Russia and the Post-
1. Environment: Economic development has taken precedence over environmental concerns in Russia and the post-
How did Soviet authorities regard the problem of urban and industrial pollution?
Describe two cities discussed in this region that are particularly contaminated by pollution, and describe the sources of pollution in each case.
What factors led to the shrinking of the Aral Sea?
Why is Central Asia especially vulnerable to climate change?
2. Globalization and Development: After the fall of the Soviet Union, economic reforms and globalization changed patterns of development in this region. Wealth disparity increased and jobs were lost as many Communist-
Who has gained the most from recent economic growth in Russia?
Discuss the evidence that Russia’s natural resources are becoming the foundation of a new role for Russia in the global economy and in regional politics.
How does Central Asia’s geographic situation affect the export of its energy resources?
Why is the informal sector of the economy important in this region?
What kinds of spaces produce most of the agricultural output of the region?
3. Power and Politics: This region has a long history of authoritarianism. While there is some pressure to expand political freedoms, there are still few opportunities for the public to influence the political process. Elected representative bodies often act as rubber stamps for very strong presidents and exercise only limited influence on policy making.
Who led the color revolutions, who funded them, and why?
Why might the conflict in Ukraine in 2014 be seen as a revival of Cold War tensions? In what ways is it different from Cold War conflicts?
How has Russia’s history of expansion into neighboring lands influenced the political geography of the region?
What impact did Vladimir Putin’s rise to power have on the media?
4. Urbanization: A few large cities in Russia and Central Asia are growing fast, fueled by the expansion of energy exports. Elsewhere, many cities are suffering from a lack of investment and maintenance as their economies struggle in the post-
How are the reasons for housing shortages today different from those of the Soviet era?
What type of city are most capitals of this region?
What relics of Communist-
What factors hold back economic growth in the huge industrial cities located in Siberia and along the Pacific coast?
What has fueled recent urbanization in Central Asia?
5. Population and Gender: Populations are shrinking in many parts of the region due largely to lower birth rates and declines in life expectancy. These changes relate to consistently high levels of participation by women in the workforce and to the economic decline in the 1990s that followed the collapse of the Soviet Union. Men and women have been affected differently in the post-
What Soviet-
How does life expectancy vary according to gender in this region?
How does alcohol use relate to male life expectancy in Russia?
How and why has access to health care and other social services changed for so many in this region since the fall of the USSR?