By the end of this course students will:

a) Have a good general knowledge of the major approaches to the study and analysis of post-Soviet period, theoretical and methodological debates on post-Soviet transition.

b) Have basic introductory knowledge on each post-Soviet Central Asian country.

c) Be able to identify similarities and differences among Central Asian states and societies.

d) Develop oral and written skills.

The course will engage in interactive discussions. The focus will be on fostering conceptual and critical thinking, developing logical, coherent and well-supported arguments and elaborating on ideas and concepts. The course will also help students to do research and to write research essays using library and internet resources.