European University at St.Petersburg
International MA in Russian Studies (IMARS)
Contemporary Russian Politics
Vladimir Gel’man (gelman@eu.spb.ru)
2005, Spring Term
Classes: Wednesdays, 2.10 – 5.20 pm
Office hours: Tuesdays, 2.30-4.30 pm (at the department’s office, 5th floor)
Essays:
Mid-term (1000-words book review) by April 1 (no joke!)
Final (4000-words substantive text) by May 20
Theme 1. Key Concepts of Modern Political Transformation in Russia
Studies of Russian politics in East and West. Approaches to studies of Russian
politics. Theories of regime transitions and their application to Russian politics.
Models of Russian political transformation.
Theme 2. Dynamics of Russian Politics in Perestroika Period. Issues in Late-Soviet
Political History
Basic events of historical changes in Russian politics. Formation and evolution of
Russian political institutions. August 1991: coup and its political outcomes. The
breakdown of the Soviet Union and the emergence of the Russian state. Politics of
economic reform: political environment and consequences.
Theme 3. Political Crisis and 1993 Constitutional Reform
Clash between Russian President and Congress of People’s Deputies: causes and
consequences. Political crisis 1992-1993. October 1993 and its evaluation in Russian
political science and in politics. Basic elements of Russian Constitution. Russian
constitutionalism and political practice.
Theme 4. The Strong Executive: President and Government
Dual executive: legal and political aspects of power sharing between President and
Government in Russia. Russian presidency as an institution. Boris Yel’tsin and
Vladimir Putin as Presidents. Government of Russia: structure, competence,
functioning. Presidential staff, agencies and ministries and their features.
Theme 5. The Weak Legislature: the State Duma and the Federation Council
Legal and political aspects of Russian parliamentarism. The State Duma: competence,
structure, politics. Basic elements of legislation - making process. Role of State Duma
in Russian politics. The Federation Council: mechanisms of formation and
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functioning. Relations between chambers of parliament. Institutions of parliamentary
control: Ombudsman, Accounting Chamber.
Theme 6. The Rule of Law. Judicial Institutions in Russian Politics
The general problems of rule of law and law enforcement in Russia. Courts,
prosecutor’s office and other judicial institutions in Soviet period. Policy of judicial
reform in Russia and its problems. Arbitration courts and jury. Constitutional Court in
Russian politics: ‘case of Communist party’. Constitutional Court during 1993
political crisis. Practices of Constitutional Court after 1995. ‘Chechen case’. Russian
courts and human rights: law and practice.
Theme 7. Russia’s Electoral System
Background of 1993 electoral reform. Key characteristics of electoral system. The
impact of electoral formula. Features of electoral campaigns: nomination and status of
candidates, political finance, role of media. Campaigns and their role in Russian
politics.
Theme 8. Russia’s Political Culture. Political Participation and Voting Behavior
Continuity and change in Russian political culture. Forms of mass participation:
political activism and protest movements. Voting behavior in Russia: theoretical
frameworks and political realities. Absenteeism, negativism, protest voting. Electoral
clientelism and electoral corruption.
Theme 9. Political Parties in Russia
The emergence of political movements during perestroika period. Formation of
Russian political spectrum. The dynamics of party system: impacts of institutions and
electoral behavior. Parties in parliament and outside. Classifications of Russian
parties, their basic characteristics.
Theme 10. Interest Groups in Russian Politics
Concepts of interest groups of Soviet period. Theory of ‘bureaucratic market’ and its
evolution. Transformation of organized interest groups in Russian politics. Key
sectoral interest groups: agriculture, fuel and energy, military-industrial complex. New
business and its influence in Russian politics: the rise and fall of “oligarchs”. Unions
in Soviet and Russian politics. Labor movement and its problems. Is there a Russian
version of corporatism?
Theme 11. Transformation of Political Elites in Russia
Concepts of political elites of Soviet period. The shift of vertical mobility of political
elites in end 1980th - early 1990th. New and old elite groups and transformation of elite
in post-Soviet period. Modern concepts of Russian political elites: political capitalism,
generation changes, clientelist models. The ‘Party of power’ and problems of elite
unity.
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Theme 12. Russian Federalism: Rent-Seeking, Asymmetry and Practices
Territorial-state dimension in USSR and Russia. Federal Treaty and its role in Russian
politics. Constitutional federalism in Russia. Treaties between Center and regions and
their political consequences. Fiscal federalism and federal budget. Federal reform
under Putin: design and outcomes.
Theme 13. Regions and Localities in Russian Politics
Transformation of regional political institutions in 1990th. Constitutions and Charters
of subject units of the Russian Federation. Regional institutions: legislative-executive
relations. Actors and factors of regional politics. Influence of regional elites on
Russian politics: institutions and informal mechanisms.
Background of Russian local government. Practices of zemstvo. Soviet municipal
school of 1920th. Soviet local government in 1930-1980th. Local government reforms
in 1990th and their political consequences. Regional features of local government.
Local government and ethnic minorities in Russia.
Theme 14. Prospects for Russian Political Transformation: Domestic and
Comparative Perspectives
The lecture and seminar focused on analysis of political dynamics as well as prospects
of political development in post-Yeltsin’s Russia in a comparative perspective.
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Reading list
* -- EUSP library (reserve collection)
** -- reader
Core textbooks
* Z.Barany, R.Moser (eds.), Russian Politics: Challenges of Democratization
Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 2001.
* A.Brown (ed.). Contemporary Russian Politics: A Reader. Oxford: Oxford
University Press, 2001.
* M.McFaul. Russia’s Unfinished Revolution: Political Change from Gorbachev to
Putin. Ithaca, NY: Cornell University Press, 2001.
* L.Shevtsova. Yeltsin’s Russia: Myths and Reality. Washington, DC: Carnegie
Endowment for International Peace, 2003.
* L.Shevtsova. Putin’s Russia. Washington, DC: Carnegie Endowment for
International Peace, 2003.
* D.Hespring (ed.) Putin’s Russia: Past Imperfect, Future Uncertain. Lanham, MD:
Rowman and Littlefield, 2003.
Theme 1.
** H.Balzer. Managed Pluralism: Vladimir Putin’s Emerging Regime. Post-Soviet
Affairs, 2003, vol.19, N3.
* A.Brown (ed.). Contemporary Russian Politics: A Reader. Oxford: Oxford
University Press, 2001, ch.40.
** J.Hughes. Transition Models and Democratisation in Russia. M.Bowker, С.Ross
(eds.) Russia After the Cold War. Harlow: Longman, 2000.
** M.McFaul. The Fourth Wave of Democracy and Dictatorship: Non-Cooperative
Transitions in Post-Communist World. World Politics, 2002, vol.54, N2.
Theme 2.
** A.Dallin. Causes of the Collapse of the USSR. Post-Soviet Affairs, 1992, vol.8,
N4.
** J.Linz, A.Stepan. Problems of Democratic Transition and Consolidation. Southern
Europe, South America, and Post-Communist Europe. Baltimore and London: Johns
Hopkins University Press, 1996, ch.19.
* M.McFaul, Russia’s Unfinished Revolution, pp.33-117
Theme 3
* M.McFaul, Russia’s Unfinished Revolution, pp.121-204.
** R.Sharlet. Russian Constitutional Crisis: Law and Politics under Yeltsin. PostSoviet Affairs, 1993, vol.9, N4.
* L.Shevtsova. Yeltsin’s Russia: Myths and Reality. Washington, DC: Carnegie
Endowment for International Peace, 2003, pp.31-78.
** L.Shevtsova. Parliament and Political Crisis in Russia, 1991-1993, in: J.Hahn
(ed.). Democratization in Russia: the Development of Legislative Institutions.
Armonk/London, M.E.Sharpe, 1996.
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Themes 4-5.
* A.Brown (ed.). Contemporary Russian Politics: A Reader. Oxford: Oxford
University Press, 2001, chapters 6 (Huskey), 7 (Chaisty).
** T.Frye. A Politics of Institutional Choice: Post-Communist Presidencies.
Comparative Political Studies, 1997, vol.30, N5.
* R.Moser. Executive-Legislative Relations in Russia, 1991-1999, in Z.Barany,
R.Moser (eds.), Russian Politics: Challenges of Democratization Cambridge:
Cambridge University Press, 2001.
** T.Remington. The Evolution of Executive-Legislative Relations in Russia. Slavic
Review, 2000, vol.59, N3.
** M.Shugart. Executive-Legislative Relations in Post-Communist Europe.
Transition, 1996, vol.2, N25.
Theme 6.
* A.Brown (ed.). Contemporary Russian Politics: A Reader. Oxford: Oxford
University Press, 2001, chapters 8 (Hendley).
** V.Gel’man. The Unrule of Law in the Making: The Politics of Informal InstitutionBuilding in Russia. Europe-Asia Studies, 2004, vol.56, N7.
** G.Smith (ed.). State-Building in Russia. The Yeltsin Legacy and the Challenge of
the Future. Armonk, NY, and London: M.E.Shapre, 1999, chapter 5.
** W.Pomeranz. Judicial Review and the Russian Constitutional Court: The Chechen
Case. Review of Central and East European Law, 1997, vol.23, N1.
** R.Sharlet. Putin and the Politics of Law in Russia. Post-Soviet Affairs, 2001,
vol.17, N3.
Theme 7.
* A.Brown (ed.). Contemporary Russian Politics: A Reader. Oxford: Oxford
University Press, 2001, chapter 11-13 (Brudny, Gel’man, Moser).
* V.Gel’man, G.Golosov (eds.). Elections in Russia: 1993-1996. Berlin: edition
Sigma, 1999.
* M.McFaul, Russian Electoral Trends, in Z.Barany, R.Moser (eds.), Russian Politics:
Challenges of Democratization Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 2001.
Theme 8.
** D.Bahry et al. Tolerance, Transition, and Support for Civil Liberties in Russia.
Comparative Political Studies, 1997, vol.30, N5.
* A.Brown (ed.). Contemporary Russian Politics: A Reader. Oxford: Oxford
University Press, 2001, chapters 20 (Rose), 22 (Levada).
* T.Colton, M.McFaul, Are Russians Undemocratic?, D.Hespring (ed.) Putin’s
Russia: Past Imperfect, Future Uncertain. Lanham, MD: Rowman and Littlefield,
2003.
Voting Behavior
** T.Colton. Economics and Voting in Russia. Post-Soviet Affairs, 1996, vol.12, N4.
** A.Miller et el. The Russian 1996 Presidential Election: Referendum on Democracy
or a Personality Contest? Electoral Studies, 1998, vol.17, N2.
** R.Rose et al. Understanding Multi-Party Choice: The 1995 Duma Election.
Europe-Asia Studies, 1997, vol.49, N5.
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Theme 9.
** V.Gel’man. The Extinction of Political Opposition in Russia. PONARS Policy
Memo, 2005, N340.
** G.Golosov. Political Parties in Regions of Russia: Democracy Unclaimed.
Boulder, CO: Lynne Rienner, 2004.
** M.McFaul. Explaining Party Formation and Non-Formation in Russia.
Comparative Political Studies, 2001, vol.34, N10.
** R.Smyth. Building State Capacity from the Inside Out: Parties of Power and the
Success of the President’s Reform Agenda in Russia. Politics and Society, 2002,
vol.30, N4.
Theme 10.
** A.Barnes. Russia’s New Business Groups and State Power. Post-Soviet Affairs,
2003, vol.19, N2.
* A.Brown (ed.). Contemporary Russian Politics: A Reader. Oxford: Oxford
University Press, 2001, chapter 18 (Peregudov).
** T.Frye, Capture or Exchange? Business Lobbying in Russia, Europe-Asia Studies,
2002, vol.54, N7, pp.1017-1036.
** J.Hellman. Winner Takes All. World Politics, 1998, vol.50, N2.
** K.Hendley et al. Law, Relationships and Private Enforcement. Europe-Asia
Studies, 2000, vol.52, N4.
Theme 11.
* A.Steen, V.Gel’man (eds.). Elites and Democratic Development in Russia. London:
Routledge, 2003, ch.2, 3.
** O.Kryshtanovskaya, S.White. Putin’s Militocracy. Post-Soviet Affairs, 2003,
vol.19, N4.
** D.Lane. Transition under Eltsin: The Nomenklatura and Political Elite Circulation.
Political Studies, 1997, vol.45, N5.
Theme 12.
** M.Hyde. Putin’s Federal Reforms and Their Implications for Presidential Power in
Russia. Europe-Asia Studies, 2001, vol.53, N5.
** G.Lapidus. The Dynamics of Secession in the Russian Federation: Why
Chechnya?, in: M.Alexseev (ed.). Centre-Periphery Conflict in Post-Soviet Russia.
New York, St. Martin’s Press, 1999.
** A.Stepan. Russian Federalism in Comparative Perspective. Post-Soviet Affairs,
2000, vol.16, N2.
* K.Stoner-Weiss, The Russian Central State in Crisis: Center and Periphery in PostSoviet Era, in: Z.Barany, R.Moser (eds.), Russian Politics: Challenges of
Democratization Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 2001.
Theme 13.
** V.Gel’man. Sub-National Institutions in Contemporary Russia, in N.Robinson
(ed.). Institutions and Political Change in Russia. London: Macmillan, 2000.
* V.Gel’man, S.Ryzhenkov, M.Bire. Making and Breaking Democratic Transitions:
the Comparative Politics of Russia’s Regions. Lanham, MD: Rowman and Littlefield,
2003.
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* G.Golosov. Political Parties in Regions of Russia: Democracy Unclaimed. Boulder,
CO: Lynne Rienner, 2004.
* A.Evans, V.Gel’man (eds.), The Politics of Local Government in Russia. Lanham,
MD: Rowman and Littlefield, 2004.
Theme 14.
* A.Brown (ed.) Contemporary Russian Politics, chapters 33-36 (Schmitter and Karl,
Bunce)
* S.Fish. Conclusion: Democracy and Russian Politics, in: Z.Barany, R.Moser (eds.),
Russian Politics: Challenges of Democratization Cambridge: Cambridge University
Press, 2001.
** S.Hanson. Leadership Succession in the Russian Federation: After 2008?,
PONARS Policy Memo, 2002, N285.
** S.Hanson. Can Putin Rebuild the Russian State? PONARS Policy Papers, 2000,
N148.
* M.McFaul, Russia’s Unfinished Revolution, pp.309-371.
Also – current issues of area studies journals: “Europe-Asia Studies”, “Transition”,
“Post-Soviet Affairs”, “Slavic Review”, “Russian Review”, as well as comparative
politics journals: “Comparative Politics”, “Comparative Political Studies”, “Political
Studies”, “Journal of Democracy”.