VVZ API is not affiliated with ETH Zurich. Data might be outdated or incorrect. Please view the official ETHZ Vorlesungsverzeichnis for binding information.

851-0684-00L 3 Credits BSC , DS , MSC D-GESS

Politics and Power in Eurasia

Lecturers & Examiners: Levan Kakhishvili, Salome Minesashvili
VVZ CR n/a

Last Updated: 2026-06-03 00:07:35

Abstract

This course examines post-Communist Eurasia as a complex regional political space shaped by shared historical legacies, divergent political trajectories, and renewed geopolitical confrontation. Combining perspectives from comparative politics and international relations, the course explores political institutions, economic transformation, identity issues and impact of external actors.

Objective

The course aims to provide students with understanding of the historical context of the post-communist Eurasia as well as to reflect on political, economic, and social processes that were unleashed since the dissolution of the Soviet Union. This will help equip students with necessary tools to better understand the region, which has been under the spotlight particularly after the war in Ukraine. Students will also develop the ability to critically assess how technological capacities, from energy systems to digital platforms, shape political outcomes and state behaviour in the region.

Content

The course is made up of three parts. The first part is introductory and deals with history and context. It covers debates between area studies and comparative politics situating the region at the crossroads of the two. Additionally, the first part also offers students a brief historical survey of Russian empire, the Russian Revolution, and the Soviet Union focusing on the legacies of these entities. Particular attention is paid to the causes of Soviet collapse and how the combination of planned economy and lack of technological advancements shaped the trajectory of Perestroika in the 1980s. The second part of the course covers the issues of post-communist transformation of the region. In this part, student will learn about political institutions such as regimes and parties, processes of democratization, democratic backsliding, and economic transformation, as well as identity politics and intra-state conflicts. Throughout the sessions, students will explore how technological infrastructures, digital media, energy systems, and forms of expertise intersect with power, governance, and identity. Particular focus is given to the rise of digital authoritarianism, surveillance technologies, and the use of social media as tools of both state control and civic resistance. The course also examines how AI-driven tools have transformed the production and spread of propaganda and misinformation, enabling state and non-state actors to manipulate public opinion at scale. Finally, the third part of the course deals with foreign affairs and security. This part covers topics such as regional security, energy politics, Russian foreign policy, competing integration projects and the role of the external actors, such as the EU, USA, China, Iran, and Turkey. Main focus is the war in Ukraine starting from the annexation of Ukraine to full-scale invasion, and its impact on the political processes of the region and beyond by integrating information warfare, digital mobilization, and the broader societal consequences of contemporary technologies in a military conflict. The course concludes by reflecting on how the war in Ukraine has become a laboratory for next-generation warfare, including drone technology, cyber operations, and satellite communications.

General Information

Language
English
Levels
BSC , DS , MSC

Examination

Type
graded semester performance

Registration & Places

Max Places
40

Course Components

Type Title Time & Place Hours
seminar Politics and Power in Eurasia No time listed 2 h weekly

Offered In