UNIVERSITY OF MUMBAI

CENTRE FOR CENTRAL EURASIAN STUDIES

M.A. IN CENTRAL EURASIAN STUDIES

REVISED SYLLABUS OF M.A. PROGRAMME IN CENTRAL EURASIAN

STUDIES

(Semester –I and Semester - II)

48 credits (24 credits each semester) Syllabus

CREDIT BASED SEMESTER AND GRADING SYSTEM

TO BE INTRODUCED FROM THE ACADEMIC YEAR 2016-2017 onwards

FOR SEMESTER I & II

M.A. Part I
Semester I (Core Courses)
Course Course Title End Sem Internal Hrs per Credits
Code Exam Assessment week
Paper 1 Central Eurasia: Geo-Political and 60 40 4 6
Economic Perspectives.

Paper 2 History of Post-Soviet Russia 60 40 4 6

(1991-2016)

Paper 3 Emergence of Post-Soviet Central 60 40 4 6

Asia.

Paper 4 Contemporary Trans-Caucasus. 60 40 4 6

Semester II (Core Courses)

Course Course Title End Sem Internal Hrs per Credits
Code Exam Assessment week
Paper 1 Contemporary Central Eurasia: 60 40 4 6
Domestic Issues.
Paper 2 Economy and Society of Russia 60 40 4 6

Paper 3 Political System of Russia 60 40 4 6

Paper 4 Russia in Global Affairs 60 40 4 6

 Centre For Central Eurasian Studies

Paper – I Semester – I Credits : 06

Central Eurasia : Geo-Political and Economic Perspectives.

This course aims to introduce the concept of Area Studies and its significance. It also aims to introduce
various issues of Central Eurasia. This one semester course is divided into four modules and 16
sessions each.

Module –I Area studies and its significance.

a. Concept of Area Studies.

b. Sovietology and Eurasian Study Centres in India.
c. Central Eurasia: theory and practice
d. Topography, climate and environment, natural resources.

Module –II – Emergence of Central Eurasia

a. Post- Soviet Eurasian space.

b. Soviet disintegration and challenges of Central Eurasia.
c. Inheritance from Soviet legacy.
d. Geo-political, economic and strategic challenges.

Module –III – Regional Co-operation and Geo-politics in Central Eurasia.

a. Economic and Political relations among Central Eurasian countries.

b. Economic and Co-operation and regional organisations in Central
Eurasia.
c. Geo-politics in Central Eurasia: major and regional powers.
d. Role of non-state actors.

Module –IV – Socio- economic and political issues.

a. Socio-economic and political issues.

b. Nation- building travails.
c. Ethnic unrest and religious fundamentalism.
d. Personality cult in Politics and society.
 Centre For Central Eurasian Studies
Paper – II Semester – I Credits : 06

History of Post-Soviet Russia (1991-2016)

This course aims to introduce and discuss history of Post-Soviet Russia. It will cover major developments
in Russian history since 1991. This one semester course is divided into four modules and 16 sessions
each.

Module –I Disintegration of the Soviet Union.

a. Disintegration of USSR and emergence of common-wealth of Independent

States (CIS).
b. Impact of Disintegration on former Soviet republics.
c. Marxist ideology and democratic centralism.
d. Marxist ideology and market economy.

Module –II Russia under Yeltsin (1991-1999).

a. Role of Yeltsin in bringing down the Soviet Union.

b. Socio-economic, political policies of Yeltsin.
c. Yeltsin’s foreign policy.
d. Terrorism and ethnic problems in Russia. Chechen issue.

Module –III Russia in Putin era. (2000-2008)

a. Reversal of Yeltsin’s domestic policies by Putin.

b. Putin and Russian natural resource nationalism.
c. Russia’s assertive foreign policy under Putin.
d. Peace and stability in Chechnya. Role of Putin.

Module –IV Contemporary Russia (2008-2016).

a. Presidential elections of 2008 and 2012.

b. Dual leadership in Russia: Putin Vs Medvedev.
c. Major social and economic issues.
d. Russia as a reemerging global power.
 Centre For Central Eurasian Studies

Paper – III Semester – I Credits : 06

Emergence of Post-Soviet Central Asia.

This course aims to introduce various aspects and issues of Central Asia. In last module Geo-politics
and Geo-economics will be covered. This one semester course is divided into four modules and 16
sessions each.

Module –I Soviet disintegration and independent states of Central Asia.

a. Impact of Soviet disintegration on Central Asia.

b. Transitional character of socio-economic and political system.
c. Dichotomy between tradition and modernity.
d. Geography of Central Asia.

Module –II – Politics and Society.

a. Institutional aspects of democratization and super Presidentialism.

b. Political parties and politics.
c. Major social issues : Family, youth, gender issues, problems of minorities,
migration.
d. Problems of multi-ethnicism, terrorism and religion.

Module –III – Economy and energy resources.

a. Economic models.
b. Economic development and challenges.
c. Energy resources and national economy.
d. Energy diplomacy.
Module –IV – Geo-Politics and Geo-economics.

a. Great Game and New Great Game.

b. Role of major and regional powers.
c. Energy factor in foreign policy.
d. Non-state actors and Geo-politics.
 Centre For Central Eurasian Studies

Paper – IV Semester – I Credits : 06

Contemporary Trans-Caucasus.
This course aims to introduce the various issues related to Trans-Caucasus. The course covers
socio-economic, political, ethnic issues and politics of energy. This one semester course is divided
into four modules and 16 sessions each.

Module –I Emergence of post-Soviet Trans-Caucasus.

a. Trans-Caucasus during the Soviet era.

b. Soviet disintegration and its impact.
c. Transitional character of socio-political system.
d. Effects of centralized economy.

Module –II – Political system and Social issues.

a. Organs of power system legislature, executive and Judiciary.

b. Political parties and politics.
c. Major social issues- Family, gender problems, youth, migration and minority.
d. Ethnic conflicts Nagorno- Karabakh issue.

Module –III – Economy and energy resources.

a. Economic Models.
b. Economic development and its challenges.
c. Energy resources and national economies.
d. Economic relations with former Soviet republics.

Module –IV – Energy Politics in Tran-Caucasus.

a. Energy resources in the region.

b. Energy pipelines.
c. Politics of energy pipelines.
d. Role of major and regional powers and non-state actors.
 Centre For Central Eurasian Studies

Paper – I Semester – II Credits : 06

Contemporary Central Eurasia : Domestic Issues.

This course aims to discuss domestic issues of Central Eurasia in Post-Soviet era. It will cover major
economic, political, social and other issues. This one semester course is divided into four modules and 16
sessions each.

Module –I Emergence of Central Eurasia and its economy.

a. Disintegration of the Soviet Union and emergence of Post-Soviet Central

Eurasia.
b. Economic issues: Chaos Vs stability, Market economy.
c. Economic reforms, natural resources and economic development.
d. Economies of Central Eurasian states in the context of globalization.

Module –II Politics and governance.

a. Tryst with democracy: evolving democratic institutions.
b. Presidency as an institution of governance.
c. Legislature and Judiciary.
d. Political parties.

Module –III Social issues

a. Economic and political transformations and impact on society.
b. Major social issues. Demographic challenges.
c. Women and gender issues.
d. Education, culture and literature.

Module –IV Ethno-national issues.

a. Major ethnic problems, ethnic identity.
b. Nationalism, terrorism and religious fundamentalism.
c. Nation building travails.
d. Status of minorities.
 Centre For Central Eurasian Studies

Paper – II Semester – II Credits : 06

Economy and Society of Russia

This course aims to discuss and analyse issues related to economy and society of Russia. This one
semester course is divided into four modules and 16 sessions each.

Module –I Disintegration USSR and Russia

a. Soviet economy and society at the time of disintegration.

b. Post-Soviet transition: Chaos Vs stability.
c. Impact of global financial crisis on Russia’s economy and society.
d. Economic reforms and society.

Module –II Economic reforms, resources and capitalism.

a. Natural and mineral resources and Russia’s development.
b. Yeltsin’s reforms.
c. Russia under Putin, reforms carried further.
d. Peculiarities of Russian economy.
Module –III - Issues in Russian society.
a. Emergence of “Neo-Russians”: Oligrachs and Siloviki.
b. Middle class : - gender issues, youth, family values.
c. Crime and corruption. Russian mafia.
d. Demographic issues.
Module –IV- Society and ethno national issues.
a. Nationalism and terrorism.
b. Minority and human Rights.
c. Economic and social disparity.
d. Ethnic identity.
 Centre For Central Eurasian Studies

Paper – III Semester – II Credits : 06

Political System of Russia

Preamble: This course will cover the various aspects of political system of Russia. It aims to introduce the
wave of democratisation in Russia. This one semester course is divided into four modules and 16 sessions
each.

Module –I Political process in Russia.

a. Soviet Disintegration and new wave of democratisation.
b. Transition from one party socialist system to plural multiparty democracy.
c. Managed Vs Sovereign democracy.
d. New Russian constitution and political developments.
Module –II Organs of power in Russia.
a. Russian presidency.
b. Legislature.
c. Judiciary.
d. Regional governors and politics.
Module –III Political parties and pressure groups.
a. Evolution and structure of political parties.
b. Party in power: Phenomena of Russian politics.
c. Elections and political parties.
d. Mass media, NGOs and Civil Society.
Module –IV Russian Federalism.
a. Regions in Russia.
b. Regional disparities
c. Regional cooperation and conflicts.
d. Centre – regions relations.
 Centre For Central Eurasian Studies

Paper – IV Semester – II Credits : 06

Russia in Global Affairs
This course aims to introduce Russian foreign policy since 1991. This course discusses various
aspects of the foreign policy of Russia including its relations with India. This one semester course is
divided into four modules and 16 sessions each.

Module –I Making of Russian foreign policy.

a. Impact of Soviet collapse on Russian foreign policy.

b. Foreign policy making : the constituents.
c. Priorities and objectives of Russia’s foreign policy.
d. Atlanticism, Eurasianism and Nationalism in foreign policy.

Module –II – Russia and Near Abroad

a. Concept of Near Abroad

b. Russia’s relations with former Soviet republics.
c. President Yeltsin and Near Abroad policy.
d. President Putin and Near Abroad policy.

Module –III – Russia between West and East.

a. Russia’s relations with USA, NATO and EU.

b. Russia and west Asia, Asia pacific.
c. Sino-Russian relations.
d. Indo-Russian relations.

Module –IV – Issues in Russian foreign policy.

a. Energy as a tool in foreign policy.

b. Role of terrorism and counter terrorism.
c. Russia and new alliances : SCO, BRICS, RIC.
d. Russia and regional organisations.