GV529-7-SP-CO:
War and Conflict in the Post-Soviet World
2022/23
Government
Colchester Campus
Spring
Postgraduate: Level 7
Current
Monday 16 January 2023
Friday 24 March 2023
15
01 August 2022
Requisites for this module
(none)
(none)
(none)
(none)
(none)
This module will explore war and conflict in the post-Soviet region. It will naturally cover Russia's 2022 war in Ukraine, but importantly will situate it in its broader regional and historical context.
This will entail learning about the politics of the region, with a focus on past and ongoing wars and conflicts. Following an overview of the region's politics, economics and societies, we will learn about the role of nationalism in state formation and conflicts after the collapse of the Soviet Union, the Russian way of war, and the effects of NATO enlargement.
1. To provide a deeper and broader understanding of Russia and its behaviour vis-à-vis its neighbours.
2. To introduce a range of texts by different scholars who possess deep knowledge of the region.
3. To examine how theories of state formation, nationalism, and war can enhance our understanding our events in the region.
4. To learn about separatism and irredentism in the post-Soviet region and its implications for other regions.
By the end of module students should be able:
1. To communicate complex ideas about the Russo-Ukrainian war and other regional conflicts, clearly and cogently, both orally and in writing.
2. To demonstrate in-depth knowledge of a range of scholarship on the post-Soviet region and Eastern Europe.
3. To understand, critically analyse, and evaluate different perspectives on key political concepts.
4. To formulate informed and critical arguments about Russia, the post-Soviet world and Eastern Europe.
Topics to be covered include:
1. The End of the USSR: Cold War, Hot Peace?
2. Russia's Role in the Post-Soviet World
3. How Russia is Governed: The Power Vertical
4. Nations and Nationalism in the Post-Soviet World
5. Separatism and Self-Determination
6. Counter-secessionist Strategies
7. Recognition of Secession
8. External Involvement and Proxy Wars
9. Irredentism: A Thing of the Past?
10. Solutions to Wars and Conflicts in the Post-Soviet World
This module will be taught by a weekly two-hour interactive seminar. Each seminar will comprise a presentation by the lecturer, presentations by students, class discussion, Q&A, and/or small group work. It is expected that all students read the assigned reading material in preparation for class and participate when appropriate in discussion.
This module does not appear to have a published bibliography for this year.
Assessment items, weightings and deadlines
| Coursework / exam |
Description |
Deadline |
Coursework weighting |
| Coursework |
Essay Outline |
|
10% |
| Coursework |
Presentation |
|
30% |
| Coursework |
Essay |
|
60% |
Exam format definitions
- Remote, open book: Your exam will take place remotely via an online learning platform. You may refer to any physical or electronic materials during the exam.
- In-person, open book: Your exam will take place on campus under invigilation. You may refer to any physical materials such as paper study notes or a textbook during the exam. Electronic devices may not be used in the exam.
- In-person, open book (restricted): The exam will take place on campus under invigilation. You may refer only to specific physical materials such as a named textbook during the exam. Permitted materials will be specified by your department. Electronic devices may not be used in the exam.
- In-person, closed book: The exam will take place on campus under invigilation. You may not refer to any physical materials or electronic devices during the exam. There may be times when a paper dictionary,
for example, may be permitted in an otherwise closed book exam. Any exceptions will be specified by your department.
Your department will provide further guidance before your exams.
Overall assessment
Reassessment
Module supervisor and teaching staff
Prof David Siroky, email: david.siroky@essex.ac.uk.
Module supervisor: David Siroky, ds22301@essex.ac.uk
Student administrator: Jamie Seakens, govpgquery@essex.ac.uk
No
No
No
Dr Adrian Florea
University of Glasgow
Senior Lecturer in International Relations
Available via Moodle
Of 20 hours, 20 (100%) hours available to students:
0 hours not recorded due to service coverage or fault;
0 hours not recorded due to opt-out by lecturer(s), module, or event type.
Government
Disclaimer: The University makes every effort to ensure that this information on its Module Directory is accurate and up-to-date. Exceptionally it can
be necessary to make changes, for example to programmes, modules, facilities or fees. Examples of such reasons might include a change of law or regulatory requirements,
industrial action, lack of demand, departure of key personnel, change in government policy, or withdrawal/reduction of funding. Changes to modules may for example consist
of variations to the content and method of delivery or assessment of modules and other services, to discontinue modules and other services and to merge or combine modules.
The University will endeavour to keep such changes to a minimum, and will also keep students informed appropriately by updating our programme specifications and module directory.
The full Procedures, Rules and Regulations of the University governing how it operates are set out in the Charter, Statutes and Ordinances and in the University Regulations, Policy and Procedures.