OSHER 379 - Putin's Russia: "The Less You Know, The Better You Sleep"

The subtitle of this course is a Russian proverb that describes well the prevailing head-in-the-sand attitude and survival mode that many Russians currently hold. But, of course, our goal in this course will be to learn more about what makes Russia, its political figures, and its common people tick. We will discuss political, economic, demographic, social, and cultural developments inside Russia, its role in the international arena, and Russia-U.S. relations. We will also scrutinize the workings of Putin's regime and question what holds him in power for longer than any leader since Stalin. We will examine individual attitudes and demographic processes that shape Russian society. With rapidly changing events, the course will be news-oriented and will aim to cover the latest developments.