With no clear end in sight to the crisis in Ukraine, European actors (both states and multilateral
institutions) are struggling to come to terms with an increasingly assertive and destabilizing Russian
power. This is Europe's greatest geopolitical challenge since the collapse of communism 25 years
ago. How this challenge is met and with what degree of success or failure will have a consequential
impact on Europe's internal stability and its viability as a global presence in the 21st century. The
stakes are equally high for Putin's Russia which is in a race against time to expand Russia's sphere of influence before structural weaknesses undermine the country's capacities. At the center of the
storm lies Ukraine, a country facing an unprecedented situation to introduce consequential
economic and political reforms while at war and under the threat of losing substantial portions of its
territory.
Going beyond the headlines, this course will provide students with an overview of the background
context to the crisis. We will also examine the underlying causes and consider the consequences.
Readings will focus on Ukrainian history, recently published scholarly analyses of the crisis, and on the domestic conditions that underlie and inform geo-strategic decision-making.
Requirements include: a seminar presentation, two short essays (5-7pp) and one longer seminar
paper (12-15pp).
