Short annotation
The main purpose of the curriculum in the discipline "Traditional Belarusian culture, modern economy and legislation" is to provide foreign students with country-specific knowledge about Belarus, necessary for their adaptation and successful study in the country.
To achieve this goal, the program provides for the solution of a number of tasks:
- study of the geopolitical situation and natural potential of the Republic of Belarus;
- study of socio-demographic factors and cultural characteristics of the country;
- consideration of the structural and territorial features of the economic development of Belarus;
- familiarization with the peculiarities of the country's legal system.
The content of this course is a synthesis of knowledge of a wide range of academic disciplines, including political, physical and socio-economic geography, history, cultural studies, economics and law of Belarus.
At the end of the educational course, students should know:
- features of the geopolitical situation and natural potential of the Republic of Belarus;
- the main stages of the Belarusian history;
- demographic, social and cultural features of Belarus;
- key features of the development of the Belarusian economy;
- fundamentals of the Belarusian legal system;
Students should be able to::
- assess the geopolitical situation of the Republic of Belarus, its natural potential;
- to investigate demographic and socio-cultural factors of the country's development;
- to analyze the economic potential of Belarus;
To achieve these goals and objectives, active and interactive teaching methods will be used in the course of lectures, using modern information technologies. Practical classes will be held in the form of educational excursions to the objects of history and culture of Belarus. In the process of mastering the curriculum, various learning tools are used, including multimedia tools and Internet resources.
This program is designed for 34 hours, including 22 hours of lectures and 12 hours of practical classes
Programme Content
Topic 1: The geopolitical situation and administrative-territorial division of the Republic of Belarus:
The position of the country of Belarus on the map of Europe. The size and shape of the territory. The capital of the country.
The distance from Minsk to the biggest cities of the country and the capitals of neighboring states.
Neighboring countries and relations with them. The Union State of Russia and Belarus.
The administrative-territorial structure of Belarus.
Topic 2: The natural environment and resources
Topographic and climatic features of Belarus. The influence of natural conditions on the economic and social development of the country.
The country's land fund. Structural and territorial features of the hydrographic network of Belarus.
The availability of water resources. Mineral waters and therapeutic mud. Soils, vegetation and wildlife of Belarus.
Environmental problems. Consequences of the Chernobyl disaster. Structure and geography of specially protected natural areas.
Topic 3: The historical development of Belarus
The main stages of the history of the Belarusian people.
The first principalities on the territory of Belarus.
The Grand Duchy of Lithuania.
The Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth.
The Belarusian lands as part of the Russian Empire.
Foundation of the Byelorussian Soviet Socialist Republic.
The Soviet period of the history of Belarus.
Belarus during the Second World War.
The collapse of the USSR and gaining independence.
The main historical events at the turn of the XX and XXI centuries.
Topic 4: Demographic situation in Belarus
Historical aspects of the demographic situation in the country. Population size. Fertility, mortality and natural growth. Age and sex structure of the population.
Ethnic and linguistic structure of the country. Interethnic relations. Diversity and geography of religions and their position in modern Belarusian society.
Distribution of the population on the territory of the country. The level and dynamics of the urbanization. Big cities and small towns. Rural population.
Territorial and structural features of internal and external migrations. Migration policy of the state.
Topic 5: Level and quality of life of the population
The place of Belarus in the world ranking "Human Development Index". GDP per capita. Average life expectancy. The level of education.
Indicators of income of the population and their differentiation by industries and regions of the country. The structure of public spending. Pension provision. Social policy of the state. Social problems.
Topic 6: The traditional culture of Belarusians
Historical features of the Belarusian culture. Daily life of the population. Traditional housing. Clothes of Belarusians. Folk cuisine. Labor activity. Family relations and parenting. Folklore. The mentality of Belarusians.
Modern cultural life of Belarus. Visual art. Literature. Belarusian language. Music. Festivals. Theatre. Movie. Museums.
Sports life of Belarus.
Topic 7: Economic development of Belarus in the XXI century
The level, dynamics, trends and key features of the country's economic development at the beginning of the XXI century. Indicators of the volume and dynamics of the gross domestic product of Belarus Structural and geographical features of economic development.
The country's place in the international division of labor.
The position of Belarus in terms of key economic indicators in the world.
The main problems of economic development. Economic policy of the state.
Topic 8: The development of primary and secondary sectors of the economy
The role of the agricultural sector. Natural factors for agriculture. Organization of agricultural production.
The sectoral structure and geographical features of the development of branches and individual productions of plant and animal husbandry. The degree of food security of the population.
Provision of Belarus with different types of fuel. Structural and geographical features of the traditional electric power industry. The level, dynamics and structure of alternative energy. State policy to ensure the energy security of the country.
The role of the manufacturing industry. The level, dynamics, trends, problems and prospects of the development of the main industries. Metallurgy and mechanical engineering.
Chemical industry. Light and food industries.
Topic 9: The development of the tertiary sector of the economy
Economic and social significance of transport in Belarus. The level, trends, structural and geographical features of the development of the main modes of transport.
Characteristics of railway transport. Road transport. Air transport. Urban transport.
Social and economic importance of tourism for the country. State policy on the development of domestic and international tourism.
Natural recreational resources. Historical and cultural tourist resources. Tourism infrastructure.
The level, dynamics, trends, problems and prospects, structural and territorial features of the development of domestic and international tourism. The most popular tourism centres of international importance.
Topic 10: International economic relations
The importance of international economic relations for the country. The main forms of international economic relations. The country's membership in international organizations.
The level, dynamics, trends, industry and commodity structure of exports and imports. The main trading partners. Trade relations between Belarus and Russia.
Investment policy of the country. Investment climate. The level, dynamics, trends and structural features of foreign direct investment in Belarus. Free economic zones as objects of application of foreign investments. Direct investments of the country abroad.
Topic 11: Key features of the legislation of the Republic of Belarus
The Constitution of the Republic of Belarus. The people as the only source of state power and the bearer of sovereignty in the Republic of Belarus. The rights and freedoms of citizens. Key features of the Belarusian electoral system.
The President of the Republic of Belarus. The country's parliament. The Council of Ministers. The judicial system of Belarus. Political parties.
