US-Russia Relations after the end of the Cold War: Problems, Prospects and Development

Instructor: D. Suslov ECTS: 3 Modules: 3 Syllabus: US-Russia Relations after the end of the Cold War: Problems, Prospects and Development

Target Audience:

The Course is designed for Master students from Russia and abroad with concentrations in Political Science and International Relations, with a special interest in Russian foreign policy, US foreign policy towards Russia and Eurasia, and US-Russia relations. It is preferable, though not compulsory, if the students have basic knowledge of International Relations history and theory, as well as contemporary International Affairs and Russian history.

Course description:

Aims of the course:

Aims of the course are: to conduct conceptual analyses and practical study of the US-Russia relations since the end of the Cold War; to explore structural problems and theoretical patterns of the US-Russia relations; to analyze evolution of the US-Russia relations during the last 20 years; provide prognosis of the US-Russia relations evolution for the short- and middle-term future.

- Course as a part of the study programme, brief analysis of the course in comparison to Russian and foreign academic experience.

The course provides a logical and necessary supplement to the curricular of the Master programs “International Relations: European and Asian Studies” and “International Relations in Eurasia” offered by the Faculty of World Economy and International Affairs of the HSE. This curricular used to contains courses on the US and on Russia, but lacked ones on the US-Russia relations. The course offered is the only course on the US-Russia relations offered by the Higher School of Economics and one of very few offered in Russia in general. The course would be of special interest for those Russian and foreign students, interested in contemporary Russian and the US foreign policies, as well as in the US-Russia relations, which is a crucial dimension of Russian foreign and defense policies.

One of the course’s advantages is its up-to-date nature. It pays special attention to analyses of the most-recent, but vital for the future, step of the US-Russia relations: their relations under the 1st Obama Administration, known as “reset”.

An important feature of the course is that it approaches the US-Russia relations problems and development in a wider context of Foreign and Domestic policies of the United States and Russia in a given period of time, as well as of the challenges and opportunities the sides were facing in an International Environment. Thus, the US-Russia relations are dealt with as a part and parcel of a bigger picture of the sides’ development and of evolution of their international positions.

The course has also a sound theoretical dimension. First, analyses of the US and Russian foreign policies is based on the major theories of International Relations (Realism, Liberalism, Constructivism) and of foreign policy making. Second, the course will touch upon fundamental theoretical concepts of International Security, inseparable of the US-Russia relations, such as Strategic Deterrence and Strategic Stability.

Prerequisites:

The course has no specific obligatory prerequisites. Still, basic knowledge of International Relations history and theory, as well as contemporary International Affairs and Russian history would be preferable and welcome.