2024/2025

BRICS+ Economies and Russia:Prospects for the development and cooperation

Type: Optional course (university)

Delivered by: School of International Affairs

When: 3, 4 module

Open to: everyone

Instructors: Ninel Seniuk

Language: English

ECTS credits: 3

Course Syllabus

Abstract

The group of BRICS+ countries as an informal, but with its own developed institutional architecture group of states, with significant and rapidly growing potential for a soft transformation of economic and social reality. BRICS+ group represents a unique global political and economic phenomenon that attracts close attention from both theorists and experts. Especially taking into account the results of the XV BRICS summit held in August 2023 in Johannesburg and the expansion of the number of members of this group to BRICS+ from January 1, 2024. There are three main goals of this course. First, the course will provide a survey of the recent literature on the economies of the BRICS+ countries as well as the origins, dynamics and problems of development and economic integration in this group. Second, each student will choose one country from the BRICS+ group and explore it economy and prospects for the development and cooperation with other BRICS+ countries in depth, both learning the details of their specific relations, and understanding how to apply the analytical framework of country analysis they learn in the course to a particular BRICS+ member of choosing. Students will also learn broadly about other aspects of development of BRICS+ economies through readings in the syllabus. The course will draw attention to national economic models of each BRICS+ country and BRICS+ economies in general, also on prospects for further development and cooperation in the group and the Russian view of group membership. Third, students will learn critical thinking and writing skills, which will be developed through the essay and assignments. This course has a successful history of implementation in the Master's program "International Relations in Eurasia" at the Faculty of World Economy and International Affairs and has received a high positive assessment from the students who took it.

Learning Objectives

• Understanding the recent literature on BRICS+ Economies and the origins, dynamics, and problems of their development as a group.
• Gaining knowledge about BRICS+ Economies and prospects for the development and cooperation with other countries in depth, both learning the details of their specific relations and perspectives of multilateral economic cooperation within the group.
• The course will examine in detail the prospects for the formation of BRICS+ as a new core of multipolar world.
• Improving critical thinking and writing skills, which will be developed through the essay and annual assignments.

Expected Learning Outcomes

• The students will learn methodology and skills in analysis of economic and political problems of the formation and development of the BRICS+ countries, in the conditions of the modern institutional framework of a multipolar world.
• The students will learn and will be able to independently apply gained knowledge to the analysis of modern problems in the development of the economies of the BRICS+ countries.
• The students will understand foundations of project-oriented thinking and competencies in multi-level analysis of problems of global, regional and national policies and economies.

Course Contents

• Section I. Reasons for the creation and development of the BRICS. From BRICS to BRICS +. BRICS+ countries in the global political economy.
• Section II. Common features and differences of national socio-economic models of BRICS+ countries.
• Section III. The institutional basis for interaction between the BRICS+ countries and prospects for their sustainable development.
• Section IV. BRICS + economies and Russia.
• Section V. Problems and prospects for the political and economic development of the BRICS+ countries.

Assessment Elements

• Case Study Assignment
  To help students to apply some of the material they read into practice, each student will focus on one country from BRICS+ group and will apply the information learned in class to this country national model, the nature of the rapid economic transformations this country is currently undergoing and most resent economic policy strategies, the role of choosing country in BRICS+. Students are entirely responsible for selecting and researching this particular case. Case Study will be 12-15 pages (double-spaced, 12-point font) and will focus on applying the nature of the rapid economic transformations of chosen economy from BRICS+ and this country role in the group.
• Presentation
  Students are expected to present BRICS+ economy paper, part descriptive, part analytical, with PowerPoint and no more than 12 minutes, followed by questions.
• In-class quizzes
  In-class quizzes – the form of group discussions, with a focus on (i) analyzing the basic documents, (ii) clarifying the arguments of each author, (iii) critiquing the argument, and (iv) proposing alternatives, either in terms of research design, structure, evidence, logic, etc.
• Essay
  Students are expected to write the Essay (around 1000 words including references) related to any aspect of the course regularly (approximately once a week). The Essay will help students to apply some of the material they read into practice. It can be a critical review of the existing literature or analysis of the basic document, critiquing or clarification of each authors arguments or proposing alternatives. The essay should present coherent analysis with a clear argument and represent the author’s expertise and knowledge on the topic and should include at least 3 items in the list of academic references.

Interim Assessment

• 2024/2025 4th module
  0.35 * Case Study Assignment + 0.25 * Essay + 0.2 * In-class quizzes + 0.2 * Presentation

Bibliography

Recommended Core Bibliography

• O’Neill, J. (2011). The Growth Map : Economic Opportunity in the BRICs and Beyond. New York: Portfolio. Retrieved from http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&site=eds-live&db=edsebk&AN=1126696

Recommended Additional Bibliography

• Jing Gu, Alex Shankland, & Anuradha Chenoy. (2016). The BRICS in International Development. Palgrave Macmillan.

Authors

• Seniuk NINEL Iurevna