Andrea Chandler talks about her course Reconstruction and Transformation in Europe and Eurasia.

PSCI 3209 Reconstruction and Transformation in Europe and Eurasia, fall 2021, taught by Professor Andrea Chandler. This course considers the politics of the countries of the former Soviet Union, including Russia, Ukraine, Georgia, and twelve others. It also will include selected examples of countries of the former socialist East bloc, such as Hungary and Poland. This part of the world has experienced dramatic political changes in the last 30-40 years: the collapse of the Soviet state; the new-found independence of fifteen former republics; the building of new regimes, some democratic and some authoritarian. In some locales, sharp contestation emerged over ethnicity, identity and nationalism. Students who are interested in human rights, elections, and regional conflict will find those themes covered in the course, as they are prominent issues of contention in this part of the world. We will discuss some of the events that have made headlines in the past year, including:
- The renewed conflict between Armenia and Azerbaijan over the Nagorno-Karabakh territory,
- The contested election of 2020 in Belarus,
- The often tense relationships between Russia and its neighbours, including Ukraine and Georgia,
- The impact of COVID-19 on politics in this region.
Students who enrol in the course are not expected to have previous background in studying Russia or the former Soviet Union; background context and relevant contents will be discussed in the early weeks of the course. Students who have questions, feel free to contact Professor Andrea Chandler at [e-mail]