RUS330 Syllabus

Course Title: After Communism

Course No.: REE 302 Unique No.: 44175

Instructor: Keith Livers ([email protected])

Meeting Time & Place: MW: 2:00–3:30, Mezes B0.302

Office Hours: TBA

This course will look at the development of Russian culture since the collapse of the in 1991. Literature, film and cultural studies materials will be combined to present students with a broad perspective on the major developments and trends that have shaped Russian life since the end of communism. Topics ranging from post- communist transition, the Chechen conflict, globalization, the rise of Russian nationalism and others will be covered over the course of the semester.

Requirements: Active in-class participation, two 5-6 page papers and one presentation (approx. 15 minute presentation) with a partner.

LIST OF REQUIRED TEXTS:

Course pack (compiled by instructor) Thirst (Andrei Gelasimov) Homo Zapiens (Viktor Pelevin) The Life of Insects (Viktor Pelevin) The Day of the Oprichnik (Vladimir Sorokin) Ice (Vladimir Sorokin) An Akward Age (Anna Starobinets)

LIST OF FILMS:

The Brother () The (Aleksei Balabanov) Of Freaks and Men (Aleksei Balabanov) Prisoner of the Mountains (Sergei Bodrov) The Thief (Pavel Chukhrai) Luna Park (Pavel Lungin) Night Watch/Day Watch (Sergei Luk’ienko) Elena, The Return (Andrei Zviagintsev)

1 RUS330 Syllabus

Participation 20% Grading: 2 essays (5-6 pages) 60% 1 presentation 20%

SCHEDULE

WEEK 1

W Intro to course

WEEK 2

M Discussion of Luna Park READ: “Tales of the Grim: Seth Graham on the Dark Side of Russian Cinema” http://calvertjournal.com/comment/show/57/chernukha-little-vera-cargo-200 *Chapter 7 in From to Madrid: European Cities, Postmodern Cinema, ed. Mazierska, Ewa; Rascaroli, Laura [e-book, PCL]

W Close to Eden (Nikita Mikhalkov) Read: Russian History: A Very Short Introduction (Geoffrey Hosking), Chapters 6 & 7 [in course pack]

WEEK 3

M Prisoner of the Mountains

READ: “Chaos, Conspiracy, and Spectacle: The Russian War Against Chechnya,” by Jakob Rigi [online source]

W Thirst (Andrei Gelasimov)

WEEK 4

2 RUS330 Syllabus

M Life of Insects (Viktor Pelevin) [in course pack]

W Life of Insects (Viktor Pelevin) [in course pack]

WEEK 5

M The Thief (Pavel Chukhrai) READ: Chapter 6 in Cinepaternity: Fathers and Sons in Soviet and Post-Soviet Cinema, ed. Goscilo & Hashamova [ebook, available thru PCL]

W “Life With an Idiot” (Viktor Erofeev), “Surrealism in a Proletarian District” (Vladimir Makanin), “Country of Origin” (Dmitrii Bakin) [in course pack]

WEEK 6

M The Brother READ: chapter 2 in Pride and Panic: Russian Imagination of the West in Post-Soviet Cinema, by Yana Hashamova [in course pack]

W Of Freaks and Men (Aleksei Balabanov)

WEEK 7

M Homo Zapiens (Viktor Pelevin) Read: “From Homo Sovieticus to Homo Zapiens: Viktor Pelevin’s Consumer Dystopia,” Sofiya Khagi, The Russian Review, 67 (4) [get it thru PCL]

W Homo Zapiens (Viktor Pelevin)

3 RUS330 Syllabus WEEK 8

M Four (Ilya Khrzanovskii)

W Brother 2 (Aleksei Balabanov)

WEEK 9

M Spring Break (No Classes)

W Spring Break (No Classes)

WEEK 10

M Awkward Age (Anna Starobinets)

W Awkward Age (Anna Starobinets)

WEEK 11

M Ice (Vladimir Sorokin)

W Ice (Vladimir Sorokin)

WEEK 12

M Day of the Oprichnik (Vladimir Sorokin)

W Day of the Oprichnik (Vladimir Sorokin), “History” (Roman Senchin) [in course pack]

4 RUS330 Syllabus WEEK 13

M The Return (Andrei Zviagintsev) Read: Chapter 6 in Cinepaternity: Fathers and Sons in Soviet and Post-Soviet Cinema, ed. Goscilo/Hashamova [in course pack]

W Night/Day Watch (Timur Bekmambetov)

WEEK 14

M Elena (Andrei Zviaginstev)

W PRESENTATIONS

WEEK 15

M PRESENTATIONS

W PRESENTATIONS

WEEK 16

M PRESENTATIONS

W CACTUS

5 RUS330 Syllabus

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