Veidlapa Nr. M-3 (8)

Course Description Status: Approved

Course Description Version: 24/25.P.1.00

Description Period: 2024./25 academic year pavasara semestris

Study Course Accepted: -

Study Course Description

Frozen conflicts in the Post-Post-Soviet Space - Developments, Challenges and Perspectives

Main Study Course Information

Course Code
PZK_173
Branch of Science
Political science
ECTS
3.00
Target Audience
Political Science
LQF
Level 7
Study Type And Form
Full-Time

Study Course Implementer

Course Supervisor
Mārtiņš Vargulis
Structure Unit Manager
Karina Palkova
Structural Unit
Faculty of Social Sciences
Contacts

Dzirciema street 16, Rīga, szf@rsu.lv

About Study Course

Objective

To provide an in-depth understanding of the development and dynamics of frozen conflicts in the post-post-Soviet space, Russia's interests in the context of these conflicts, as well as to promote the analysis of potential future conflicts. To enhance the capacity of comparative analysis by studying and understanding the linkages/ differences between a number of frozen conflicts in the post-post-Soviet space. To provide an in-depth insight of how Russia's position in the international arena and the role of external factors has influenced the development of the post-post-Soviet space.

Preliminary Knowledge

Overall knowledge of the development of Russia's foreign and security policy, as well as the history, challenges and development of the post-post-Soviet space. It is important for students to have a general understanding of the events of the frozen conflict in the post-post-Soviet space and their significance in the wider context of international relations.

Learning Outcomes

Knowledge

1.Students will demonstrate understanding of the development of frozen conflicts in the post-post-Soviet space, understanding both their history and factors that influenced their occurrence. Students will understand how Russia’s position in the international environment and the dynamics of relations with external factors (USA, NATO, EU, etc.) have affected Russia’s involvement in the escalation of conflicts.

Skills

1.Students will independently select and analyze literature sources related to the role, activities and dynamics of Russia in the post-post-Soviet space. As a result of the analysis of the performed independent work, students will critically evaluate the ideas expressed in the literature and discuss the interpretation of these ideas in the presentations to other colleagues.

Competences

1.Students will evaluate and explain the impact of various factors on Russia’s approach to resolving frozen conflicts, as well as provide recommendations and generate new ideas about possible future scenarios of frozen conflicts and their impact on Russia’s role in the international system in professional, academic and business environments. These skills will be interdisciplinary – they will be used by students to assess and forecast any trends in Russia’s (and other countries’) external interactions in the short, medium- and long-term perspective.

Assessment

Individual work

Title
% from total grade
Grade
1.
Individual work
-
-
During the module students will prepare for the seminars, read literature, write final paper and prepare a presentation. The aim of a seminar is to develop students' ability to argue and present their opinion in a consistent and logical manner; to promote activity; to test students’ knowledge of the topic and materials in question. The aim of the essays is to develop the ability to identify the key issue of the topic; to identify and evaluate alternative arguments and views; to offer an opinion, explaining and arguing why this particular opinion is better than any other. The report should compare all possible alternatives, considering all their strengths and weaknesses. Another goal is to develop skills to independently study the situation and the problem, give it an assessment and be able to find solutions.

Examination

Title
% from total grade
Grade
1.
Examination
-
-
The Student is required to hand in and present a Paper according to the topics provided below. Depending on the number of Students, each topic should have 2-3 presenters. The presentations of the draft papers will take place during the seminar section of the Course, the papers are to be amended after the seminars and the final versions handed in for the evaluation. Technical requirements for the paper: 3 pages, single spaced, Times New Roman 12 or equivalent. References in footnotes, Chicago Manual of Style.
2.
Examination
-
-
Attendance – 10% Activity and preparedness during seminars – 30% Presentation and paper – 40% Final essay – 20%

Study Course Theme Plan

FULL-TIME
Part 1

  1. Transnistria: development, dynamics, Russia's position

Annotation: Transnistria as a frozen conflict is one of the oldest in the post-post-Soviet space. It has historically developed since the collapse of the USSR. This conflict marks the specifics of the collapse of the USSR – how that "contributed" to the emergence of similar conflicts. Unlike the other conflicts discussed in this course, the roots of this conflict can be traced back to the time when Vladimir Putin wasn’t the president of Russia. Accordingly, the aim of this lecture is to provide an in-depth understanding of Russia's view as a successor to the USSR on a new international order after the end of the Cold War, the former Soviet republics' - similarities, differences, challenges, Moldova’s development, EU and NATO. The lecture will also pay a special attention on how the deployment of military forces and military bases after the collapse of the USSR affected Russia's approach to its border. Literature: Anatol Gudim, Transnistria: Conflicts and Pragmatism of the Economy, Centre for Strategic Studies and Reforms, http://pdc.ceu.hu/archive/00003500/01/transnistria.pdf Dumitru Minzarari, Moscow-Dependent Moldovan Government Turns Blind Eye to Russian Military Activities in Transnistria, 2020, Jamestown Foundation https://jamestown.org/program/moscow-dependent-moldovan-government-turns-blind-eye-to-russian-military-activities-in-transnistria/ Piotr Oleksy, A Certain Distance from Russia, 2020, Visegrad Insight https://visegradinsight.eu/transnistria-new-conditions-certain-distance-from-russia/ Ryan Cimmino, The Transnistrian Gambit: Russia in Moldova, 2019, originally published in the HIR Winter 2019 Issue.https://hir.harvard.edu/the-transnistrian-gambit-russia-in-moldova/
EventType
Modality
Location
Contact hours
1.
Lecture
On site
Auditorium
2

  1. Abkhazia and South Ossetia: development, determined factors, dynamics of Russia-Georgia relations, the role of NATO

Annotation: The Russia-Georgia war in the post-post-Soviet space caused a significant upheaval. This was a turning point in the way both NATO and the EU (as well as its leaders) viewed Russia and its existing regime. It also facilitated a change in the position of several countries vis-à-vis Russia. This conflict is based on a number of interrelated internal and external factors, where several actors have played a role in facilitating and then resolving the conflict. Therefore, the aim of this lecture is to provide an in-depth insight into how Georgia's integration into NATO and the EU affected Russia's relations with Georgia, as well as what factors contributed to the use of military force against Georgia. The lectures will also provide an analysis of the US response and role in the context of the overall conflict. Literature: Michael Kofman, The August War, Ten Years On: A Retrospective on the Russo-Georgian War, 2018, War on the Rocks, https://warontherocks.com/2018/08/the-august-war-ten-years-on-a-retrospective-on-the-russo-georgian-war/ Russian Federation: Legal Aspects of War in Georgia, 2008, https://www.loc.gov/law/help/legal-aspects-of-war/russia-legal-aspects-of-war.pdf Robert E. Hamilton, August 2008 And Everything After. A Ten-Year Retrospective on the Russia-Georgia War, 2018, Foreign Policy research institute, Black sea strategy PaPers https://www.fpri.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/10/final-bssp-1-hamilton.pdf
EventType
Modality
Location
Contact hours
1.
Lecture
On site
Auditorium
2
Total ECTS (Creditpoints):
3.00
Contact hours:
20 Academic Hours
Final Examination:
Exam (Written)

Bibliography

Required Reading

1.

Andrew Radin, Clint Reach, Russian Views of the International Order, Rand Cooperation, 2017, RAND Corporation, Santa Monica, Calif. Available from: https://www.rand.org/content/dam/rand/pubs/research_reports/RR1800/RR1826/RAND_RR1826.pdf

2.

Julia Gurganus and Eugene Rumer, Russia’s Global Ambitions in Perspective, Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, February 2019, Carnegie Endowment for International Peace. Available from: https://carnegieendowment.org/files/RumerGurganus_Perspective_final.pdf

3.

Darya B. Kazarinova, Vasilya B. Taisheva, Perceptions of Russia in the Global World. Does Russian Education Policy Work?, October 2019, Russian Foundation of Basic Research. Available from: https://eng.globalaffairs.ru/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/20307.pdf

4.

Givi Gigitashvili, Russia’s National Interests and Foreign Policy Preferences, November 2016, Latvian Institute of International Affairs. Available from: https://www.lai.lv/viedokli/russias-national-interests-and-foreign-policy-preferences-554#_ftnref5

5.

Tatiana Zakaurtseva, The Current Foreign Policy of Russia. Available from: http://133.50.171.227/coe21/publish/no16_1_ses/05_zakaurtseva.pdf

6.

Richard Sokolsky and Eugene Rumer, U.S.-Russian Relations in 2030, June 2020, Carnegie Endowment. Available from: https://carnegieendowment.org/files/SokolskyRumer_US-Russia-2030_final1.pdf

7.

Julianne Smith and Adam Twardowski, The Future of U.S. – Russia Relations, January 2017. Available from: https://www.jstor.org/stable/resrep06297?seq=3#metadata_info_tab_contents

8.

Julianne Smith, The NATO-Russia Relationship. Defining Moment or Déjà Vu?, November 2018, Center For Strategic And Security Studies. Available from: https://csis-website-prod.s3.amazonaws.com/s3fs-public/legacy_files/files/media/csis/pubs/081110_smith_natorussia_web.pdf

9.

Yuriy Davidov, Should Russia Join NATO?, 2020, NATO. Available from: https://www.nato.int/acad/fellow/98-00/davydov.pdf

10.

Dmitry Trenin, What Does Russia Want From the United States? April 2020, The Moscow Times. Available from: https://www.themoscowtimes.com/2020/04/17/what-does-russia-want-from-the-united-states-a70011

11.

Thomas de Waal, Nikolaus von Twickel, Beyond Frozen Conflict. Scenarios for the Separatist Disputes of Eastern Europe, 2020, CEPS, Brussels Rowman & Littlefield International, London. Available from: https://www.ceps.eu/ceps-publications/beyond-frozen-conflict

12.

Markedonov Sergey, Goodbye Post-Soviet Space?, in: Evolution of Post-Soviet Space: Past, Present and Future: An Anthology. Moscow: NPMP RIAC, 2017

13.

Nikolay Silaev, William Hill, Iraklii Khintba, Russia Direct Brief #23, August 2015. Available from: https://russia-direct.org/catalog/product/russia-direct-brief-frozen-conflicts-post-soviet-space

14.

Gushin Aleksandr, Dankov Artem, Markedonov Sergey, Rekeda Sergey, Konflikty na postsovetskom prostranstve: perspektivy uregulirovaniya i rol’ Rossii, Working Paper, Russian International Affairs Council, 36, 2016

15.

De Waal Thomas, Uncertain territory. The strange life and curious sustainability of de facto states, New Eastern Europe, 2018. Available from: http://neweasterneurope.eu/2018/04/26/uncertain-territory-strange-life-curious-sustainability-de-facto-states/

16.

Alexander Dubowy, A Long Way Back from the End of History, Russia in Global Affairs. Available from: https://eng.globalaffairs.ru/articles/the-new-world-disorder/

17.

Anatol Gudim, Transnistria: Conflicts and Pragmatism of the Economy, Centre for Strategic Studies and Reforms. Available from: http://pdc.ceu.hu/archive/00003500/01/transnistria.pdf

18.

Dumitru Minzarari, Moscow-Dependent Moldovan Government Turns Blind Eye to Russian Military Activities in Transnistria, 2020, Jamestown Foundation. Available from: https://jamestown.org/program/moscow-dependent-moldovan-government-turns-blind-eye-to-russian-military-activities-in-transnistria/

19.

Piotr Oleksy, A Certain Distance from Russia, 2020, Visegrad Insight. Available from: https://visegradinsight.eu/transnistria-new-conditions-certain-distance-from-russia/

20.

Ryan Cimmino, The Transnistrian Gambit: Russia in Moldova, 2019, originally published in the HIR Winter 2019 Issue. Available from: https://hir.harvard.edu/the-transnistrian-gambit-russia-in-moldova/

21.

Michael Kofman, The August War, Ten Years On: A Retrospective on the Russo-Georgian War, 2018, War on the Rocks. Available from: https://warontherocks.com/2018/08/the-august-war-ten-years-on-a-retrospective-on-the-russo-georgian-war/

22.

Russian Federation: Legal Aspects of War in Georgia, 2008. Available from: https://www.loc.gov/law/help/legal-aspects-of-war/russia-legal-aspects-of-war.pdf

23.

Robert E. Hamilton, August 2008 And Everything After. A Ten-Year Retrospective on the Russia-Georgia War, 2018, Foreign Policy research institute, Black sea strategy PaPers. Available from: https://www.fpri.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/10/final-bssp-1-hamilton.pdf

24.

Jonathan Masters, Ukraine: “Conflict at the Crossroads of Europe and Russia”, 2020, Council on Foreign Relations. Available from: https://www.cfr.org/backgrounder/ukraine-conflict-crossroads-europe-and-russia

25.

Taras Kuzio, Paul D’Anieri, Causes and Potential Solutions to the Ukraine and Russia Conflict, 2020, E-international relations. Available from: https://www.e-ir.info/2020/06/27/causes-and-potential-solutions-to-the-ukraine-and-russia-conflict/

26.

Taras Kuzio, Vladimir Putin’s forever war against Ukraine continues, 2020, Atlantic Council. Available from: https://www.atlanticcouncil.org/blogs/ukrainealert/vladimir-putins-hybrid-war-against-ukraine-continues/

27.

Lauren Van Metre, Viola G. Gienger, Kathleen Kuehnast, The Ukraine-Russia Conflict Signals and Scenarios for the Broader Region, 2015, United States Institute of Peace. Available from: https://www.files.ethz.ch/isn/189766/SR366-The-Ukraine-Russia-Conflict.pdf

28.

Crisis Group, The Nagorno-Karabakh Conflict: A Visual Explainer. Available from: https://www.crisisgroup.org/content/nagorno-karabakh-conflict-visual-explainer

29.

Stephen Khan, How war in Nagorno-Karabakh could spread – and become a major problem for Europe, 2016, The Conversation. Available from: https://theconversation.com/how-war-in-nagorno-karabakh-could-spread-and-become-a-major-problem-for-europe-57241

30.

Shamkhal Abilov, The Consequences of the Nagorno–Karabakh War for Azerbaijan and the Undeniable Reality of Khojaly Massacre: A View from Azerbaijan, 2016. Available from: https://www.researchgate.net/publication/313412388_The_Consequences_of_the_NagornoKarabakh_War_for_Azerbaijan_and_the_Undeniable_Reality_of_Khojaly_Massacre_A_View_from_Azerbaijan

31.

P. L. Dash, Chechnya: War Has No End, 2000, JSTOR. Available from: https://www.jstor.org/stable/4409225

32.

Aristidis Tsatsos, Second Chechen War: Causes, Dynamics and Termination - A Civil War between Risk and Opportunity? 2014, Research Gate. Available from: https://www.researchgate.net/publication/314414780_Second_Chechen_War_Causes_Dynamics_and_Termination_-_A_Civil_War_between_Risk_and_Opportunity

33.

Kennelly, Kevin G., The role of NATO and the EU in resolving frozen conflicts, 2006, Institutional Archive of Naval Postgraduate School. Available from: https://calhoun.nps.edu/bitstream/handle/10945/2435/06Dec_Kennelly.pdf?sequence=1&isAllowed=y

34.

Jakub Lachert, Post-Soviet Frozen Conflicts: A Challenge For European Security, 2019, Warsaw Institute. Available from: https://warsawinstitute.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/03/Post-Soviet-Frozen-Conflicts-Special-Report-Warsaw-Institute.pdf

35.

Pierre H. N. Martin, The EU’s Eastern Partnership, post–Soviet frozen conflicts and the war in Eastern Ukraine, 2017, Nouvelle Europe. Available from: http://www.nouvelle-europe.eu/en/eu-s-eastern-partnership-post-soviet-frozen-conflicts-and-war-eastern-ukraine

36.

N. Nechayeva-Yuriychuk, The EU Position toward Frozen Conflicts Influence on Security and Energy Stability in Black Sea Region, 2010, Research Gate. Available from: https://www.researchgate.net/publication/305700888_The_EU_Position_toward_Frozen_Conflicts_Influence_on_Security_and_Energy_Stability_in_Black_Sea_Region

37.

Klaudia Báňaiová, Samuel Goda, Frozen ground: Role of the OSCE in protracted conflicts Recommendations for Slovak OSCE Chairmanship, 2018, Slovak Foreign Policy Association. Available from: http://www.sfpa.sk/wp-content/uploads/2019/01/Frozen-ground_Role-of-the-OSCE-in-protracted-conflicts-pdf.

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