FYE 101 - Putin’s Russia

Across the globe in the last decade, the world has seen a rise in populist movements. Hungary, Poland, Italy, even Britain and the United States have seen authoritarian figures swept into power on a wave of resentment over economic inequality and xenophobia. Interestingly enough, Russia experienced a similar movement, just much earlier. Vladimir Putin has maintained power in Russia for the last 20 years partly by harnessing such feelings and even stoking them abroad. In this class, we will examine the history of Putin’s rise to power, the cultural environment it has produced, and the furtive democratic moments that have risen to meet it. Among other things, we’ll look at the fall of the Soviet Union, the rise of Vladimir Putin, Russia’s political meddling, Pussy Riot and Alexei Navalny.

Credits 1

Compass Attributes
First Year Experience