Religion, State and Politics in Modern Russia - JTM580

• Title: Religion, State and Politics in Modern Russia
• Czech title: Náboženství, stát a politika v moderním Rusku
• Guaranteed by: Department of Russian and East European Studies (23-KRVS)
• Faculty: Faculty of Social Sciences
• Actual: from 2024
• Semester: summer
• E-Credits: 6
• Examination process: summer s.:
• Hours per week, examination: summer s.:1/1, Ex [HT]
• Capacity: unlimited / unknown (15)
• Min. number of students: 5
• 4EU+: no
• Virtual mobility / capacity: no
• State of the course: taught
• Language: English
• Teaching methods: full-time
• Note: course can be enrolled in outside the study plan; enabled for web enrollment; priority enrollment if the course is part of the study plan
• Guarantor: Dr. Dmitry Dubrovskiy
• Teacher(s): Dr. Dmitry Dubrovskiy
• Class: Courses for incoming students

Annotation

This course examines the evolving relationship between religious institutions and the state in Russia from the late Imperial period to the present. We will explore how religion and politics have intersected in modern Russia and how these intersections continue to shape Russian society, governance, and cultural identity today. We will discuss the difference between cultural and religious identity, attitude to the religious institutions, and impact of the dramatic changes of 90 th to the religious tolerance in Russia. At the same time, we will trace the dynamics of the relationship between ROC and Russian state, and the role of other big religious institutions in the creating the current political regime. At the same time, we will explore the topic on the role of ROC in conservative turn in Russian policy, and its attitude to human rights.

By reading scholarly works and analyzing primary sources (documents, speeches, media), students will gain insight into how religious institutions—particularly the Russian Orthodox Church, but also Islam, Judaism, and other confessions—have adapted to and influenced Russian state policies and political life. A special focus will be made on religious minorities, counter-extremism and securitization of the religious policy.

Last update: Dubrovskiy Dmitry, Dr. (05.02.2025)

Aim of the course

By the end of this course, students should be able to:

1. Identify key developments in the relationship between the Russian state and religious institutions throughout modern Russian history

2. Analyze how political ideologies, legal frameworks, and societal changes have affected religious life and institutions in Russia

3. Evaluate the impact of religious organizations on Russian social and political structures in the current context

4. Interpret a range of primary and secondary sources to form evidence-based arguments about religion-state dynamics in Russia.

5. Communicate nuanced perspectives on topics related to religious pluralism, church-state collaboration, and controversies surrounding religious legislation and practice.

6. Analyze how Russian state policy affected different religious groups: in the field of identity politics (education), security (counter-extremism), and civil society (policy to religious minorities)

Last update: Dubrovskiy Dmitry, Dr. (05.02.2025)

Literature

Primary Textbooks:

• Balzer, M.M. Religion and Politics in Russia: A Reader, Routledge, 2015
• Fagan, G. Believing in Russia: Religious Policy After Communism, Routledge, 2013.
• Johnson, Juliet, Marietta Stepaniants, and Benjamin Forest. Religion and identity in modern Russia: The revival of Orthodoxy and Islam. Routledge, 2017.
• Köllner, Tobias. Religion and politics in contemporary Russia: Beyond the binary of power and authority. Routledge, 2020
• Knox, Zoe. Russian society and the Orthodox church: Religion in Russia after communism. Routledge, 2004.
• Madeley, John TS, and Zsolt Enyedi, eds. Church and state in contemporary Europe: the chimera of neutrality. Psychology Press, 2003.
• Papkova, Irina. The Orthodox church and Russian politics. Woodrow Wilson Center, 2011.
• Richters, Katja. The Post-Soviet Russian Orthodox Church: Politics, Culture and Greater Russia. Routledge, 2012.
• Simons, Gregory, Eric Shiraev, and Marat Shterin, eds. Islam in Russia: Religion, Politics, and Society. Lynne Rienner Publishers, 2023.
• Stoeckl, Kristina. The Russian Orthodox church and human rights. Routledge, 2014.

Last update: Dubrovskiy Dmitry, Dr. (05.02.2025)

Teaching methods

This course is based on lectures and seminars. Seminars are devoted to the discussion of literature and students' presentations. The special method used is the flipped classroom.

Last update: Dubrovskiy Dmitry, Dr. (05.02.2025)

Requirements to the exam

1. Attendance and Participation (15%)
Students are expected to attend all classes, participate in discussions, and contribute thoughtfully to group activities. No unexcused absences allowed.

2. Reading Responses (20%)
Students will submit brief (1–2 pages) reflective responses to weekly readings before the class.
These should demonstrate engagement with the texts and pose critical questions.

3. Portfolio (20%)
This is the preliminary bibliography to the Research paper, with short annotations and role of particular text in in the student’s argument.

4. Final Presentation (20%)

Each student will present their research findings to the class, highlighting key arguments, sources, and insights. Presentations should be approximately 10–12 minutes, followed by Q&A.

5. Research Paper (25%)
A 10–12 page paper on a topic of the student’s choice, related to religion, state, and politics in modern Russia. Students must use both primary and secondary sources and apply course concepts to form a coherent argument. A proposal and annotated bibliography (portfolio) will be due mid-semester.

Last update: Bartůšek Jaroslav, Bc. (06.01.2025)

Syllabus

Week 1: Introduction to the Course and Key Concepts. Historical foundation – Religion in Imperial Russia and Soviet Union.

• Overview of course structure, objectives, and requirements. Defining religion, state, and politics in comparative perspective. State-Church relations in Europe
• Reading – Madeley, ch. 1-2.

Week 2: In class discussion: What makes Russia’s religious and political context unique?

• Reading: Balzer, 3-16.
• Johnson, Stepaniants, Forest. Religion and Politics in Post-Soviet Russia, Ch. 2

Week 3: Religion in Russian Empire and USSR and the historical legacy. Religious diversity in the 90s.

• The Church’s rapid resurgence; institutional challenges and opportunities. Secular state and Soviet legacy. The Russian Orthodox Church in the 1990s. New religious movements
• Reading: Papkov, Ch. 2 Fagan, 3

Week 4: Islam and Other Religions in Modern Russia

• Demographics and distribution of Muslim communities. Islam and nationalism. Islam in Chechnya and Chechen wars. Government policies toward religious minorities and non-Orthodox Christian groups.
• Reading: Simons, Shiryaev, Shterin, Ch 1

Week 5: Church-State Relations Under Putin

• Legal framework: the 1997 Law on Freedom of Conscience and Religious Associations. State support and “privileged status” of the Russian Orthodox Church
• Reading: Stoeckl, Kristina. "Three models of church-state relations in contemporary Russia." In Constitutions and Religion, pp. 237-251. Edward Elgar Publishing, 2020; Richters, Ch.3

Week 6: New and “old” religious minorities in Russia. Judicialization of religion in Russia.

• Reading: Shterin, Marat. "New religions in the new Russia." In New Religious Movements in the Twenty-First Century, pp. 99-116. Routledge, 2004.
• Laruelle, Marlene. "Conspiracy and Alternate History in Russia: A Nationalist Equation for Success?". The Russian Review 71, no. 4 (2012): 565-580.

Week 7 Religion and Foreign Policy.

• The ROC as a tool of soft power. Religious diplomacy and post-Soviet space. ROC and Orthodoxy in the post-Soviet space. Russian Orthodox Church abroad and its role in the ROC foreign policy.
• Reading: Richter, Ch.5 (Estonia). Ch.6 (Ukraine)

Week 8. ROC and national identity politics.

• Reading: Admiraal, Beth. "A religion for the nation or a nation for the religion? Putin’s third way for Russia."; In Russian Nationalism and the National Reassertion of Russia, pp. 223-237. Routledge, 2009.

Week 9. ROC and other “traditional religions” and Russian education.

• Reading: Blinkova, A. and Vermeer, P., 2018. Religious education in Russia: a comparative and critical analysis. British Journal of Religious Education, 40(2), pp.194-206.
• Köllner, Tobias. "Patriotism, Orthodox religion and education: empirical findings from contemporary Russia."Religion, State & Society 44, no. 4 (2016): 366-386.
• Jakimova, Olʹga. "A decade of religious education in Russian schools: adrift between plans and experiences". PONARS Eurasia policy memo (2020).

Week 10: ROC and human rights

• Church involvement in social and political issues (e.g., LGBTQ+ rights, education). Blasphemy laws and the debate over freedom of expression. Pussy riot case
• Reading: Stoeckl. Ch 3-4, Richters, Ch 1

Week 11. Religion and violence.

• Religious extremism and “religious extremism”. Counterextremism and religious minorities.
• Reading: Du Quenoy, Irina, and Dmitry Dubrovskiy. "Violence and the Defense of ‘Traditional Values’ in the Russian Federation." Religion and violence in Russia: context, manifestations, and policy (2018): 93-116.
• Shterin, Marat, and Dmitry Dubrovsky. "Academic expertise and anti-extremism litigation in Russia: Focusing on minority religions." The soviet and post-soviet review 46, no. 2 (2019): 211-236.

Week 12 ROC and other “traditional religions and Ukraine war.

• Reading: Skladanowski, Marcin, and Cezary Smuniewski. "The Secularism of Putin’s Russia and Patriarch Kirill’s Church: The Russian Model of State–Church Relations and Its Social Reception." Religions 14, no. 1 (2023): 119.
• Horsfjord, Vebjørn L. "Patriarch and patriot: history in Patriarch Kirill’s sermons in the first year of the full-scale war in Ukraine." Religion, State & Society (2024): 1-16.

Course Policies

• Attendance: More than two unexcused absences may result in a lower grade.
• Academic Integrity: Students must adhere to the university’s honor code. Plagiarism or cheating will result in a failing grade for the assignment (or possibly the course).
• Late Assignments: Unless otherwise stated, late submissions will incur a penalty of 5% per day.
• Technology: Laptops and tablets may be used for notetaking and reference only. Cell phones must remain silent during class.

Contact and Office Hours

• Instructor: Dmitry Dubrovskiy
• Office Location: Jinonice, C319
• Office Hours: Tuesday, 10.00-13.00
• Email: [e-mail]

Last update: Dubrovskiy Dmitry, Dr. (05.02.2025)