Provisional University Bulletin (2025-2026)

• Minor
• Major (BA)

The Russian Studies program, housed in the Department of German, Russian, and Asian Languages and Literature, offers students rigorous training in the Russian language as well as deep engagement with Russian literature, culture, history, and politics. Through courses in Russian and English within and outside the department, students focus their interests on a variety of topics played out in the Russian Empire, the USSR, the Russian Federation, and other post-Soviet states. Flexible requirements allow students to choose their own focus and path.

The program has several broad goals in educating its students. First, develop multilingualism and multiculturalism: By studying language and culture, students achieve a range of  intermediate-to-advanced-level proficiency in Russian in order to express personal thoughts, to read authentic Russian texts, to engage in social interactions, and to participate in the events of everyday life in a Russophone world. Second, open minds: The program helps students to develop a deeper understanding of a highly complex, diverse, and often poorly understood part of the world, and to unmask persistent stereotypes, misconceptions, and myths. Third, appreciate cultural diversity: Students develop a deeper understanding of the diversity of the Russophone world, which incorporates major world religious traditions (Christianity, Islam, Judaism, Buddhism, and Shamanism) and includes, beyond the Slavic majority, Tatars, indigenous groups of the Russian Federation, and multiethnic Russian-speaking diaspora throughout the world. Finally, develop critical analysis skills: Our students learn to critically analyze traditions and habits of thought in language, culture, literature, and history. We lead students towards innovative paths of inquiry and discovery which will help them navigate a complex world.

Undergraduate Major and Minor

Russian language study constitutes the core of the program and accommodates the learning needs of two different groups of students: first-time learners with no prior study of the language and heritage bilinguals who grew up in Russian-speaking families or bilingual households. A four-semester sequence of foundational Russian language courses for traditional learners (RUS 10a, 20b, 30a, and 40b) is followed by content-based language courses (100-level) focusing on increasing proficiency across all four modalities (speaking, listening, reading, and writing) through engagement with film, literature, or other culture topics as well as through developing translation skills. Students with no prior study of the language who take Russian language courses at Brandeis are expected to achieve an Intermediate-level range of proficiencies, according to the ACTFL proficiency scale. Students who also study the language in intensive summer immersion programs in the U.S. or abroad for at least one semester are expected to reach an Advanced-level range. Students are encouraged to include study abroad in a post-Soviet state other than the Russian Federation, or in a domestic immersion program as part of their major or minor.

Heritage bilinguals have a unique opportunity to take a two-semester sequence of language courses (RUS 29a and 39b) to develop writing and reading proficiency in Russian and strengthen their speaking and comprehension skills. Beyond this initial sequence, bilingual students can take any of the 100-level content-based language courses which aim to develop their bilingual competencies as well as hone their critical thinking skills.

Bilingual students interested in a Russian language study and/or the Russian major and minor are encouraged to consult with the Russian Language Program Director early on in their academic career in order to determine the appropriate course of study.

The major is based on a strong interdisciplinary approach, which encourages students to become sophisticated analysts of Russian cultural traditions expressed through language, literature, film, or theater. Beyond language study, students can choose from a rich offerings in Russian and comparative literature, film, theater, and culture, as well as history, politics, and courses on Russian Jewish history. Literature courses focus on the major authors and works of the nineteenth and twentieth centuries. Most literature electives are taught in English in order to make them accessible to a broad range of students. Students of Russian are encouraged to do as much of the literature and history course readings as possible in Russian.

Seniors may pursue an honors thesis to culminate the major. Both majors and minors are invited to participate in the Capstone Event at the end of the academic year, where they present either their honors thesis or the best work of their choice produced in a Russian Studies course and reflect on their intellectual journey in the program.

The Russian Studies program is dedicated to understanding the language, literature, culture, history, and politics of the Russian Federation and the former Soviet Union. By design, the major is flexible, enabling students to focus on a particular aspect of Russian Studies, guided by their individual interests and goals.

Knowledge

Students completing the major in Russian Studies will:

1. Possess a substantial core of knowledge about the Russian language and literature as well as have a general understanding of modern Russian and Soviet history and culture;
2. Understand and appreciate the diversity of the Russophone world, both within the post-Soviet space and in the Russian-speaking diasporas throughout the world;
3. Be familiar with some of the major Russian creative writers of the nineteenth and twentieth centuries;
4. Understand the dynamic relations between various kinds of cultural texts and their historical contexts;
5. Understand the resources and methods of at least one of the disciplines included in Russian Studies (for example, literature, theater, history, politics);
6. Use their understanding of literary, linguistic, historical, and creative analysis to raise and explore new questions about Russia and the Russophone world;
7. Appreciate the diversity and complexity of human thought and experience, as expressed in the similarities and differences between Russian- and English-speaking cultures.

Core Skills

The Russian Studies major emphasizes Brandeis University's core skills in critical thinking, communication, intellectual flexibility, and creativity. Students completing a degree in Russian Studies will acquire the ability and skills to:

1. Write and converse in Russian within at least the Intermediate-level range as defined by ACTFL;
2. Demonstrate independence in comprehending main ideas in Russian texts produced in written or oral modalities on a variety of non-technical subjects that are relevant to disciplines beyond language study;
3. Analyze complex texts through critical close reading and respond to them in sophisticated and coherent English;
4. Apply basic critical methodologies to the study of Russian literature, culture, history, and politics;
5. Engage in research in the field using primary and secondary sources;
6. Generate original ideas and insights using knowledge of the Russian language and critical skills acquired through the study of Russian history and culture.

Social Justice

The Russian Studies curriculum prepares graduates to participate as informed citizens in a global society by exposing them to a different cultural tradition, to the history of another complex civilization that combines both western and non-western aspects, and to the diversity of the Russophone world. The various components of the major strive to foster understanding of and respect for the cultural traditions of Russia and other post-Soviet states. In the Russian language classroom, students test and develop their ability to think critically and solve problems as they analyze and find meaning in the products, practices, and perspectives of a different culture. This process of reflection challenges students to reconsider their own cultural traditions and habits of thought. Moreover, during students’ efforts to become proficient in another language and culture, they may temporarily experience the feeling of exclusion and otherness that outsiders (in all senses of the term) often encounter because of social, cultural, and linguistic barriers that can prevent them from fully participating in society. As a result of their range of experiences in the Russian language classroom, students will deepen their sense of empathy for others. Finally, language study and the practice of literary analysis foster self-reflection and inquiry, and prepare graduates to be life-long learners.

Upon Graduating

A Brandeis student with a Russian Studies major will be prepared to:

1. Pursue graduate study and a scholarly career in Russian or Comparative Literature, Linguistics, Second Language Acquisition, or any discipline focusing on Russia and the Russophone world; or
2. Use the knowledge and perspectives gained from the sustained study of Russian language, history and literature to pursue professional training and a range of careers in any field dealing with Russia and other post-Soviet states, including government, law, politics, security studies, anthropology, area studies, international business, journalism, international relations, education, and human rights.

Students considering a Russian major or minor should complete the required language courses as soon as possible. Students with prior language study or a Russian-speaking background should contact the director of the Russian language program to discuss language placement as early as possible. All other questions about the major or the minor should be directed to the undergraduate advising head.

Irina Dubinina, Director of the Russian Language Program
Professor of Russian

Robin Feuer Miller, Edytha Macy Gross Professor of Humanities
Professor of Russian and Comparative Literature

David Powelstock, Undergraduate Advising Head for Russian Studies
Associate Professor of Russian Language and Literature

Affiliated Faculty
ChaeRan Freeze (Near Eastern and Judaic Studies)
Gregory Freeze (History)
Dmitry Troyanovsky (Theater Arts)
Steven Wilson (Politics)

1. Two language courses: RUS 30a and 40b or equivalent (for learners of Russian as a second language), or RUS 29a and 39b
or equivalent (for bilingual heritage learners).

2. One RECS-designated elective.

3. Three additional electives, which may be any combination of RUS courses numbered 100 or above, RECS courses, and cross-listed electives from the list below.

4. No course with a final grade below C- can count toward fulfilling the minor requirements in Russian Studies.

5. No course taken pass/fail may count toward the minor requirements.

1. Two language courses: RUS 30a and 40b or equivalent (for learners of Russian as a second language), or RUS 29a and 39b
or equivalent (for bilingual heritage learners).
2. One RUS course numbered 100 or above.
3. One RECS-designated elective.
4. One cross-listed elective from the list below (designated neither RUS nor RECS).
5. Three additional electives, which may be any combination of RUS courses numbered 100 or above, RECS-designated courses, and cross-listed electives from the list below.
6. Foundational Literacies: As part of completing the Russian Studies major, students must:
   • Fulfill the writing intensive requirement by successfully completing one of the following: RECS 130a, RECS 144b, or RECS/THA 140a.
   • Fulfill the oral communication requirement by successfully completing one of the following: RECS 135a, RECS 144b, RUS 106b, or RUS 150b.
   • Fulfill the digital literacy requirement by successfully completing one of the following: RUS 29b, RUS 30a, RUS 105a, RUS 106b, RUS 115b, RUS 150b, or RUS 153a.
   • Note that students may petition the UAH to count WI, OC, or DL-designated courses outside Russian Studies to satisfy the major's foundational literacy requirements if they have appropriate content. To be assured of receiving credit for a course, students must consult with the UAH before taking it.
7. Majors wishing to graduate with departmental honors must enroll in and complete RUS 99a and RUS 99b (Senior Thesis), a two-semester sequence. Before enrolling, students should consult with the UAH and must arrange to be advised by a faculty member in the department who has agreed to direct the thesis. Honors are awarded on the basis of cumulative excellence in all courses taken in the major and the grade on the honors thesis, as determined by the department faculty. The second semester of the senior thesis, RUS 99b, may be counted toward the five required Russian Studies Electives.
8. No course with a final grade below C- can count toward fulfilling the major requirements in Russian Studies.
9. No course taken pass/fail may count toward the major requirements.

Additional Notes and Considerations

1. Although most RECS courses are taught in English, majors are encouraged to do as much of the required reading in Russian as possible. 

2. Other courses, not listed below, with appropriate content may be counted as electives by student petition to the UAH. To be assured of receiving credit for such courses, the student must consult with the UAH before taking the course.

RUS 10a Beginning Russian I

Four class hours and one recitation hour per week.

For first-time learners of Russian. This course is an engaging introduction to the Russian language and culture. Students will acquire basic communication skills in Russian by actively speaking, writing, listening, and reading in the language. Learning is enhanced by interactive online learning modules and authentic communicative tasks. Students will also develop a basic understanding of Russian culture and worldview. Active participation is essential. Usually offered every fall.

RUS 20b Beginning Russian II

Prerequisite: RUS 10a with a grade of C- or higher or the equivalent as determined by placement examination. Four class hours and one recitation hour per week.

For students with some previous study of Russian. Continuing development of proficiency across all four skills with the goal of reaching the Intermediate-Low level (ACTFL scale). Student-centered classes emphasize conversation and structural accuracy. Students will complete the learning of the grammatical architecture of the language and expand their vocabulary. Usually offered every spring.

RUS 29b Russian Language for Russian Speakers
[ dl ]

One additional hour of recitation required.

For students who grew up speaking Russian at home but have received no or minimal formal education in the language. Students will develop or improve their reading skills, acquire the foundations of writing in Russian, and expand their speaking ability through developing attention to linguistic form and dramatically expanding their vocabulary to include complex topics. Learning is enhanced by interactive online learning modules and authentic communicative tasks. Students will also engage in critical thinking about their bilingualism and multiculturalism. Active participation is essential. Usually offered every fall.

RUS 30a Intermediate Russian I
[ dl fl ]

Prerequisite: RUS 10a and RUS 20b or the equivalent. Not intended for Russian-English bilinguals; please contact language program director, Irina Dubinina, with questions about placement. Four class hours and one recitation hour per week.

Students will develop their proficiency in Russian to the intermediate level which will allow them to participate meaningfully in spontaneous spoken or written exchanges and make presentations on a variety of familiar and everyday topics. Students will also continue developing their reading and listening comprehension skills and growing their knowledge of Russian culture. Learning is enhanced by students' participation in a digital story project on a Russian-speaking city of interest. Active participation is essential. Usually offered every fall.

RUS 39b Russian Language for Russian Speakers II
[ fl ]

Prerequisite: RUS 29b or permission of the instructor.

Students continue the (re)acquisition of the Russian linguistic system focusing on the conceptual understanding of the language structure. Comprehensive instruction aims to enhance students' ability to express the intended meaning correctly and appropriately. Learning is enhanced by interactive online learning modules and authentic communicative tasks. Students will also engage in critical thinking about their bilingualism and multiculturalism. Active participation is essential. Usually offered every other spring.

RUS 40b Gateway to Advanced Topics in Russian Language and Culture
[ fl hum ]

Prerequisite: RUS 30a with a grade of C- or higher or the equivalent as determined by placement examination. Four class hours and one recitation hour per week.

Focuses on expanding the range of contexts for language use and pushing for a greater ease and structural accuracy of language production. Further refining of grammar and vocabulary within the context of Russian culture. Authentic texts and films are used for creating context for reviewing and expanding grammar, syntax and vocabulary knowledge. Usually offered every spring semester.

RUS 92a Internship

Usually offered every year.

RUS 98a Independent Study

By arrangement with a faculty member. Requires advance approval of the Undergraduate Advising Head to count toward major or minor requirements. May be repeated for credit with permission of the instructor. Usually offered every year. 

RUS 98b Independent Study

Yields half-course credit. May be taken only with the permission of the adviser to majors and the chair of the department. May be repeated for credit with permission of the instructor.

Reading and reports under faculty supervision. Usually offered every year.

RUS 99a Senior Research

Students should consult the Undergraduate Advising Head for the major.

Usually offered every year.

RUS 99b Senior Thesis

Students should consult the Undergraduate Advising Head for the major.

Usually offered every year.

RECS 130a The Great Russian Novel
[ hum wi ]

Open to all students. Conducted in English. Students may choose to do readings either in English translation or in Russian.

A comprehensive survey of the major writers and themes of the nineteenth century including Gogol, Turgenev, Dostoevsky, Tolstoy, Chekhov, and others. Usually offered every second year.

RECS 131a The Twentieth-Century Russian Novel
[ hum ]

Open to all students. Conducted in English. Students may choose to do readings either in English translation or in Russian.

An introduction to the major novels of the modernist, Soviet, and post-Soviet eras, including the emigration, such as those by Sologub, Bely, Olesha, Bulgakov, Pasternak, Nabokov, Solzhenitsyn, Erofeev, and Pelevin. May also include some short stories. Usually offered every fourth year.

RECS 134b Literature and Medicine: Chekhov and the Healing Arts
[ hum wi ]

Open to all students. Conducted in English. Most students will choose to read the works in English translation, but students who know Russian may do the readings in Russian.

Explores Chekhov as a fiction writer, a dramatist, and a devoted physician. Many of his artistic works, including a number where doctors figure as primary characters, read as case studies of particular diseases, mental illnesses, and conditions induced by poverty. Chekhov practiced the healing arts in all aspects of his professional and creative life, as well as in his courageous efforts on the remote penal-colony island of Sakhalin and in his dangerous public work during a terrible cholera epidemic. Reading both Chekhov and the works of several other modern and contemporary writers who were deeply influenced by him, this course emphasizes the skills of close looking—techniques equally valuable to the writer, the dramatist, and the physician. We read works about children and the nature of childhood, about students, about “the woman question,” about peasants, about religion, about marriage and adultery, as well as two plays: The Seagull and Uncle Vanya (and adaptations of each of them). Students will consider the ebb and flow between Chekhov’s efforts as a dramatist and a story-teller and engage with Chekhov’s most vivid, candid, and intriguing letters about medicine and art. Usually offered every second year.

RECS 135a Russian Short Fictions: Where is Justice in This World?
[ djw hum oc ]

Open to all students. Conducted in English. Students may choose to do readings either in English translation or in Russian.

Focuses on the great tradition of the short story as practiced by Russian writers and the connection and divisions among them. This genre invites extreme stylistic and narrative experimentation ranging from the comic to the tragic, as well as being a vehicle for striking expressions of complex social, philosophical, and religious themes. Usually offered every second year.

RECS 144b Tolstoy and Dostoevsky: Confronting the Novel
[ hum oc wi ]

Where do Tolstoy and Dostoevsky fit in the theory and history of the novel? Students will engage in close readings of two of the greatest novels of all time: War and Peace and The Brothers Karamazov. We will explore the genesis of each work, its cultural backdrop and critical responses. Usually offered every third year.

RECS 150a Russian and Soviet Cinema
[ hum ]

Open to all students. Conducted in English. Readings in English.

Examines the Russian/Soviet cinematic tradition from the silent era to today, with special attention to cultural context and visual elements. Film masterpieces directed by Bauer, Eisenstein, Vertov, Parajanov, Tarkovsky, Mikhalkov, and others. Weekly screenings. Usually offered every second year.

RECS 152a Russian Science Fiction Literature and Film
[ hum ]

Open to all students. Conducted in English. Readings in English.

Examines the Russian science fiction tradition in the context of philosophical, historical, and political developments, with attention to topics such as futurism, science and technology, the perfectibility of humanity, the nature of time, the proximity of the unknown, and otherness. Usually offered every third year.

RECS 154a Vladimir Nabokov: Art and Ethics
[ hum ]

Open to all students. Conducted in English. Readings in English.

A concentrated study of Vladimir Nabokov, the most noted Russian author living in emigration and one of the most influential novelists of the twentieth century. Focuses on the major Russian- and English-language novels, with special attention to the interplay within them of Nabokov’s philosophy of art and his views on ethics and morality. Usually offered every third year.

RECS/THA 140a Russian Theater: Stanislavsky to Present
[ ca djw hum wi ]

Throughout its history, Russian theatre has tried to communicate truthfully in a mostly repressive society. This course introduces students to the achievements of theatre artists from Stanislavsky through Post-Modernism. We will examine the work of groundbreaking directors like Meyerhold, Vakhtangov, and Lyubimov. We will read and analyze representative works of major modern and contemporary playwrights. The course load consists of readings, discussions, papers and in-class projects. Usually offered every second year.

RECS/WLIT 136a All in the Family: Tolstoy, Dostoevsky and the English Novel
[ hum ]

Selected novels and writings of Austen, Dostoevsky, Tolstoy and Woolf will be read to trace both the evolution of the novel and the meanings, contexts and depictions of the family. The family novel encompasses such larger questions as how we regard the pain of others and how we define community. Usually offered every second year.

RUS 105a Russian Language Today: People, Society, State
[ dl fl hum ]

Prerequisite: RUS 39b or RUS 40b with a grade of C- or higher, or the equivalent as determined by placement examination. Taught in Russian. May be repeated once for credit.

For advanced students of Russian language (non-heritage learners) who strive for advanced-level proficiency in all four modalities (listening, reading, speaking and writing). Explores aspects of contemporary Russian society and culture, including such topics as education, social media, religion, gender relations, environment and others. Usually offered every fourth year.

RUS 106b Advanced Russian Language through Film
[ dl fl hum oc ]

Prerequisite: RUS 39b or RUS 40b with a grade of C- or higher, or the equivalent as determined by placement examination. Taught in Russian.

For advanced and heritage students of Russian who wish to enhance their proficiency and accuracy in speaking, listening, and writing. Course activities will focus on discussions of contemporary Russian feature films and documentaries. Usually offered every fourth year.

RUS 115b Topics in Russian Culture and Society
[ dl fl hum ]

Prerequisite: Advanced Russian language skills.

For heritage and advanced students of Russian who wish to enhance their proficiency and accuracy in speaking, reading and writing. Introduces students to issues central to Russian folklore. Through an analysis of chronicles, icons, epic tales, and folktales, discussions will explore the roots of Russian cultural values and beliefs. Students will examine structures and archetypes in folktales and magic tales. Usually offered every fourth year.

RUS 121b Russian-English Translation
[ fl hum ]

Prerequisite: RUS 30a or demonstrated equivalent proficiency.

Students will acquire practical skills for dealing with the particular challenges of Russian-English translation. Students will also improve their reading comprehension; vocabulary; understanding of advanced Russian grammar topics; and awareness of cultural differences necessary for translating effectively. Usually offered every second year.

RUS 150b Advanced Russian Language through 20th Century Literature
[ dl fl hum oc ]

Prerequisite: RUS 39b or RUS 40b or the equivalent, or instructor permission. Taught in Russian. Course may be repeated for credit with instructor's permission.

A seminar for continuing students of Russian who wish to enhance their proficiency and accuracy in speaking, reading and writing. Focusing on the close study of Russian literature in the original Russian and the development of Russian oral and written language skills needed for the close reading and discussion of literature. Usually offered every second year.

RUS 153a Advanced Russian Language through 19th Century Literature
[ dl fl hum ]

Prerequisite: RUS 39b or RUS 40b with a grade of C- or higher, or the equivalent, or instructor permission. Taught in Russian.

An undergraduate seminar for heritage and advanced students of Russian. Focus on the study of 19th-century Russian literature in the original and development of Russian oral and written skills needed for the close reading and discussion of literature. Usually offered every fourth year.

ENG/WLIT 140b Children's Literature and Constructions of Childhood
[ hum ]

Explores whether children's literature has sought to civilize or to subvert, to moralize or to enchant, forming a bedrock for adult sensibility. Childhood reading reflects the unresolved complexity of the experience of childhood itself as well as larger cultural shifts around the globe in values and beliefs. Usually offered every third year.

FYS 6a Understanding Russian Culture: Myths and Paradoxes
[ fys uws ]

Designed to instill and enhance flexible writing and research skills. A selection of readings stimulates discussion, deepens understanding, and serves as foundation for writing assignments. Students will recognize the role of writing in fostering critical thinking and learn to identify conventions of disciplinary writing.

Russia has given the world renowned cultural luminaries such as Tolstoy and Tchaikovsky. At the same time, the Russian state—in different historical forms—has a long tradition of censoring, imprisoning, or even murdering artists and intellectuals. One scholar suggests that even as the Russian Empire has violently expanded its boundaries, the state has “colonized” its own people. Paradoxically, this very repression has made culture politically relevant—sometimes reinforcing imperial ideology, sometimes subverting it—and charged it with particular urgency. This seminar takes us inside the paradox by engaging with some of the most important works of modern Russian literature, film, philosophy, and the performing arts in the context of the country’s troubled history. Usually offered every year.

FYS 40a The Bookshelf of Childhood
[ fys uws ]

Designed to instill and enhance flexible writing and research skills. A selection of readings stimulates discussion, deepens understanding, and serves as foundation for writing assignments. Students will recognize the role of writing in fostering critical thinking and learn to identify conventions of disciplinary writing.

Whether children’s literature has sought to civilize or to subvert, to moralize or to enchant, it forms a bedrock and an important reference point for the adult sensibility. Our reading in childhood reflects the unresolved complexity of the experience of childhood itself as well as larger cultural shifts in values and beliefs, both historically and around the globe. We will read a number of fairy tales and look at how these tales migrate through place and time, and, as they do so, take on or challenge the particular values of the culture at hand. We will also consider a group of stories written for children, among them Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland, The Wonderful Wizard of Oz, and The Witches. Through numerous and varied writing assignments, the course will foster the development of incisive close reading, analysis, research, and successful academic writing generally. The immensely enjoyable readings offer students an opportunity – as readers, in classroom conversations, and through the writing assignments – to reflect upon their own childhoods and the nature of childhood more generally. Usually offered every year.

HIST 147a Russian Empire: Gender, Minorities, and Globalization
[ djw dl oc ss ]

Examines the processes and problems of modernization--state development, economic growth, social change, cultural achievements, and emergence of revolutionary and terrorist movements. Usually offered every year.

HIST 147b Twentieth-Century Russia: Revolution, Nationality, Global Power
[ dl oc ss ]

Russian history from the 1905 revolution to the present day, with particular emphasis on the Revolution of 1917, Stalinism, culture, and the decline and fall of the USSR. Usually offered every second year.

HIST 181b Red Flags/Black Flags: Marxism vs. Anarchism, 1845-1968
[ ss ]

From Marx's first major book in 1845 to the French upheavals of 1968, the history of left-wing politics and ideas. The struggles between Marxist orthodoxy and anarchist-inspired, left Marxist alternatives. Usually offered every third year.

HUM 1a Tragedy: Love and Death in the Creative Imagination
[ fys hum uws ]

Enrollment limited to first-year Humanities Fellows. Satisfies the First-Year Seminar core requirement.
 

Our seminar concerns elemental experiences, above all love and death. The medium through which we will explore them is tragedy, an ancient literary form closely allied with myth. Consider this remark by philosopher Simone Weil: Nothing is so beautiful and wonderful, nothing is so continually fresh and surprising, so full of sweet and perpetual ecstasy, as the good. No desert is so dreary, monotonous, and boring as evil. This is the truth about authentic good and evil. With fictional good and evil it is the other way around. Fictional good is boring and flat, while fictional evil is varied and intriguing, attractive, profound and full of charm. (S.W., On Science, Necessity, and the Love of God, 160)

Hence, the appeal of the tragic, which directly addresses evil. There will be abundant, and sometimes horrifying evil in the plays, fiction, and poetry we read this term. We begin with Cormac McCarthy’s shocking Blood Meridian, a tragic tale of the American West, much as the Iliad is a tragic tale of ancient Greece. But why belabor the tragic, the mythic? Because in myth and tragedy we find not merely the self-confident moral posturing so common in modern writing but instead an attempt to get at that which underlies morality: good and evil, love and death. They are more fundamental, possibly divine, and therefore the remit of myth and tragedy rather than science and law. Usually offered every year.

POL 133b Politics of Russia and the Post Communist World
[ ss wi ]

Overview of the politics of Russia and the former Soviet world. Topics include the fall and legacy of communism, trends of democracy and dictatorship, European integration, resurgent nationalism, social and economic patterns throughout the former Soviet Bloc, and Putin's rise and influence both within Russia and abroad. Usually offered every year.

POL 167b Russian Foreign Policy
[ oc ss wi ]

Surveys Russian foreign policy in the contemporary world, with particular attention paid to the deep historical context for its attitudes and goals in international relations. Topics include relations with the larger post-communist region, the Muslim world, its ongoing antagonistic relations with America and the West, the rise of disinformation warfare on the internet, in addition to the distinct Russian perspective on geopolitics. Usually offered every year.

WLIT 160a East European Literature and Film: Art and Life in the Throes of History
[ hum ]

All texts, films, and instruction in English. No prerequisites.

Examines major East European films and literary works from the Ukrainian, Polish,  Czech, Romanian, Hungarian, (former) Yugoslavian, Bosnian, and other traditions. With an eye toward the unique historical, political, and ideological currents of the region and its constituent nationalities, we will focus on both artistic expression and engagement with larger issues.  Usually offered every second year.

WLIT 171a Literary Translation in Theory and in Practice
[ hum ]

Prerequisite: Excellent reading knowledge of any language other than English. Students will be asked to demonstrate proficiency before receiving consent to enroll in the course.

Approaching literary translation from several angles at once, this course combines readings in the history and theory of translation with a practical translation workshop. Students will experience first-hand the challenges of literary translation and, with the help of the theoretical readings, reflect on what the process teaches us about linguistic, literary, and cultural difference. Usually offered every second year.

RECS 130a The Great Russian Novel
[ hum wi ]

Open to all students. Conducted in English. Students may choose to do readings either in English translation or in Russian.

A comprehensive survey of the major writers and themes of the nineteenth century including Gogol, Turgenev, Dostoevsky, Tolstoy, Chekhov, and others. Usually offered every second year.

RECS 144b Tolstoy and Dostoevsky: Confronting the Novel
[ hum oc wi ]

Where do Tolstoy and Dostoevsky fit in the theory and history of the novel? Students will engage in close readings of two of the greatest novels of all time: War and Peace and The Brothers Karamazov. We will explore the genesis of each work, its cultural backdrop and critical responses. Usually offered every third year.

RECS/THA 140a Russian Theater: Stanislavsky to Present
[ ca djw hum wi ]

Throughout its history, Russian theatre has tried to communicate truthfully in a mostly repressive society. This course introduces students to the achievements of theatre artists from Stanislavsky through Post-Modernism. We will examine the work of groundbreaking directors like Meyerhold, Vakhtangov, and Lyubimov. We will read and analyze representative works of major modern and contemporary playwrights. The course load consists of readings, discussions, papers and in-class projects. Usually offered every second year.

RECS 135a Russian Short Fictions: Where is Justice in This World?
[ djw hum oc ]

Open to all students. Conducted in English. Students may choose to do readings either in English translation or in Russian.

Focuses on the great tradition of the short story as practiced by Russian writers and the connection and divisions among them. This genre invites extreme stylistic and narrative experimentation ranging from the comic to the tragic, as well as being a vehicle for striking expressions of complex social, philosophical, and religious themes. Usually offered every second year.

RECS 144b Tolstoy and Dostoevsky: Confronting the Novel
[ hum oc wi ]

Where do Tolstoy and Dostoevsky fit in the theory and history of the novel? Students will engage in close readings of two of the greatest novels of all time: War and Peace and The Brothers Karamazov. We will explore the genesis of each work, its cultural backdrop and critical responses. Usually offered every third year.

RUS 106b Advanced Russian Language through Film
[ dl fl hum oc ]

Prerequisite: RUS 39b or RUS 40b with a grade of C- or higher, or the equivalent as determined by placement examination. Taught in Russian.

For advanced and heritage students of Russian who wish to enhance their proficiency and accuracy in speaking, listening, and writing. Course activities will focus on discussions of contemporary Russian feature films and documentaries. Usually offered every fourth year.

RUS 150b Advanced Russian Language through 20th Century Literature
[ dl fl hum oc ]

Prerequisite: RUS 39b or RUS 40b or the equivalent, or instructor permission. Taught in Russian. Course may be repeated for credit with instructor's permission.

A seminar for continuing students of Russian who wish to enhance their proficiency and accuracy in speaking, reading and writing. Focusing on the close study of Russian literature in the original Russian and the development of Russian oral and written language skills needed for the close reading and discussion of literature. Usually offered every second year.

RUS 29b Russian Language for Russian Speakers
[ dl ]

One additional hour of recitation required.

For students who grew up speaking Russian at home but have received no or minimal formal education in the language. Students will develop or improve their reading skills, acquire the foundations of writing in Russian, and expand their speaking ability through developing attention to linguistic form and dramatically expanding their vocabulary to include complex topics. Learning is enhanced by interactive online learning modules and authentic communicative tasks. Students will also engage in critical thinking about their bilingualism and multiculturalism. Active participation is essential. Usually offered every fall.

RUS 30a Intermediate Russian I
[ dl fl ]

Prerequisite: RUS 10a and RUS 20b or the equivalent. Not intended for Russian-English bilinguals; please contact language program director, Irina Dubinina, with questions about placement. Four class hours and one recitation hour per week.

Students will develop their proficiency in Russian to the intermediate level which will allow them to participate meaningfully in spontaneous spoken or written exchanges and make presentations on a variety of familiar and everyday topics. Students will also continue developing their reading and listening comprehension skills and growing their knowledge of Russian culture. Learning is enhanced by students' participation in a digital story project on a Russian-speaking city of interest. Active participation is essential. Usually offered every fall.

RUS 105a Russian Language Today: People, Society, State
[ dl fl hum ]

Prerequisite: RUS 39b or RUS 40b with a grade of C- or higher, or the equivalent as determined by placement examination. Taught in Russian. May be repeated once for credit.

For advanced students of Russian language (non-heritage learners) who strive for advanced-level proficiency in all four modalities (listening, reading, speaking and writing). Explores aspects of contemporary Russian society and culture, including such topics as education, social media, religion, gender relations, environment and others. Usually offered every fourth year.

RUS 106b Advanced Russian Language through Film
[ dl fl hum oc ]

Prerequisite: RUS 39b or RUS 40b with a grade of C- or higher, or the equivalent as determined by placement examination. Taught in Russian.

For advanced and heritage students of Russian who wish to enhance their proficiency and accuracy in speaking, listening, and writing. Course activities will focus on discussions of contemporary Russian feature films and documentaries. Usually offered every fourth year.

RUS 115b Topics in Russian Culture and Society
[ dl fl hum ]

Prerequisite: Advanced Russian language skills.

For heritage and advanced students of Russian who wish to enhance their proficiency and accuracy in speaking, reading and writing. Introduces students to issues central to Russian folklore. Through an analysis of chronicles, icons, epic tales, and folktales, discussions will explore the roots of Russian cultural values and beliefs. Students will examine structures and archetypes in folktales and magic tales. Usually offered every fourth year.

RUS 150b Advanced Russian Language through 20th Century Literature
[ dl fl hum oc ]

Prerequisite: RUS 39b or RUS 40b or the equivalent, or instructor permission. Taught in Russian. Course may be repeated for credit with instructor's permission.

A seminar for continuing students of Russian who wish to enhance their proficiency and accuracy in speaking, reading and writing. Focusing on the close study of Russian literature in the original Russian and the development of Russian oral and written language skills needed for the close reading and discussion of literature. Usually offered every second year.

RUS 153a Advanced Russian Language through 19th Century Literature
[ dl fl hum ]

Prerequisite: RUS 39b or RUS 40b with a grade of C- or higher, or the equivalent, or instructor permission. Taught in Russian.

An undergraduate seminar for heritage and advanced students of Russian. Focus on the study of 19th-century Russian literature in the original and development of Russian oral and written skills needed for the close reading and discussion of literature. Usually offered every fourth year.