44669 - History of Eastern Europe, Nation-Building and Protection of Minorities

Learning outcomes

Students who will successfully pass the final exam will:

 - possess a fairly detailed information on the history of the last three decades of  the Soviet Union;

 - possess a detailed and specialized information on the political and  economic developments in the Russian Federation and its international position;

 - be able to work out independently its own judgements on the ongoing developments concerning the Federation,  with a particular respect for the Euroasian framework.

Course contents

The Course will provide detailed information on the political, social and economic developments occurred in the Russian Federation (1991-2005). It will extend on the dynamics if the "transition" from a planned economy and a one-party dictatorship to (hopefully...) democracy and the market. The place of the Russain Federation in the present system of international relations will be among the main objects of the Course and its foreign policy towards the CIS countries and the wider world, as well. Special attention will be devoted to the ethno-cultural structure of the Federation and to its system of devolution and cultural autonomy.

The Course will be introduced by an essential outline of the failed attempt to reform the former Soviet Union, in 1985-1991.

Readings/Bibliography

1) - Basic:

• F.BENVENUTI, La Russia dopo l'URSS, 1985-2006 , Roma, Carocci, 2007, pp. 1-144;
• M.DEL PERO, La guerra fredda, Roma, Carocci, 2001, pp. 1-125.
• R.SERVICE, Storia della Russia nel XX secolo , Roma, Editori Riuniti, 1999, Chapters 19-27.
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2) - Choose one (Students unable to follow classes will choose two):

• R.BRUBAKER, I nazionalismi nell'Europa contemporanea, Roma, Editori riuniti, 1998, pp. 1-254;

• A.GUERRA, URSS, perché è crollata, Roma, Editori riuniti, 2001, pp . 1--319;

• R.MEDVEDEV, La Russia post-sovietica, Torino, Einaudi, 2000, pp. 1-421;

• A.RUBBI, La Russia di Eltsyn, Roma, Editori riuniti, 2002, pp. 1-526;
• J.J.LINZ, A.STEPAN, L'Europa post-comunista , Bologna, Il Mulino, 2000.

 

Teaching methods

Classes and class discussion

Assessment methods

Final oral exam

Teaching tools

None

Office hours

See the website of Francesco Benvenuti