected pages: 1-79).

3. Andreas Kappeler, The Russian Empire: A Multi-Ethnic History, Routledge, 2001 (Selected chapters: Introduction; Chapter 4; Chapters from 6 to 10).

 

N.B. All the students are expected to read the introductory readings included in the syllabus, which are an integral part of the course.

Metodi didattici

Each class will be opened by the professor and/or by students’ presentation based on introductory reading.

In each class, the topics reported in course outline will be discussed with all the students on the basis of the introductory/suggested readings (see “Virtuale”).

Documents scheduled for presentation must be read by all the attending students, in order to guarantee a fruitful discussion.

Modalità di verifica e valutazione dell'apprendimento

Oral exam. Students are expected to analyze and discuss in details the topics that have been discussed during classes with appropriate references to the sources offered by the readings. The ability of comparing theoretical approaches and policies will be highly appreciated.

Strumenti a supporto della didattica

The attending students will be provided with the power point presentations, short videos and additional material that will be analyzed during the classes.

Orario di ricevimento

Consulta il sito web di Marco Puleri