Summer 2012

History

Dostoyevsky’s St. Petersburg, HIST-396/696

Based on Dostoyevsky's Crime and Punishment, this ten-day trip revolves around walking the streets described in the novel and exploring the cultural and historical sites in St. Petersburg, Russia. Mornings and afternoons are dedicated to touring the city, meeting with local scholars, and discussing Dostoyevsky's works. In the evenings, students attend cultural events.

Russia and the Origins of Contemporary Eurasia, HIST-225-FA3

This course provides an overview and introduction to the history of empires, nations, and states in the Eurasian plain, from the origins of Rus' over a thousand years ago to the present day, as well as the various ethnic, national, and religious groups of the region.

Performing Arts

Music and Revolution, PERF-435-E01L

Exploration of how music has played an integral role in social and artistic revolutions by learning about artists and ensembles and examining social and economic forces that gave rise to these revolutions. This online course discusses prominent artists who spoke for and caused revolutions including Bob Marley, Woody Guthrie, and Igor Stravinsky, as well as those artists whose art was influenced by social revolutions, including Olivier Messiaen and Dmitri Shostakovich.

Russian

Intensive Intermediate Russian, RUSS-296

Refinement of basic language skills in a cultural context. Expansion of vocabulary and grammatical structures and development of communicative skills. Content focuses on cultural patterns in the Russian-speaking world.  Equivalent to a full year of Russian language study.

Fall 2012

History

Tolstoy vs. Napoleon, HIST-312

Marking the bicentennial of Napoleon's invasion of Russia in 1812, this course explores Russia's geopolitical and cultural engagement with the West from the fourteenth to the nineteenth century. Integrating history, literature, and film, the course culminates with a close reading, and examination of Leo Tolstoy's War and Peace.

Soviet Foreign Policy, HIST-496-003

This course focuses on the relationship between ideology and national security in the formation of Soviet policy, as well as the evolution of foreign perceptions and misconceptions about Soviet interests. Course materials include primary documents, scholarly works, literary fiction, and film.

Language and Foreign Studies

Russia and the United States, LFS-200-001

A comparative study of the two superpowers, Russia and the United States, through an interdisciplinary approach with emphasis on the major similarities and differences. The course draws primarily from international studies, political science, history, literature, and the arts. Usually offered every fall.

Russian

Elementary Russian I, RUSS-144

Prepares students to function in everyday situations in the Russian-speaking world. Focuses on the acquisition of basic vocabulary and grammatical structures in culturally authentic contexts through speaking, reading, writing, and listening comprehension. Designed for students with no prior experience with Russian.

Intermediate  Russian I, RUSS-244

Refinement of basic language skills in a cultural context. Expansion of vocabulary and grammatical structures and development of communicative skills. Content focuses on cultural patterns in the Russian-speaking world.

Russian Conversation and Composition I, RUSS-342

Promotes the advanced active use of Russian in culturally authentic contexts. Emphasis on the development of fluency and accuracy in oral and written communication. Review of grammatical structures and vocabulary expansion through extensive reading. Problems of style and creative use of language.

Russian Media and Political Translation, RUSS-441/641

Reading and translating selected sociopolitical texts and current periodical publications. Vocabulary expansion through study of word formation. Study of idioms, terms, and syntactic patterns.

Russian Advanced Grammar & Composition I, RUSS-546

A systematic grammar review course for those who have had at least three years of Russian. There is a written assignment for every class, either a translation or an essay. Weekly quizzes test knowledge of grammatical constructions, vocabulary, and idioms.