Russian/Ukrainian/Eastern European twentieth and twenty-first-century culture, Soviet theory and materialist aesthetics and their influence on Russian literature of the 1920s-1960s, Soviet theory and materialist aesthetics and afterlives in contemporary Eastern European political art and culture, prison literature
HUMN 4821 - 20th Century Russian Literature and Art
Primary Instructor
-
Fall 2020 / Spring 2021
Interdisciplinary course emphasizing the influence of literature and art in 20th century Russian literature. Follows the changing cultural landscape from the time when Russia was in the vanguard of modern European literature to the period of Stalinism. Same as RUSS 4821.
IAFS 3621 - Rogues to Revolutionaries: Russian Rebels, Past and Present
Primary Instructor
-
Spring 2024 / Spring 2026
Surveys Russian intellectual and political history and introduces students to the Russian, European, and American ideas that have fueled Russian revolt from the medieval period to the present day. From the eighteenth-century uprisings of enslaved peasants and national minorities to the nineteenth-century revolutionary terrorism and the oppositional activism in the Putin era, the course traces the shifting ideology of dissent. Starting from the eighteenth-century popular uprisings, this course goes systematically through Russia�s major rebels until the present day: Cossacks, Decembrists, Populists, Anarchists, Socialists, Soviet-era Dissidents, LGBTQ+ activists, and contemporary liberals and leftists of different stripes. Course materials include a variety of media: historical documents, literary texts, films, paintings, newspaper articles, songs, internet videos, as well as readings in Russian history. No previous knowledge of Russian language or culture is required.. Taught in English. Degree credit not granted for this course and REES 4481 and REES 5481.
IAFS 3622 - Understanding Ukraine: Culture, Diversity, Conflict
Primary Instructor
-
Spring 2025
Introduces students to Ukraine�s cultural diversity and orients them in the history of the country at the heart of contemporary world politics. This course will provide students with a necessary historical frame for understanding current and war-time cultural debates about Ukraine�s contested heritage and future. Taught in English. Degree credit not granted for REES 4871 and REES 5871.
REES 3241 - Red Star Trek: Russian Science Fiction Between Utopia and Dystopia
Primary Instructor
-
Fall 2025
Examines Russo-Soviet science fiction in literature and film. Within this popular genre, writers conceive and criticize social utopias, thus creating works situated between the poles of utopia and dystopia. Through discussions of Soviet and post-Soviet science fiction the course introduces a Russo-Soviet "alternative modernity" and studies its historical development. All readings are in English. Taught in English. Formerly RUSS 3241.
REES 4120 - Russia after Communism: Post-Soviet Politics and Culture
Primary Instructor
-
Fall 2023 / Fall 2025
Explores the process of the re-invention and re-shaping of the Russian national identity after the collapse of the communist society. Topics will include the formation of neoconservative and neo-imperialist agenda (Ukraine crisis), growth of the anti-western attitudes and the protest movement against Putin's politics. Taught in English. Same as REES 5120. Formerly RUSS 4120.
REES 4210 - Topics in Russian, East European and Eurasian Culture
Primary Instructor
-
Fall 2023
Selected topics in Russian, East European and Eurasian Cultures. No knowledge of Russian required. Taught in English. May be repeated up to 9 total credit hours when topic varies. Same as REES 5210. Formerly RUSS 4210.
REES 4221 - Stalinism: Culture and Society
Primary Instructor
-
Spring 2024
Examines Soviet society and culture of Stalin period (1929-1953). The Great Terror, communist ideology, shady, commercial practice, political intrigues and show trials, as well as many other aspects of Stalinism will be discussed. Course materials include historical studies, documents, memoirs, diaries, novels and films of or about the period. Taught in English. Same as RUSS 5221. Formerly RUSS 4221.
REES 4251 - Russian and Soviet Queer Culture
Primary Instructor
-
Spring 2025 / Spring 2026
Explores the contributions to Russian/Soviet literature, film, and the performing arts by such LGBTQ cultural icons as Nikolai Gogol, Marina Tsvetaeva, Sergei Eisenstein, and Pyotr Tchaikovsky. The course also surveys the history of social and legal restrictions on non-heteronormative behaviors in Russia from the medieval period to the present, with an emphasis on the emergence of LGBT rights activism and the reactionary rise of homophobia as a tool of nationalist politics in Putin�s Russia. Taught in English. Same as REES 5251. Formerly RUSS 4251.
REES 4481 - Rogues to Revolutionaries: Russian Rebels, Past and Present
Primary Instructor
-
Spring 2024 / Spring 2026
Surveys Russian intellectual and political history and introduces students to the Russian, European, and American ideas that have fueled Russian revolt from the medieval period to the present day. From the eighteenth-century uprisings of enslaved peasants and national minorities to the nineteenth-century revolutionary terrorism and the oppositional activism in the Putin era, the course traces the shifting ideology of dissent. Starting from the eighteenth-century popular uprisings, this course goes systematically through Russia�s major rebels until the present day: Cossacks, Decembrists, Populists, Anarchists, Socialists, Soviet-era Dissidents, LGBTQ+ activists, and contemporary liberals and leftists of different stripes. Course materials include a variety of media: historical documents, literary texts, films, paintings, newspaper articles, songs, internet videos, as well as readings in Russian history. No previous knowledge of Russian language or culture is required. Taught in English. Degree credit not granted for this course and IAFS 3621. Formerly RUSS 4481. Same as REES 5481.
REES 4871 - Understanding Ukraine: Culture, Diversity, Conflict
Primary Instructor
-
Spring 2025
Introduces students to Ukraine�s cultural diversity and orients them in the history of the country at the heart of contemporary world politics. This course will provide students with a necessary historical frame for understanding current and war-time cultural debates about Ukraine�s contested heritage and future. Taught in English. Degree credit not granted for this course and IAFS 3622. Same as RUSS 5871.
REES 5120 - Russia after Communism: Post-Soviet Politics and Culture
Primary Instructor
-
Fall 2023 / Fall 2025
Explores the process of the re-invention and re-shaping of Russian national identity after the collapse of Communism. Topics will include the formation of a neoconservative and neo-imperialist agenda (as demonstrated by the Ukraine crisis), the growth of anti-Western attitudes, and the anti-Putin protest movement. Taught in English. Formerly RUSS 5120. Same as REES 4120.
REES 5210 - Topics in Russian, East European and Eurasian Culture
Primary Instructor
-
Fall 2023
Selected topics in Russian, East European and Eurasian culture. No knowledge of Russian required. Taught in English. May be repeated up to 9 total credit hours when topic varies. Formerly RUSS 5210. Same as REES 4210.
REES 5251 - Russian and Soviet Queer Culture
Primary Instructor
-
Spring 2025 / Spring 2026
Explores the contributions to Russian/Soviet literature, film, and the performing arts by such LGBTQ cultural icons as Nikolai Gogol, Marina Tsvetaeva, Sergei Eisenstein, and Pyotr Tchaikovsky. The course also surveys the history of social and legal restrictions on non-heteronormative behaviors in Russia from the medieval period to the present, with an emphasis on the emergence of LGBT rights activism and the reactionary rise of homophobia as a tool of nationalist politics in Putin�s Russia. Same as REES 4251. Taught in English. Formerly RUSS 5251.
REES 5481 - Rogues to Revolutionaries: Russian Rebels, Past and Present
Primary Instructor
-
Spring 2024 / Spring 2026
Surveys Russian intellectual and political history and introduces students to the Russian, European, and American ideas that have fueled Russian revolt from the medieval period to the present day. From the eighteenth-century uprisings of enslaved peasants and national minorities to the nineteenth-century revolutionary terrorism and the oppositional activism in the Putin era, the course traces the shifting ideology of dissent. Starting from the eighteenth-century popular uprisings, this course goes systematically through Russia�s major rebels until the present day: Cossacks, Decembrists, Populists, Anarchists, Socialists, Soviet-era Dissidents, LGBTQ+ activists, and contemporary liberals and leftists of different stripes. Course materials include a variety of media: historical documents, literary texts, films, paintings, newspaper articles, songs, internet videos, as well as readings in Russian history. No previous knowledge of Russian language or culture is required.. Taught in English. Formerly RUSS 5481. Same as REES 4481. Degree credit not granted for this course and IAFS 3621.
REES 6950 - Master's Thesis
Primary Instructor
-
Spring 2024 / Fall 2024 / Spring 2025
May be repeated up to 6 total credit hours. Formerly RUSS 6950.
RUSS 3241 - Red Star Trek: Russian Science Fiction Between Utopia and Dystopia
Primary Instructor
-
Fall 2020 / Spring 2021
Examines Russo-Soviet science fiction in literature and film. Within this popular genre, writers conceive and criticize social utopias, thus creating works situated between the poles of utopia and dystopia. Through discussions of Soviet and post-Soviet science fiction the course introduces a Russo-Soviet "alternative modernity" and studies its historical development. All readings are in English. Taught in English. Formerly RUSS 3241.
RUSS 4120 - Russia after Communism: Post-Soviet Politics and Culture
Primary Instructor
-
Fall 2021
Explores the process of the re-invention and re-shaping of the Russian national identity after the collapse of the communist society. Topics will include the formation of neoconservative and neo-imperialist agenda (Ukraine crisis), growth of the anti-western attitudes and the protest movement against Putin's politics. Taught in English. Same as RUSS 5120.
RUSS 4221 - Stalinism: Culture and Society
Primary Instructor
-
Fall 2022
Examines Soviet society and culture of Stalin period (1929-1953). The Great Terror, communist ideology, shady, commercial practice, political intrigues and show trials, as well as many other aspects of Stalinism will be discussed. Course materials include historical studies, documents, memoirs, diaries, novels and films of or about the period. Taught in English. Same as RUSS 5221.
RUSS 4821 - 20th-Century Russian Literature and Art
Primary Instructor
-
Fall 2020 / Spring 2021 / Fall 2021 / Spring 2023
Interdisciplinary course emphasizing the influence of literature and art in 20th century Russian literature. Follows the changing cultural landscape from the time when Russia was in the vanguard of modern European literature to the period of Stalinism. Taught in English. Same as HUMN 4821 and REES 5821.
RUSS 5120 - Russia after Communism: Post-Soviet Politics and Culture
Primary Instructor
-
Fall 2021
Explores the process of the re-invention and re-shaping of Russian national identity after the collapse of Communism. Topics will include the formation of a neoconservative and neo-imperialist agenda (as demonstrated by the Ukraine crisis), the growth of anti-Western attitudes, and the anti-Putin protest movement. Taught in English. Same as RUSS 4120.
RUSS 5221 - Stalinism: Culture and Society
Primary Instructor
-
Fall 2022
Examines Soviet society and culture of the Stalin period (1929-1953). The Great Terror, Communist ideology, commercial practices, political intrigues and show trials, as well as many other aspects of Stalinism will be discussed. Course materials include historical studies, documents, memoirs, diaries, novels and films of or about the period. Taught in English. Same as RUSS 4221.
RUSS 5821 - 20th Century Russian Literature and Art
Primary Instructor
-
Fall 2020 / Spring 2021
Interdisciplinary course emphasizing the influence of literature and art in 20th century Russian literature. Follows the changing cultural landscape from the time when Russia was in the vanguard of modern European literature to the period of Stalinism. Taught in English. Same as HUMN 4821.
