What are the persistent drivers of Russian foreign policy? Why do western observers often fail to predict and correctly interpret Russia's international behavior? This class introduces students to Russia's view on international relations and its role in the world, illustrating it with historical case studies and archival documents. The course considers the key Western biases with regard to Russian foreign policy and offers alternative approaches to interpreting the Kremlin's international behavior. 

 [Teadching Evaluations]

What does the security landscape look like from the Kremlin’s window? This discussion-based undergraduate seminar covers 12 topics in Russia’s national security that help to answer this question. These include: how geography affects Russia’s security, relations with the West, Russia’s sphere of influence, the war in Ukraine, internal security threats, corruption, Russia’s security toolkit, “hybrid” warfare, information security, and nuclear strategy. The goal of this seminar is to familiarize participants with how officials in Moscow view Russia's threat environment, identify security priorities, and decide which means to employ for their achievement. The collection of class materials relies heavily on sources published after 2014. Original government documents and leadership statements translated into English provide a first-hand perspective on Russia’s security thinking.

[Syllabus]

At the core of my teaching approach is connecting the class knowledge to current events in international politics. For the discussion sections in International Relations, I encouraged students to analyze current news reports by using the theories discussed in class. In teaching evaluations, students noted that they found applying their knowledge to real life events useful and stimulating. I employ various discussion techniques to engage students with different learning preferences.

 

[Teaching Evaluations]