PLIR 3770. American-Russian Relations.

Mr. Lynch

Summer Session I, May 15-June 10, 2017.

New Cabell Hall 044

 

This course presents an overview of American-Russian relations. The course is organized along the following lines: historical patterns, cold war legacies, and contemporary issues.

 

 

Books for Purchase (available at the University bookstore):

 

David Foglesong, The American Mission and the Evil Empire

Melvyn Leffler, For the Soul of Mankind

John Lewis Gaddis, The Cold War. A New History

Johnathan Haslam, Russia’s Cold War

Angela Stent, The Limits of Partnership

 

All other readings are available on the course Collab site (“C” = Collab).

 

There will be three take-home essay assignments, as indicated in the schedule of classes below. The first two will each count for 25% each of your final grade, with the final essay counting for 50%. Work will be evaluated according to the extent that it reflects command of the readings and lectures, displays a coherent and incisive analytical faculty, and exhibits sound and original judgment. To receive the grade of A, work will have to be adjudged excellent on all of these criteria. Please remember, the grade of B denotes “good” work. All assignments are open-note, open-book.

 

 

Schedule of Classes

 

Monday, May 15. Introduction to the Course. Historical Patterns, 1775-1881.

Read: J.L. Gaddis, Russia, the Soviet Union & the United States, pp. 1-56 (C); N.N. Bolkhovitinov, Rejection of Alliance with England (Collab); T. Bailey, America Faces Russia, pp. 189-227 (C); John Stoessinger, Nations at Dawn, ch. 8 (C).

 

Tuesday, May 16. Historical Patterns, 1881-1917. The Impact of the Russian Revolution.

Read: D. Foglesong, The American Mission & the Evil Empire, pp. 7-59; Gaddis (C), pp. 57-86; J. Jacobson, Ideological & Political Foundations (C); Robert Browder, Origins of Soviet-American Diplomacy, pp. 3-19 (C); Thomas Bailey, America Faces Russia, pp. 228-250 (C).

 

 

Wednesday, May 17. The Interwar Years, 1920-1941.

Read: Foglesong, pp. 60-81; Gaddis (Collab), pp. 87-118; Bailey (C), pp. 251-161; R. Browder, Origins of Soviet-American Relations, pp. 20-48 (C).

 

 

Thursday, May 18. The Second World War, 1941-1945.

Read: Foglesong, pp. 83-128; V. Zubok, A Failed Empire, pp. 1-28; Gaddis (C), pp. 147-174 (Collab); J. Haslam, Russia’s Cold War, ch. 1.

 

 

Friday, May 19. Origins of the Cold War.

Read: Leffler, pp. 33-96; J.L. Gaddis, The Cold War: A New History, pp. 5-47; Haslam, ch. 2-3

A take-home assignment will be distributed; it is due in class on Monday, May 22.

 

 

Monday, May 22. The Cold War International System.

Read: Gaddis, The Cold War, pp. 48-118, 156-194; Leffler, pp. 97-130; Foglesong, pp. 129-154; G. Stone, Cold War: the Scaremongers (C); Haslam, ch. 4-6.

 

 

Tuesday, May 23. Toward the Cuban Missile Crisis.

Read: Leffler, pp. 151-233; Haslam, ch. 7; W. Taubman, Khrushchev, ch. 19 (C).

 

 

Wednesday, May 24. Showing of the Film, “Thirteen Days.”

Students will write a critique of the film in light of relevant readings in the course. The critique is due in class on Monday, June 1.

 

Thursday, May 25. Détente.

Read: Gaddis, Cold War, pp. 119-155; Foglesong, pp. 155-173; Haslam, ch. 8; R. Garthoff, Détente & Confrontation (C).

 

Friday, May 26. Human Rights and the Collapse of Détente, 1977-1981.

Read: Haslam, ch. 9-10; Leffler, pp. 234-337.

 

Tuesday, May 30. Reagan and Gorbachev: Testing the Victory Thesis.

Read: Foglesong, pp. 174-95; Gaddis, The Cold War, pp. 195-236; J. Matlock, A Common Agenda (C); Haslam, ch. 11.

 

Wednesday, May 31. Ending the Cold War, 1987-1991.

Read: Haslam, ch. 12; Gaddis, Cold War, pp. 237-266; Leffler, pp. 338-450; A. Stent, Limited Partnership, pp. 1-12; M. Haas, The United States & the End of the Cold War (C).

 

Thursday, June 1. The Liberal Moment in American-Russian Relations, 1992-1996.

Read: Foglesong, pp. 196-229; J. Stiglitz, Who Lost Russia? (C); S. Mendelsohn, Democratic Assistance & Political Transition in Russia (C).

 

Friday, June 2. Return to Realism: NATO Expansion and its Consequences.

Read: A. Lynch, The Realism of Russian Foreign Policy (Collab); Stent, pp. 13-48; S. Cohen, A Failed Crusade (C); W. Zimmerman, The Russian People & Foreign Policy (C).

 

Monday, June 5. Impact of September 11, 2001 on American-Russian Relations.

Read: Stent, pp. 49-96; L. Shevtsova, Lost in Transition, ch. 18-21 (C); T. Ambrosio, Russo-American Dispute over Iraq (C).

 

Tuesday, June 6. The Road to War in Georgia.

Read: Stent, pp. 97-176; T. Ambrosio, Insulating Russia from a Color Revolution (C); Andrei P. Tsygankov, ch.6, “’Expansionism by Habit & American Security,” in Andrei P. Tsygankov, Russophobia (2009), pp. 117-135 (C); Dmitri Trenin, Russia Leaves the West (C).

 

Wednesday, June 7. The Obama Reset: Achievements and Limits.

Read: Stent, pp. 177-274; A. Kuchins, The Obama Administration’s Reset Button (C).

 

Thursday, June 8. Anti-Americanism in Russian Politics and Foreign Policy.

Read: D. Treisman & A. Shleifer, Why Russia Says No (C); A. Tsygankov, Russophobia (C); D. Trenin, Russia Leaves the West (C).  

 

Friday, June 9. The Ukraine Crisis in American-Russian Relations.

Read: Stent, pp. 275-306; J. Mearsheimer, Why the Ukraine Crisis is the West’s Fault (C); Robert Legvold, “Managing the New Cold War,” Foreign Affairs, July/August 2014, at: www.foreignaffairs.com/issues/2014/93/4; Alexander Lukin, “What the Kremlin is Thinking,” Foreign Affairs, July/August 2014, at: www.foreignaffais.com/issues/2014/94/4;  Emma Ashford, “Not-so Smart Sanctions,” Foreign Affairs, January-February 2016, pp. 114-123 (C). 

 

A final take-home essay will be distributed. It is due at my office (397 Gibson) by 1 pm, Monday, June 12.