Russia's historical research goes through changes. One of the key findings has been a new perspective to the research of the Cold War. Earlier this field was dominated by the western-oriented research of history of international relations and diplomacy. Instead of the old (western, super power) bipolar viewpoint, the new research concentrates on eastern perspective and focuses on the levels and actors below the super power and block politics. The assessment of actors and their relations from the eastern viewpoint has changed the perception especially towards the role of the Soviet Union during the Cold War.

The picture of the rest of the world's impact on the internal development of Russia has altered when a new perspective and a longer time span are examined. Interaction and cooperation, transfer of knowledge and learning has become new themes of the research of Russian history. This course introduces the history of the Soviet Union/ Russia in the light of these new findings. Russian history is filled with different continuums, interruptions, new beginnings and changes. Now their significance may be re-evaluated. The lecture examines the history of the Soviet Union to the modern Russia; from Khrushchev and Cold War to Medvedev's policies and economic aspects of the contemporary Russia. Common themes, such as the modernization, will be considered in the course.

The course is organized in cooperation with Aleksanteri Institute's Russian and East European Master's School.