Following the collapse of the USSR in 1991, fifteen former Soviet republics emerged as sovereign states. All of them have struggled to evolve working political systems and maintain sovereignty and internal cohesion. The newly independent states have been under pressure from Russia, China and the USA competing for geopolitical influence and, in a number of cases, control over extensive energy resources. Most of them have experienced economic decline, armed conflicts, terrorism, civil violence, organised crime and separatism of minority groups. The West today perceives post-Soviet Eurasia, with a population of approximately 300 million, as a zone of chronic instability posing threats to regional and global security.
The course will seek to analyse topical developments and highlight long-term trends in security choices of the former Soviet Union. Emphasis will be placed on the issues of great power rivalry, ethno-nationalism, and conflict management. The course will discuss security dilemmas at multiple levels, ranging from state policies to sub-state actors and transnational issues, but special attention will be given to regional security complexes involving Russia, Central Asia, and the Caucasus.
Learning Outcomes
Upon successful completion, students will have the knowledge and skills to:
- recognise the successor states to the USSR, their peoples, geography, culture, and politics;
- reflect on, and discuss the key concepts, themes, and schools of thought pertaining to Geopolitics, the Regional Security Complex Theory, and ethnic conflict studies;
- analyse international relations, security dilemmas, and crisis situations in Eurasia, using these intellectual tools;
- identify sub-state, interstate, regional, and transnational security threats affecting the former Soviet republics; and
- locate and collate materials on a topic relevant to the post-Soviet political space, and present findings in a coherent manner on paper and orally.
Other Information
This course is considered compatible with Security Studies and Asian Politics and International Relations fields of study.
This course is listed in the following major and minors:
Contemporary Europe Major - ANU
Contemporary Europe Minor - ANU
Historical International Security Minor - ANU
International Relations Major - ANU
Middle Eastern and Central Asian Studies Major - ANU
Middle Eastern and Central Asian Studies Minor - ANU
Russian and Central Asian Studies Minor - ANU
Indicative Assessment
- One 3,000 word essay (50) [LO 2,3,4,5]
- A four-hour examination at the end of semester (40) [LO 1,3,5]
- Tutorial assessment (based on reading and performance) (10) [LO 1,5]
The ANU uses Turnitin to enhance student citation and referencing techniques, and to assess assignment submissions as a component of the University's approach to managing Academic Integrity. While the use of Turnitin is not mandatory, the ANU highly recommends Turnitin is used by both teaching staff and students. For additional information regarding Turnitin please visit the ANU Online website.
Workload
130 hours of total student learning time made up from: a) 36 hours of contact over 12 weeks: 24 hours of lectures and 12 hours of tutorials; and b) 94 hours of independent student research, reading and writing.Inherent Requirements
Not applicable
Requisite and Incompatibility
Prescribed Texts
None specified
Preliminary Reading
Maria Raquel Freire and Roger E. Kanet, eds. Key Players and Regional Dynamics in Eurasia. The Return of the Great Game. New York: Palgrave Macmillan, 2010.
Gerard Toal. Near Abroad. Putin, the West, and the Contest over Ukraine and the Caucasus. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2017.
Majors
Minors
Fees
Tuition fees are for the academic year indicated at the top of the page.
Commonwealth Support (CSP) Students
If you have been offered a Commonwealth supported place, your fees are set by the Australian Government for each course. At ANU 1 EFTSL is 48 units (normally 8 x 6-unit courses). More information about your student contribution amount for each course at Fees.
- Student Contribution Band:
- 14
- Unit value:
- 6 units
If you are a domestic graduate coursework student with a Domestic Tuition Fee (DTF) place or international student you will be required to pay course tuition fees (see below). Course tuition fees are indexed annually. Further information for domestic and international students about tuition and other fees can be found at Fees.
Where there is a unit range displayed for this course, not all unit options below may be available.
| Units | EFTSL |
|---|---|
| 6.00 | 0.12500 |
Course fees
- Domestic fee paying students
| Year | Fee |
|---|---|
| 2024 | $4440 |
- International fee paying students
| Year | Fee |
|---|---|
| 2024 | $6000 |
Offerings, Dates and Class Summary Links
ANU utilises MyTimetable to enable students to view the timetable for their enrolled courses, browse, then self-allocate to small teaching activities / tutorials so they can better plan their time. Find out more on the Timetable webpage.
Class summaries, if available, can be accessed by clicking on the View link for the relevant class number.
Second Semester
| Class number | Class start date | Last day to enrol | Census date | Class end date | Mode Of Delivery | Class Summary |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 8716 | 22 Jul 2024 | 29 Jul 2024 | 31 Aug 2024 | 25 Oct 2024 | In Person | N/A |
| 9295 | 22 Jul 2024 | 29 Jul 2024 | 31 Aug 2024 | 25 Oct 2024 | Online | N/A |
