Designed to give participants new insight into the country today, Contemporary Russia explores regional geopolitical developments and diplomacy, economic and political reforms under Vladimir Putin, the role of the mass media in society, and new cultural phenomena shaping today’s Russia.
While events in Russia since the 1991 dissolution of the Soviet Union have often filled headlines and captured the attention of western observes, few have a full understanding of their meaning, their causes, and their larger social and historical contexts. This four-week summer program is designed to give participants new insights into Russia today. Through readings and intensive coursework in the form of lectures, seminars, and discussions conducted with faculty of Moscow International University, program participants gain a fuller understanding of the complex factors that have shaped Russia’s evolution since the Gorbachev regime and the final days of the USSR. Topics include Russia under Putin; the conflict with Ukraine; sanctions and the Russian economy; the role of mass media; elections and opposition figures. All content courses are conducted in English.