Russian, East Europ, Eurasian
- HIS 360/RES 360: The Russian Empire: From Peter the Great to Nicholas IIThis course is a survey of Russian history from the late 1600s to the fall of the Romanov dynasty in 1917. During this period Russia emerged as one of the greatest powers in Europe and Asia. In 1917, it collapsed, and the first socialist state grew up on the debris of the former Empire. In this course we'll analyze the causes of Russia's enormous territorial growth and the reasons for its backwardness; explore why the Russian monarchy outlived other European monarchies and escaped the turmoil of the 19th century revolutions; and pay attention to the development of Russian art, culture, and intellectual life.
- SLA 219/RES 219: Pushkin, Gogol, Dostoevsky: Introduction to the Great Russian NovelA study in English of masterpieces of Russian literature from the late eighteenth to the mid-nineteenth century. The focus of the course is on close readings of individual works. At the same time, we will pay close attention to the way a distinctively Russian national tradition is created, in which writers consciously respond to the works of their predecessors. No previous knowledge of Russian language, history, or culture is expected.
- SLA 345/ECS 354/RES 345: East European Literature and PoliticsThis seminar will examine 20th-century Eastern European history through literary works from a number of countries in the region, from the Austro-Hungarian Empire to present-day Poland, the Czech Republic, Hungary, Belarus, and the Balkans. Readings will generally consist of one novel per week, but we will also look at a number of other genres, including the short story, poetry, drama, the journal, and reportage. While discussing the historical and political dimensions of this period, we will consider the limits of what literature can depict, and a range of possible ethical and aesthetic responses to authoritarianism.
- SLA 411/RES 411/ENG 441/COM 456: Selected Topics in Russian Literature and Culture: Crosscultural Links between Russian and American Literature & CultureMajor American cultural figures have found inspiration in Russian literary masterpieces. The course explores connections between (1) three Russian writers - Dostoevsky, Tolstoy, & Chekhov -. & (2) the multiplicity of ways in which twentieth and twenty-first-century Americans, in their own works, have incorporated, responded to, & reimagined these Russian creations. The main focus is on prose. Some attention to film and drama. We examine dimensions of the works which highlight ethical and societal dilemmas human beings face, the 'big questions' of life, and questions of what makes for a meaningful life.
- SLA 416/RES 416: DostoevskyThe goal of the course is to acquaint students with the evolution of Dostoevsky's writings. A multi-faceted approach is used for coming to grips with the works. The focus is on stylistic, ethical, religious, philosophical, and political dimensions of his art as well as on ways in which Dostoevsky fits into the cultural milieu of his time. Both non-Slavic Department and Departmental students are welcome.