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Undergraduate Course Descriptions 2009-2010
Last updated 10/20/2009


02426/Russian

 

General Education

0815. Language in Society (3 s.h.) RCI: GB.

How did language come about? How many languages are there in the world? How do people co-exist in countries where there are two or more languages? How do babies develop language? Should all immigrants take a language test when applying for citizenship? Should English become an official language of the United States? In this course we will address these and many other questions, taking linguistic facts as a point of departure and considering their implications for our society. Through discussions and hands-on projects, students will learn how to collect, analyze, and interpret language data and how to make informed decisions about language and education policies as voters and community members.

Note: This course fulfills the Human Behavior (GB) requirement for students under GenEd and Individual & Society (IN) for students under Core.

Students cannot receive credit for this course if they have successfully completed any of the following: ANTHRO 0815, Asian Studies 0815, Chinese 0815, EDUC 0815, English 0815, Italian 0815, PSYCH 0815, Spanish 0815, or CSC+DIS 0815.

0831. Immigration and the American Dream (3 s.h.) RCI: GD.

As a Temple student, you go to school and live in a city full of immigrants. Perhaps your own relatives were immigrants to the United States. But have you ever listened to their stories? With an historical and sociological framework as a basis, we will take an in-depth and more personal look at the immigrant experience as expressed through the immigrants’ own voices in literature and film. Topics explored include: assimilation, cultural identity and Americanization, exploitation and the American Dream, ethnic communities, gender, discrimination and stereotyping.

Note: This course fulfills the Race & Diversity (GD) requirement for students under GenEd and Studies in Race (RS) for students under Core.

Students cannot receive credit for this course if they have successfully completed any of the following: ANTHRO 0831, CR LANG 0831, History 0831, Italian 0831/0931, or SOC 0831.

0868. World Society in Literature & Film (3 s.h.) RCI: GG.

(Formerly: GE-WRLD 0060.)

Learn about a particular national culture by taking a guided tour of its literature and film. In this course, you’ll learn about contemporary Russia. You don’t need to speak Russian to take this exciting course, and you will gain the fresh, subtle understanding that comes from integrating across different forms of human expression. Some of the issues that will be illuminated by looking at culture through the lens of literature and film include family structures and how they are changing, national self-perceptions, pivotal moments in history, economic issues, social change and diversity. Each course section focuses on a specific country or culture. Click on the blue, six-digit CRN at the right of the course title in the Course Schedule (TU Courses) to see the specific topic.

Note: This course fulfills the World Society (GG) requirement for students under GenEd and International Studies (IS) for students under Core.

Students cannot receive credit for this course if they have successfully completed any of the following: Arabic 0868/0968, ASIA ST 0868, Chinese 0868/0968, English 0868/0968, French 0868/0968, German 0868/0968, Hebrew 0868, Italian 0868/0968, Japanese 0868/0968, LAS 0868/0968, Russian 0968, or Spanish 0868/0968.

0871. Arts in Cultural Context (4 s.h.) RCI: GA.

View the arts as an expression of cultural identity as it occurs across the globe. Each semester, we will focus on a particular world region or country, including but not limited to Russia, Japan, and Latin America. The exploration of cultural identity begins with an overview of the region or country’s historical and religious influences and then studies the culture’s arts, including the visual arts (painting, sculpture), musical traditions, literature (folktales, national mythology), the vernacular arts (crafts, storytelling), film and theater. You will take field trips or have experiences that will allow you to encounter the region’s arts firsthand, and to develop a blended understanding of a people’s cultural identity and the larger world.

Note: This course fulfills the Arts (GA) requirement for students under GenEd and Arts (AR) for students under Core.

Students cannot receive credit for this course if they have successfully completed any of the following: Arabic 0871, Hebrew 0871.

General Education Honors

0968. Honors World Society in Literature & Film (3 s.h.) RCI: GG.

Learn about contemporary Russia by taking a guided tour of its literature and film. You don’t need to speak Russian to take this course, and you will gain the fresh, subtle understanding that comes from integrating across different forms of human expression. Some of the issues that will be illuminated by looking at culture through the lens of literature and film: Family structures and how they are changing, national self-perceptions, pivotal moments in history, economic issues, social change and diversity. Click on the blue, six-digit CRN at the right of the course title in the Course Schedule (TU Courses) to see the specific topic. (This is an Honors course.)

Note: This course fulfills the World Society (GG) requirement for students under GenEd and International Studies (IS) for students under Core.

Students cannot receive credit for this course if they have successfully completed any of the following: Arabic 0868/0968, ASIA ST 0868, Chinese 0868/0968, English 0868/0968, French 0868/0968, German 0868/0968, Hebrew 0868, Italian 0868/0968, Japanese 0868/0968, LAS 0868/0968, Russian 0868, or Spanish 0868/0968.

Lower Division Courses

1001. First-Year Russian I (5 s.h.) F.

(Formerly: RUSSIAN 0051.)

Students acquire skills to communicate in Russian on a variety of topics in predictable situations. Classroom work focuses on listening, speaking, reading and writing as students build their mastery of vocabulary and grammar. Emphasis is on communication in a cultural context. This course is not appropriate for students who speak or spoke Russian in their home environments; students with family background in Russian are directed to take Russian 3003 (Heritage Russian I) or Russian 3004 (Heritage Russian II). Students who can speak Russian comfortably, but cannot read or write in Russian take Russian 3003; students with some literacy skills in Russian may be prepared to take Russian 3004.

Mode: Seminar.

1002. First-Year Russian II (5 s.h.) S. RCI: LA.

(Formerly: RUSSIAN 0052.)

Prerequisite: Russian 1001 (0051) or equivalent.

This 5-credit class focuses on communication in a cultural context. Students will improve listening, reading, speaking and writing skills while expanding their vocabulary.

Mode: Seminar.

1004. Intensive First-Year Russian (10 s.h.) S.

(Formerly: RUSSIAN 0054.)

This is an intensive course for those students who wish to take first-year Russian but missed the fall semester option of Russian 1001 (0051). This course meets 10 hours per week and students have 3-4 hours of homework per night. By the end of the semester, students complete the entire sequence of first-year Russian (equivalent to Russian 1001-1002 / 0051-0052) and are prepared to enter second-year Russian in the following fall semester.

1082. Independent Study in Russian Language (1 to 5 s.h.)

Prerequisite: Permission of instructor required.

This course is an independent study in Russian language for students not yet ready to take on the more advanced independent study of Russian 3082. It is designed to provide a bridge for students who transfer in to Temple and need some work to improve their Russian to be able to join an existing Russian language course. This course is NOT available to students who can be placed into an existing course and is NOT open to enrollment except by consent of the instructor.

1201. Russian Culture (3 s.h.)

(Formerly: RUSSIAN 0055.)

Students in this course will study the historical origins of Russian culture and the modern manifestations of this rich culture. At the beginning of the 19th century, Russian culture had not established itself in the world canon in music or literature and had made only a tiny impression in the canon of world art. By the beginning of the 20th century, Russian masters had gained world renown in music, literature, dance, theater, painting, and in the newest art form, film. This course will describe the historical origins of this remarkable cultural transformation and explain how Russian culture has become an inextricably integral part of human culture. Students may not earn credit for both Russian 0871 and Russian 1201.

Upper Division Courses

2001. Second-Year Russian I (5 s.h.) F. RCI: LB.

(Formerly: RUSSIAN C061.)

Prerequisite: Russian 1002 (0052) or equivalent.

Students completing this course acquire skills they need to communicate with native speakers of Russian on a variety of topics in predictable situations. Students in this course work on listening, speaking, reading, and writing skills as they improve their mastery of Russian vocabulary and grammar. Classroom and homework activities emphasize contemporary standard Russian in its cultural and historical contexts. Materials from the Internet supplement textbook-based activities.

Note: Students who took Russian 0051/0052 prior to the 2006-2007 academic year should see an advisor before registering for this course.

2002. Second-Year Russian II (5 s.h.) S.

(Formerly: RUSSIAN 0062.)

Prerequisite: Russian 2001 (C061) or equivalent.

Students completing the 2nd semester of this 2-semester sequence (Russian 2001/2002) acquire the skills they need to communicate with native speakers of Russian on a variety of topics in predictable situations. In this course students continue to work on listening, speaking, reading, and writing skills as they improve mastery of Russian vocabulary and grammar. Classroom and homework activities emphasize contemporary standard Russian in its cultural and historical contexts. Materials from the Internet, especially news articles from the Russian press, supplement textbook-based activities.

Note: Students who took Russian C061 (2001) before fall 2007 should consult with an advisor before registering for this course.

2101. Contemporary Russia in Literature and Film (3 s.h.)

(Formerly: RUSSIAN 0140.)

Students read short stories and novels and watch recent Russian films to understand the cultural and historical context in which Russia finds itself today.

Note: This course is taught in English and includes required film screenings. All readings are in translation; all films are shown with English subtitles.

2102. Russian Short Story in English (2 s.h.) F.

(Formerly: RUSSIAN 0142.)

Readings of selected masterpieces by authors such as Tolstoy, Dostoevsky, Turgenev, Pushkin, Leskov, Chekhov, Gorky, and Bunin. Analysis and discussion.

2103. The Power and the Poet (3 s.h.)

(Formerly: RUSSIAN 0141.)

Cross Listed with English 2114 (0152) and Political Science 2202.

Students in this course read controversial Russian literary texts, written from the late 18th century through the beginning of the 21st century, which brought upon their authors political or social censure from the Russian or Soviet state. As we read and discuss these texts in their cultural and historical contexts, we consider the stylistic, narrative and other features of each text that may have attracted such unfavorable attention. The course concludes with a comparative discussion of the place of the writer in society. NOTE: The course includes readings both of poetry and prose fiction; the word poet in the course title is designed to evoke the broader image of the writer in Russian society.

2105. Echoes of Terror in Russian Culture (3 s.h.)

Prerequisite: English 1002 (C050), 0802, or 0902.

Cross Listed with Sociology 2105.

Students will read and study literary works (novels, short stories, poetry), memoirs and feature and documentary films depicting Stalin’s terror (from the murder of Kirov in 1934 to the death of Stalin in 1953) and its impact on Russian and Soviet society after that period. Students will come to understand the enormity of these historical events by reading, discussing, and analyzing the texts and the films, drawing connections between the Soviet historical and cultural contexts and historical events elsewhere in the world (e.g., Nazi Germany, Apartheid South Africa, Cambodia, Rwanda, Darfur) about the legacy of totalitarian rule.

2106. Russian Comedy (3 s.h.)

Prerequisite: English 1002 (C050), 0802, or 0902.

Students will apply a theoretical framework of comedy to exploring Russian works of fiction, drama and film, as well as to other performances (e.g., folk songs and dances, stand-up comedians’ monologues) to gain a deeper understanding of the Russian sense of humor and its place in Russian culture.

2107. History of Russian Film (3 s.h.)

Prerequisite: English 1002 (C050), 0802, or 0902.

Students will study the history of the Russian cinema, viewing nearly 30 films spanning the period from 1900 to the present day.

2108. Women’s Voices in Russian Culture (3 s.h.)

Prerequisite: English C050/1002/0802 or the equivalent.

Cross Listed with Women’s Studies 2108.

In this course we will study the depiction of women’s voices in Russian culture (memoirs, fiction, feature and documentary films, research in both anthropology and sociology), by female and male authors, researchers, and filmmakers in the context of a larger study of women in Russian culture. Our course will start with an historical survey, but focus most closely on Russian women in the 20th century. No knowledge of Russian is required; all works are read in translation or viewed with subtitles.

2109. Jewish Voices in Russian Culture (3 s.h.)

Prerequisite: English C050/1002/0802 or the equivalent.

Cross Listed with Jewish Studies 2109.

In this course we will study the Jewish experience in the Russian Empire, the Soviet Union, and Post-Soviet Russia, with an emphasis on the 20th century, debunking many of the myths with which many students may have been familiar from the film “Fiddler on the Roof”. We will read, in translation, excerpts from memoirs, works of literature and history, and view films, with subtitles by Jewish and non-Jewish scholars, authors, poets, and filmmakers about what Russians have called “The Jewish Question” for more than two centuries. We will also take up issues of anti-Semitism and xenophobia and consider them in the context of European and American history. This course requires no knowledge of Russian, Yiddish, or Hebrew; all works are read in translation or viewed with subtitles.

2111. 19th Century Slavic Literature in English (3 s.h.) S.

(Formerly: RUSSIAN 0149.)

Cross Listed with Slavic 2111 (0149).

Survey of Slavic literature; reading of representative works from Bulgarian, Croatian, Czech, Polish, Russian, Serbian, and Ukrainian literature.

2112. Modern Slavic Literature in English (3 s.h.) S.

(Formerly: RUSSIAN 0150.)

Cross Listed with Slavic 2112 (0150).

Survey of East, West, and South Slavic literature; reading of representative works from Bulgarian, Croatian, Czech, Polish, Russian, Serbian, and Ukrainian literature.

2114. Social and Economic Transformation in Russia (3 s.h.)

Prerequisite: English C050/1002/0802 or equivalent.

Cross Listed with Economics 2514.

Students will study the transformation of Russian society and the Russian economy, focusing on the 20th and 21st centuries. We will closely examine Russian economic transitions from a market to a planned economy (in the 1920s and 1930s) and from a planned economy back to a market economy (after 1991), as well as analyses of the Russian economy and society in periods of great stress (civil war, collectivization, famine, terror, war and occupation, arms race). We will also read memoirs and works of prose fiction and watch films in order to learn about the consequences of economic decisions on the lives of actual Russian citizens. The course will culminate with interviews with Russian businessmen visiting the United States. No knowledge of Russian required; all works read in translation or viewed with subtitles.

2121. Russian Cities (3 s.h.)

Prerequisite: English C050/1002/0802 or the equivalent.

Cross Listed with GUS 2121.

In this course we will study the Russian city, analyzing the nexus of physical geography, climate, natural resources, ethnography, history, commerce, politics and culture on the development of urban centers in Russia. The study of Moscow and St. Petersburg will occupy much of our attention in this course, but we will also examine Russia’s medieval cities (“the Golden Ring”), as well as cities in Siberia and the Far East. We will read works from the disciplines of geography, history, anthropology, and sociology, as well as works of fiction; we will also view Russian films in which a city (or the city) plays an important role. No knowledge of Russian is required; all works will be read in translation or viewed with subtitles.

2415. Russian History in Literature and Film (3 s.h.)

Cross Listed with History 2415.

Students will read and study a short history of Russia and then read literary works and watch films depicting various periods, topics, events, figures, and issues in Russian history. No knowledge of Russian is required; all works are read in translation or viewed with subtitles.

2901. Honors Modern Russia in Literature and Film (3 s.h.)

(Formerly: RUSSIAN H190.)

Students in this course will read a wide range of literary and critical texts and view films from before, during (1985-1991) and after (1991-present) the Perestroika Era in Russia in order to gain an understanding of Russian cultural history and trends during and after the collapse of the Soviet Union. This is an HONORS course.

2915. Honors Russian History in Literature and Film (3 s.h.) RCI: HO.

Cross Listed with History 2915.

In this honors course, students read and study a short history of Russia and then read literary works and watch films depicting various periods, topics, events, figures, and issues in Russian history. Students in the course develop an understanding of the depiction of history in literature and film as contingent on the ideological perspective of the storyteller; students also learn to identify ideological perspective through attention to symbol, metaphor, and theme in both literature and film and, in addition, in film, through attention to lighting, sound and other filmic devices.

3001. Third-Year Russian I (4 s.h.) F.

(Formerly: RUSSIAN 0225.)

Prerequisite: Russian 2002 (0062) or equivalent.

Students completing Russian 3001 will improve their listening, speaking and writing skills (the latter in the context of both formal and informal letter writing). Upon completion of this course, they will be prepared to function in predictable situations in Russia on study abroad or tourist travel. Perhaps most importantly, students completing this course will improve their understanding of Russian cultural perspectives on the world. In this course students will read important Russian cultural texts (e.g., poetry by Pushkin), newspaper articles, and popular Russian fiction, analyzing both for cultural and linguistic patterns. Students will be graded on their performance on quizzes, oral and written tests, written papers, and presentations.

3002. Third-Year Russian II (4 s.h.) S.

(Formerly: RUSSIAN 0226.)

Prerequisite: Russian 3001 (0225) or equivalent.

Students completing Russian 3002 will build on skills gained in listening, speaking and writing skills (the latter in the context of both formal and informal letter writing) in Russian 3001. In this course we will pay special attention to syntactical structures typically found in written discourse. Upon completion of this course, they will be prepared to function in predictable situations in Russia on study abroad or tourist travel. Perhaps most importantly, students completing this course will improve their understanding of Russian cultural perspectives on the world. In this course students will read important Russian cultural texts (e.g., poetry by Akhmatova), newspaper articles, and popular Russian fiction, analyzing both for cultural and linguistic patterns. Students will be graded on their performance on quizzes, oral and written tests, written papers, and presentations.

3003. Heritage Russian I (3 s.h.)

(Formerly: RUSSIAN 0227.)

This course is the first of two for students who speak or spoke Russian in their homes but do not know how to read and/or write in Russian. Students taking this course learn how to read and write in Russian; the course assumes no literacy skills in Russian. The course will help students build on their oral fluency in Russian to develop literacy in Russian. The focus is on the acquisition of contemporary standard Russian (CSR) in the Moscow dialect. Students who speak other dialects in their home environments will be encouraged to recognize the difference between their home dialect and CSR and acquire CSR in order to use it in professional settings. One of the most important aspects of this work is to develop sensitivity towards informal and formal speech and writing styles, since students without a formal educational experience in Russian may have little training to speak and write in formal (professional) contexts.

Note: This course is for students who grew up speaking Russian in their home environment.

3004. Heritage Russian II (3 s.h.)

(Formerly: RUSSIAN 0228.)

This course is the second of two designed for students who grew up in a Russian-speaking home and may have had some or much of their primary education in a Russian-language school. The course will help these students build on their oral fluency in Russian to develop literacy in Russian. The focus is on the acquisition of contemporary standard Russian (Moscow dialect). Students who speak other dialects in their home environments will be encouraged to recognize the difference between their home dialect and CSR and acquire CSR in order to use it in professional settings. One of the most important aspects of this work is to develop sensitivity towards informal and formal speech and writing styles, since students without a formal educational experience in Russian may have little training to speak and write in formal (professional) contexts.

Note: This course is for native Russian speakers.

3082. Independent Study (1 to 3 s.h.) S.

(Formerly: RUSSIAN 0296.)

Prerequisite: Russian 2002 (0062) or equivalent.

Arranged each semester. Please consult with the instructor.

Note: Permission of instructor required. Considered only for extraordinary reasons.

3201. Service Learning in Russian I (2 s.h.)

Prerequisite: Russian 3001 (0225) or 3003 (0227).

Students spend 3 hours a week interacting in Russian with Russian speakers in the Philadelphia community in a service learning placement through agencies such as Lutheran Child and Family Services or Jewish Social Services. Course requires vocabulary quizzes, reflection in electronic diary and course forum, course meetings, oral presentations.

3202. Service Learning in Russian II (2 s.h.)

Prerequisite: Russian 3201.

Students who have completed one service learning course may take this course and spend 3 hours a week interacting in Russian with Russian speakers in the Philadelphia community in a service learning placement. Heritage speakers of Russian majoring in Russian are required to take this course as part of their major curriculum. This course requires two reflection papers in Russian.

3285. Internship in Russian (1 to 4 s.h.) F S.

Prerequisite: Russian 3001 (0225) or 3003 (0227) or the equivalent and a major or minor in Russian.

Students will be placed in an internship setting in which they will use their Russian in the workplace. This course will provide students with extended exposure to authentic Russian in professional contexts. Students will listen to, read, and write authentic Russian business communications and enhance their understanding of the styles characteristic of such communications. Students are graded on their attendance at the internship site, their electronic reflections (journal), a midterm reflective essay, a final presentation, and a portfolio of samples of their work from the internship site. In some cases, students may be assigned grammar and syntax exercises to help them master structures necessary for written communications at their internship site.

Note: By special authorization only.

3501. Russian for Business and Travel (3 s.h.) S.

(Formerly: RUSSIAN 0120.)

Prerequisite: Russian 2002 (0062) or permission of instructor.

Intensive work in spoken and written Russian needed by business executives and other travelers. Vocabulary, idiomatic usage and special terminology for professional needs. Cultural aspects, practice in personal contact and letter writing.

4001. Fourth-Year Russian I (3 s.h.)

(Formerly: RUSSIAN 0231.)

Prerequisite: Russian 3002 (0226) or Russian 3004 (0228) or the equivalent or permission of the instructor.

Students will acquire the skills they need to communicate with native speakers of Russian on a variety of topics in predictable situations. In this course, students will work on listening, speaking, reading, and writing skills as they build their mastery of Russian vocabulary and grammar. Classroom and homework activities will emphasize contemporary standard Russian in its cultural and historical contexts. Materials from the internet will supplement textbook-based activities.

Note: Students majoring in Russian are required to take Russian 4097 instead of Russian 4001.

4002. Fourth-Year Russian II (3 s.h.) S.

(Formerly: RUSSIAN 0232.)

Prerequisite: Russian 4001 (0231) or permission of the instructor.

Survey of Russian culture and civilization from its beginnings to the present.

4097. Fourth-Year Russian I: Composition & Conversation (3 s.h.) F. RCI: WI.

(Formerly: RUSSIAN W231.)

Prerequisite: Russian 3002 (0226) or 3004 (0228) or equivalent.

Oral and written work, based on selected texts, with special attention to difficult topics.

Note: Capstone course. Required for concentration in Russian.

4101. Contemporary Russia in Literature and Film: Russian Trailer Section (4 s.h.)

(Formerly: RUSSIAN 0240.)

This course meets with the English-language lecture Contemporary Russia in Literature and Film. Students taking the Russian trailer section of this course must attend the English-language lectures 3 hours per week, but also have a fourth hour in Russian with the instructor. Students in this Russian trailer section read all the texts for this course in Russian and discuss them in Russian with one another and the instructor. They also write two papers of 7-10 pages in length in Russian on short stories or films they have read or watched that were not presented to the larger lecture course in translation. Students who took either Russian 2101 or Russian 0868 are not eligible to take Russian 4101 due to overlap in content.

Note: Fourth hour conducted in Russian; all readings are to be done in Russian; all papers and tests are in Russian.

4103. The Power and the Poet (in Russian) (4 s.h.)

(Formerly: RUSSIAN 0241.)

Prerequisite: Russian 3001 (0225) or equivalent or permission of instructor.

Students in this course will read controversial Russian literary texts, written from the late 18th century through the beginning of the 21st century, which brought upon their authors political or social censure from the Russian or Soviet state. As we read and discuss these texts in their cultural and historical contexts, we will consider the stylistic, narrative and other features of each text that may have attracted such unfavorable attention. The course will conclude with a comparative discussion of the place of the writer in society. NOTE: The course includes readings both of poetry and prose fiction; the word poet in the course title is designed to evoke the broader image of the writer in Russian society. Students who took either Russian 2103 or Political Science 2202 are not eligible to take Russian 4101 due to overlap in content.

Note: Fourth hour conducted in Russian; all readings are to be done in Russian; all papers and tests are in Russian.

4104. Russian History in Literature and Film (in Russian) (4 s.h.)

Prerequisite: Russian 3001 (0225) or 3003 (0227).

Students will read and study a short history of Russia and then read literary works and watch films depicting various periods, topics, events, figures, and issues in Russian history. The fourth class hour of this course will be conducted in Russian; most readings and all papers will be assigned in Russian. Students who took either Russian 2415, Russian 2915, History 2415, or History 2915 are not eligible to take Russian 4104 due to overlap in content.

Note: Fourth hour conducted in Russian; all readings are to be done in Russian; all tests and papers are administered in Russian.

4105. Echoes of Terror in Russian Culture (in Russian) (4 s.h.)

Prerequisite: Russian 3001 or 3003 or permission of the instructor.

Students will read novels, short stories, memoirs, and historical essays and view films about Stalin’s terror (1934-1941 and again 1946-1953) and its impact in Russia and the Soviet Union.

Note: Fourth hour conducted in Russian; all readings in Russian; all tests and papers in Russian. Students who took Russian 2105 or Sociology 2105 are not eligible to take Russian 4105 due to overlap in content.

4106. Russian Comedy (in Russian) (4 s.h.)

Prerequisite: Russian 3001 or 3003 or permission of the instructor.

Students will apply a theoretical framework of comedy to exploring Russian works of fiction, drama and film, as well as to other performances (e.g., folk songs and dances, stand-up comedians’ monologues) to gain a deeper understanding of the Russian sense of humor and its place in Russian culture. Readings of texts will be in Russian.

Note: Fourth hour conducted in Russian; all readings in Russian; all tests and papers in Russian. Students who took Russian 2106 are not eligible to take Russian 4106 due to overlap in content.

4107. History of Russian Film (in Russian) (4 s.h.)

Prerequisite: Russian 3001 or 3003 or equivalent.

Students will study the history of the Russian cinema, viewing nearly 30 films spanning the period from 1900 to the present day. Students enrolled in this course will be assigned readings in Russian, will write papers and exams in Russian, and will have one class meeting per week in Russian.

Note: Class conducted in Russian.

4108. Women’s Voices in Russian Culture (in Russian) (4 s.h.)

Prerequisite: Russian 3001 (0225) or 3003 (0227).

In this course we will study the depiction of women’s voices in Russian culture (memoirs, fiction, feature and documentary films, research in both anthropology and sociology), by female and male authors, researchers, and filmmakers in the context of a larger study of women in Russian culture. Our course will start with an historical survey, but focus most closely on Russian women in the 20th century. This course meets with Russian 2108: three hours in class will be conducted in English for students in both Russian 2108 and Russian 4108; the fourth class hour, for Russian 4108 alone, will be conducted in Russian. Students will do substantial reading in Russian and will write an extended paper in Russian.

4109. Jewish Voices in Russian Culture (in Russian) (4 s.h.)

Prerequisite: Russian 3001 or 3003.

In this course we will study the Jewish experience in the Russian Empire, the Soviet Union, and Post-Soviet Russia, with an emphasis on the 20th century, debunking many of the myths with which many students may have been familiar from the film “Fiddler on the Roof”. We will read, in Russian, excerpts from memoirs, works of literature and history, and view films, with subtitles by Jewish and non-Jewish scholars, authors, poets, and filmmakers about what Russians have called “The Jewish Question” for more than two centuries. We will also take up issues of anti-Semitism and xenophobia and consider them in the context of European and American history.

Note: Class conducted in Russian. Readings, papers and tests in Russian.

4111. Pushkin (3 s.h.) S.

(Formerly: RUSSIAN 0351.)

Prerequisite: Russian 2002 (0062) or equivalent.

Reading and analysis of selected major works.

4112. Tolstoy (3 s.h.) S.

(Formerly: RUSSIAN 0355.)

Prerequisite: Russian 2002 (0062) or equivalent.

Study and analysis of selected major works.

4113. Dostoevsky (3 s.h.) F.

(Formerly: RUSSIAN 0356.)

Prerequisite: Russian 2002 (0062) or equivalent.

Reading and analysis of selected major works.

4114. Russian Novel (3 s.h.) F.

(Formerly: RUSSIAN 0364.)

Prerequisite: Russian 2002 (0062) or equivalent.

Reading and analysis of selected major works.

4115. Russian Drama (3 s.h.) F.

(Formerly: RUSSIAN 0371.)

Prerequisite: Russian 2002 (0062) or equivalent.

Reading and analysis of selected Russian plays.

4116. Russian Poetry (3 s.h.) S.

(Formerly: RUSSIAN 0374.)

Prerequisite: Russian 2002 (0062) or equivalent.

Analysis of the major works of Russian poets.

4121. Russian Cities (in Russian) (4 s.h.)

Prerequisite: Russian 3001 or 3003.

In this course we will study the Russian city, analyzing the nexus of physical geography, climate, natural resources, ethnography, history, commerce, politics and culture on the development of urban centers in Russia. The study of Moscow and St. Petersburg will occupy much of our attention in this course, but we will also examine Russia’s medieval cities (“the Golden Ring”), as well as cities in Siberia and the Far East. We will read works from the disciplines of geography, history, anthropology, and sociology, as well as works of fiction; we will also view Russian films in which a city (or the city) plays an important role.

Note: Class conducted in Russian. Readings, papers and tests in Russian.

4182. Advanced Independent Study in Russian Literature (1 to 3 s.h.) F.

(Formerly: RUSSIAN 0395.)

Prerequisite: Permission of instructor required.

Supervised reading, research, and reports on an advanced level in Russian language, literature or civilization.

Note: Considered only for extraordinary reasons.

4198. Writing with Russian Sources (5 s.h.) F S. RCI: WI.

Prerequisite: Successful completion of Russian 3001, 3003 or equivalent, or permission of the instructor.

This course meets with other 4100-level culture courses and the content (readings, films, etc.) are derived from the other 4100-level culture course. Students in this class focus their attention on developing the skills to incorporate Russian sources in papers written in English, using the appropriate citation style (e.g., MLA, APA) and master the art of marshalling evidence from one language (Russian) in argument composed in another language (English).

4282. Advanced Independent Study in Russian Literature (1 to 3 s.h.) S.

(Formerly: RUSSIAN 0396.)

Prerequisite: Permission of instructor required.

Supervised reading, research, and reports on an advanced level in Russian language, literature or civilization.

Note: Considered only for extraordinary reasons.

4382. Advanced Independent Study in Russian Area Studies (1 to 3 s.h.)

(Formerly: RUSSIAN 0397.)

Prerequisite: Permission of instructor required.

This course, available only by consent of the instructor, is for students who want to do advanced-level research in Russian studies (e.g., history, politics, society). To be eligible for this course, students must demonstrate advanced Russian language skills typical of those demonstrated by students in 4000-level Russian language courses.

4483. Advanced Directed Readings in Russian Area Studies (1 to 3 s.h.)

(Formerly: RUSSIAN 0398.)

Students enroll in this course only with special permission from the instructor. In this course, students do advanced directed readings in Russian area studies, using Russian press and other Russian-language sources to explore Russia through disciplines such as anthropology, geography, history, political science, sociology, as well as contemporary business.


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Last updated 10/20/2009