Borderland Security in Uncertain Times: post-Russia's Invasion of Ukraine

This course examines the new geopolitical reality in borderland regions created by Russia’s attack on Ukraine and asks the questions, “How do borderlands perceive and respond to the new security situation?” and “What happens after the war ends?” Personal, professional, and official tries with Russia are under immense strain, which is impacting relations negatively. Thus, by looking through multiple lenses at actors such as local non-governmental organisations, media outlets, local environmentalists, and ordinary citizens, the present situation is explored with reference to borderland security and the future paths forward for (renewing) relations once the war ends.

Course leader

Paul Fryer (paul.fryer@uef.fi) and Henrik Nielsen (henrik.nielsen@uef.fi)

Target group

Bachelor, Master

Course aim

This special course aims to provide students with a current understanding of the new geopolitical reality that has emerged in Europe and Finland since the beginning of the current war, which has had a domino effect of consequences on almost every country, including the Finnish-Russian borderlands, which will be high-lighted during this summer school. In regions bordering Russia across Europe everything from local cross-border co-operation, trade, personal and tourist trips to Russia, increas-ing inter-ethnic suspicions and research projects have come to a halt while politicians debate new security measures, which in Finland has led to the country seeking NATO membership and building a border fence. By the end of this course, students will have insight to the various ways that the war has affected the definition and implementation of borderland security and how different actors see the future of Finnish/European-Russian relations. Students will acquire skills to better contextualise the effects of Rus-sia’s actions and Europe’s responses. This will, in turn, improve students’ understanding of the current geopolitical situation and ability to navigate a changing contemporary Eu-rope.

Credits info

5 EC
ECTS

Fee info

EUR 500: Course fee. The fee for UEF partner university students is 400 e.
EUR 200: The course fee for exchange students starting at UEF in autumn 2023.

Scholarships

Not available.