Eastern Vector in Russian Foreign Policy of 2000s

This is a course for students interested in international affairs. For more than 10 years, the “Big East” has become a critical issue in global politics. The so-called “clash of civilizations,” “the Islamic factor,” “the Chinese wonder,” “the Arab Spring,” and finally the war in Syria and the refugee crisis – all of these affect the geopolitical priorities of the “big players.”

These factors also critically affect Russia. The formation of modern Russian nationhood began with the lion’s share of attention being paid to Western vectors of development – something that was supported both by political élites and by popular opinion. However, the early 2000s saw Russia realizing that it cannot ignore its interests in the East. This demanded significant, painful, and ambivalent changes in foreign policy.

This course will focus on how events in the East affected the transformation of Russia’s foreign policy and internal life. Attention will be paid to the contemporary “eastern crisis” and the “great game” played by the “big players” of the East. The course will examine the issues surrounding the events in the East and analyze the reactive decisions made by Russia vis-à-vis said issues.