Geography/History/Political Science/Slavic 253 Russia: An Interdisciplinary Survey Course Syllabus, Spring 2017 T/Th 1:00-2:15 1520 Microbial Science Building

Professor Manon van de Water TA: John Winters 818 Van Hise Hall 812 Van Hise Hall [email protected] [email protected] Office hours: T 11:30-12:30 Office hours: T 9:45-10:45 Th 2:30-3:30 Th 2:303:30

This course is designed as an interdisciplinary introduction to Russian civilization, drawing on contributions by over a dozen faculty members from ten programs at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, as well as several visiting lecturers. It aims to impart a basic knowledge of Russian history, literature, politics, religion, philosophy, art, geography, economy, cinema, theatre, and foreign affairs, to provide students with the tools to begin to grasp the complex issues that Russian culture and society present us. By the end of the semester, students will be familiar with the major issues, approaches, and topics of disagreement among Russian area specialists, and have a solid understanding of Russian culture, history, geography, and politics.

Course Requirements Weekly quizzes (10%) midterm exam (25%) Final exam (25%) Discussion section, including required postings on Canvas (25%) Presentations in Discussion Sections (10%) Outside lectures/events write-ups (5%)

Weekly quizzes will assess basic knowledge of the readings. The midterm and final exams will include identifications as well as short essays, and are designed to solicit connections between the lectures topics. The latter is also the purpose of the weekly discussion sections, when students will meet in smaller groups to discuss the material, including all reading assignments. Attendance at the discussion period and participation in person and online discussions are mandatory, and worth one quarter of the final grade. Students are also required to give a presentation in their discussion section to be discussed with and approved by the TA. Finally, students must attend at least three scholarly lectures or other events sponsored by CREECA and write a two-paragraph description and analysis.

Grading scheme and explanation of grades 92+ = A 88-92 = AB 82-88 = B 78-82 = BC 70-78 = C 60-70 = D 0-60 = F

The grade of A is the highest grade that can be given. If you want to receive an A, leave no doubt in the instructor’s mind. The grade of AB is an intermediate grade between A and B. You will receive an AB for good work that falls short of the highest level. The grade of B is awarded for work that is good, but does not strive to go beyond that level. You will receive a B for solid work that does not demonstrate the excellence required of an AB or A. The grade of BC is an intermediate grade between B and C. You will receive a BC for work that is more than satisfactory but not good enough to warrant a B. The grade of C is for satisfactory work that does not strive to go beyond adequately satisfying the requirements of the assignment. The grade of D is for poor work that falls short of satisfying the basic requirements of the assignment. The grade of F is a failing grade.

Required Texts: * Thompson, John M., Russia and the Soviet Union: An Historical Introduction from the Kievan State to the Present (7th ed.) * Turgenev, Ivan, Mumu http://www.online-literature.com/turgenev/1972/ * Solzhenitsyn, Alexander One Day in the Life of Ivan Denisovich, trans. H. T. Willetts * Electronic Readings, accessible through Canvas canvas.wisc.edu All readings are also on reserve at Helen C. White Library.

CANVAS: This class has a Canvas course space that will be used for posting information, reading assignments, review sheets, handouts, updates to the syllabus, and other materials. Please check the site regularly for announcements. The required films will be accessible on the Canvas site as well.

Academic Integrity: Real learning can happen only when it is approached with honesty and commitment. Real learning requires time. You must both come to class and do the readings/viewings in advance. For lecture, a completed quiz given on either Tuesday or Thursday of most weeks will count toward your attendance, and no make-ups will be offered. Two quiz grades will be dropped, however, to compensate for any unavoidable absences. Written assignments and postings are due on the date specified, and late presentations in discussion classes will suffer a penalty. Note that your discussion section meets only once a week; it is crucial to avoid absences, although two will be allowed before a penalty will affect your final grade. Please let both me and the TA know in advance, if possible, of any anticipated absences from either discussion or lecture. If you must miss a class, be sure to get the notes for the class from a classmate before coming to me or the TA. We cannot repeat the entire class for you (especially since most of the presentations will be by different lecturers), but are happy to help you through issues that you do not understand or questions that you still have. Our emails, offices in Van Hise Hall, and office hours are listed above.

Plagiarism: Plagiarism is a serious academic offense, which may have severe repercussions. Plagiarism includes all attempts to pass others' ideas or words off as your own, including copying other students' lesson plans, or parts thereof. For detailed instructions on how to avoid plagiarism as well as the procedures followed when plagiarism is discovered see the following web links: Policies and definitions of plagiarism (UW and more general) http://www.wisc.edu/students/conduct/uws14.htm http://www.wisc.edu/pubs/home/archives/ug03/rules.html Advice for students on how to avoid plagiarism: http://www.wisc.edu/writing//Handbook/QPA_plagiarism.html

Inclusivity: Your success in this class is important to all of us. If there are circumstances that may affect your performance in this class, please let me know as soon as possible so that we may work together to develop strategies for adapting assignments to meet both your needs and the requirements of the course. The McBurney Disability Resource Center (263-2741) provides resources for students with disabilities. You will need to provide documentation of disability to them in order to receive official university services and accommodations. We have a number of other resources too that may help you, so please come to us if needed.

Religious absences/conflicts: You must let the TA and me know in writing (email is fine) if you request absences for religious or unavoidable reasons by Thursday, January 26.

Laptops and cell phone use: You may use laptops for note taking only. When a video is shown, you may not look at your laptop. Social media and email are prohibited. Some lecturers will request you put your laptops away. Cell phone use is not allowed.

Guest lectures Please understand it is extremely impolite and disruptive to come late and leave early, especially when we have guest lecturers. If you have to leave early let me at the top of class. When you are late you will miss the quiz and you will be marked as absent.

I'm looking forward to the semester, and hope that you are, too. LECTURE AND ASSIGNMENT SCHEDULE

All assignments must be completed by the date indicated on the syllabus. Bring all texts assigned (except "Thompson," which will serve as background textbook) to the lectures at which they will be discussed. Note that attendance at lecture is mandatory, and should not be considered a substitute for reading the assignments. The reverse is also true. Lectures will analyze, expand upon, and question the reading material, but will not recapitulate it. At your first Wednesday meeting, you will receive a separate assignment schedule for discussion section.

Week 1 INTRODUCTION Jan. 17 T Pussy Riot Affair or How Did Russia Get To This Point?!? Manon van de Water (Slavic) 19 R The Geography of Russia, Bob Kaiser (Geography) Assignment: Thompson, Chpt. 1 Frazier, "Travels in Siberia - I" http://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2009/03/10/travels-in- siberia-i

Week 2 HISTORY Jan. 24 T The Mongol Empire and Russia’s Tatar Yoke, Uli Schamiloglu (GNS/ Nazarbayev University) Assignment: Thompson, Chpt. 2 26 R Holy Mountain: Icons from Mount Athos, Thomas Dale (Director Medieval Studies/Art History) Assignment: Film: "Art and Spirituality: The Russian Icon" (viewing on Canvas)

Week 3 RUSSIAN RELIGION AND FOLK TRADITIONS Jan. 31 T Russian Religion and Churches, Galina Lapina (Slavic) Assignment: Zenkovsky, "Vladimir Christianizes Russia," Primary Chronicle, pp. 65-71 (Canvas) Ware, The Orthodox Church, pp. 73-124 (Canvas) Feb. 2 R The Muscovite and Imperial Periods, David McDonald (History) Assignment: Thompson, Chpts. 3-5

Week 4 PETER THE GREAT AND HIS LEGACY Feb. 7 T Peter's Legacy, Alexander Dolinin (Slavic) Assignment: Pushkin, "The Bronze Horseman" (Canvas) 9 R Russia and the West David McDonald (History) Assignment: Thompson, Chpts. 6-7

Week 5 LITERATURE, CRITICISM, AND PHILOSOPHY IN THE 19TH CENTURY Feb. 14 T Slavophiles and Westernizers, Andrey Ivanov (University of Wisconsin- Platteville) Assignment: Thompson, Chpt. 8 Chaadaev, Russia and Europe: First Letter (Canvas) 16 R The 40s and 60s, the 1880s and Beyond," Manon van de Water (Slavic) Assignment: Thompson, Chpt 9; Turgenev, Mumu

Week 6 REVOLUTION PRE AND POST Feb. 21 T The Intelligentsia and Revolutionary Aesthetics, Irina Shevelenko (Slavic) Assignment: Thompson, Ch. 10; Blok Twelve 23 R Revolution and Civil War, Manon van de Water (Slavic) Assignment: Thompson, Chpt. 11 Bulgakov, Day of the Turbins (Canvas)

Week 7 THE SOVIET STATE Feb. 28 T Soviet Cinema of the 20s and 30s, Vance Kepley (CommArts) Assignment: Taylor, Soviet Cinema -- The Path to Stalin" (Canvas) Kenez, "Socialist Realism," Cinema and Soviet Society, chpt. 8 (Canvas) Film: "Battleship Potemkin," https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7TgWoSHUn8c Mar. 2 R Gender and Utopia, Eliot Borenstein (NYU) Assignment: TBA

Week 8 THE "ROARING TWENTIES" AND BEYOND Mar. 7 T MIDTERM Mar. 9 R Socialist Realism, Manon van de Water (Slavic) Maria Stepanova, poet, essayist, editor COLTA.RU Q&A Assignment: Thompson, Chpt. 12 Ginzburg (Canvas) The Haunted House (Canvas)

Week 9 THE SOVIET UNION UNDER AND AFTER STALIN Mar. 14 T Stalinism and WWII.( Manon van de Water (Slavic) Assignment: Lebedev-Kumach and Dunaevsky, "Song of the Motherland" Polevoi, "We Are Soviet People" Vassiliev, The Dawns are Quiet Here (Canvas) ````````16 R Khrushchev and the Brezhnev Era, Kathryn Hendley (Law) Assignment: Thompson, Chpt. 13 Solzhenitsyn, One Day in the Life of Ivan Denisovich

SPRING RECESS

Week 10 THE SOVIET EMPIRE Mar. 28 T Gorbachev, Francine Hirsch (History) Assignment: Thompson Chpt. 14 30 R Russian Foreign Minister Andrey Kozyrev https://www.wilsoncenter.org/person/andrei- kozyrev Assignment: TBA Week 11 GLASNOST AND THE COLLAPSE OF THE SOVIET UNION Apr. 4 T Economic Reform, Scott Gehlbach, (PoliSci) Assignment: Treisman, "The Transformation," Chpt. 6 of The Return (Canvas) 6 R Viktor Gorodinsky, Folk orchestra Assignment: TBA

Week 12 LOOKING BACKWARD/LOOKING FORWARD: THE 1990s Apr. 11 T Borders, Political Geography, Geopolitics Bob Kaiser (Geography) Assignment: Thompson, Chpt. 15 13 R New Russian Drama, Manon van de Water (Slavic) Assignment: Klavdiev, Polar Truth (Canvas)

Week 13 RUSSIA TODAY: Apr. 18 T Russia and America TBA Assignment: Thompson Chpt. 16 20 R My Perestroika: A Journey From The Soviet Union, To Sesame Street, To Putin Assignment: TBA

Week 14 RUSSIA TODAY: PROTEST AND CULTURE Apr. 25 T Tuesday April 25 Gender Issues in Today’s Russia, Ted Gerber (Sociology) Assignment: TBA Apr. 27 R TBA John Winters Assignment: TBA

Week 15 RUSSIA TODAY: ON THE BRINK May 2 T Contemporary Russian Cinema, Maria Belodubrovskaya (CommArts) Assignment: Film: Sokurov's Alexandra, (Viewing on Canvas) 4 R Where is Russia Headed Now?, Yoshika Herrera (PoliSci) Assignment: TBA

May 7 Sunday FINAL EXAM 2:45-4:45 p.m., Location TBA

The Professor reserves the right to alter the schedule above as opportunities for lectures may arise. Please check the latest assignments regularly on Canvas canvas.wisc.edu