Master
2021/2022
Demographic Development and Migration in the Post-Soviet Space
Type:
Elective course (Politics. Economics. Philosophy)
Area of studies:
Political Science
Delivered by:
Department of Demography
Where:
Faculty of Social Sciences
When:
1 year, 1, 2 module
Mode of studies:
offline
Open to:
students of one campus
Master’s programme:
Политика. Экономика. Философия
Language:
English
ECTS credits:
6
Contact hours:
52
Course Syllabus
Abstract
This discipline is devoted to the brief history of the population and the description of the current demographic situation and processes (fertility, mortality, nuptiality) in Russia and the whole Post-Soviet territory. Also, the course includes not only description but the causal relation and explanations from different theories of the observed phenomenon. In the course, we will pay attention to the main social, economic and political consequences of the abovementioned processes for the certain territory of the former USSR (countries and regions within the countries) and even neighbour countries. The demographic and functional projections for the territories future development will be demonstrated to the students and discussed with them. The main parts included in the course will be devoted to the following topics. Development of Russia and its population within pre-Soviet, Soviet and post-Soviet time. Current population structures and the influence of historical events, social and economic policy on them as well as on the demographic behaviour of the whole territory inhabitants. Demographic transition in the Post-Soviet space, the main reasons for its realization and postponement. The trends of demographic behaviour in modern Russia and neighbour countries. Mortality in Russia in the context of other countries with higher and the same level of development. The Soviet mortality patterns. Mortality in post-Soviet countries (visualization and analysis). The role of healthcare and social policy and social factors in the Soviet and Russian mortality model. The prospective of the demographic and epidemiological transitions in the former Soviet-Union completed. Reproductive behaviour of Russians in the context of other countries. Fertility in post-Soviet countries (clustering and analysis). Matrimonial behaviour of Russians in the context of other countries. Population policies as the answers to challenges and the variety of the population policies at the post-Soviet territories (from family to security policy). Introduction to the main problems of the migration and integration studies, the existing literature and to the state of research on the topic; to introduce them to variations both in state approaches to the problems of migrants and ethnic minorities and their self-organisation; to give the students the basic methods for comparative analysis of migration, migration and integration policy. After the introduction to the main definitions and methods used in migration studies, several topics will be observed more in details. The migration flows from the historical prospectives within the Soviet Union. The situation within the post-Soviet space after the collapse of the USSR. Current trends in the migration flows on the territory: migration to Russia in the context of the other neighbored countries, the changing of migration attractiveness centres – the reasons and consequences. The role of Russia as the main migration centre of the former USSR and the stability of the Russian position. Internal migration within Russia, the main trends and gradients Migration policy within the Post-Soviet space: a history of the policy since 1990-s till now. The reaction of the population and political actors on the migrants, the migration policy agenda and the factors influencing it. The integration of migrants – a long way to the finding of the optimal solution. Demographic projections and prospective development of the Post-Soviet territories.