Russian
Students considering language study outside the Western European offerings will find Russian a refreshing change. In our first-year sequence we cover the fundamentals with equal emphasis on speaking, listening, writing, and reading. Traditional materials are supplemented by fairy tales, folk songs, rock music video, film clips and internet materials. By the end of Russian 204, students are able to read short prose by Chekhov, Dostoevsky, and Tolstoy, and to communicate functionally with native speakers. Language courses beyond 204 address contemporary Russian cultural and social issues while focusing on skill development at the intermediate (205), and advanced level (301). Students with pre-college Russian, either acquired or native, should consult the department for placement information.
Literature and Cultural Studies
We teach a variety of courses in English translation with no prerequisites (230-295). Courses at the 330-395 level that are conducted entirely in Russian aim to expand students' linguistic range as well as their understanding of analytical techniques and cultural contexts. See individual listings below for prerequisites.
Requirements for a Major
66 credits, including the following:
- Russian 205; 207 or 307;
- 12 credits of survey courses in English (Russian 150, 244, 268, Cinema and Media Studies 237);
- 18 credits numbered 330 or above, six of which will normally be Russian 395; and
- the integrative exercise.
Courses 101, 102 and 103 do not count toward the major. Elective credits may include LCST 245 (strongly recommended) and History 240-242.
Study Abroad: Participation in foreign study programs is highly recommended. Consult the "Off-Campus Studies" section of the catalog for a description of the Carleton Moscow Program. Departmental approval of credit for participation in non-Carleton overseas programs should be sought before leaving campus.
Certificate of Advanced Study in Foreign Language and Literature or Foreign Language and Area Studies: In order to receive the Certificate of Advanced Study in Russian, students must fulfill the general requirements (refer to Academic Regulations) in the following course distribution: six courses beyond 103, including 205 and two courses numbered 330 or above. Although courses for the certificate may be taken on a S/CR/NC basis, "D" or "CR" level work will not be sufficient to satisfy course requirements. Additional courses may be chosen from among other offerings in the Russian section, and History 240-242.
Language House: Students have the opportunity to immerse themselves in the language by living in Parish House. A native Russian Resident Associate provides opportunities for conversation practice and assists students in organizing a variety of cultural activities.
Russian Courses
RUSS 101 Elementary Russian For students with no previous training in or minimal knowledge of Russian. Simultaneous development of skills in speaking, reading, aural comprehension, writing. Students with prior instruction or who speak Russian at home should consult the department for placement information. Class meets five days a week. 6 credits; NE; Fall; Anna M Dotlibova, Laura Goering
RUSS 102 Elementary Russian Continues Russian 101. Prerequisite: Russian 101 or equivalent. 6 credits; NE; Winter; Laura Goering, Anna M Dotlibova
RUSS 103 Elementary Russian Concludes introductory method of Russian 101-102. Prerequisite: Russian 102 or equivalent. 6 credits; NE; Spring; Laura Goering, Anna M Dotlibova
RUSS 107 Russian at a Cultural Crossroad Program: Beginning Grammar This course will focus on continued study of the fundamentals of Russian grammar, vocabulary expansion, and activation. This course is conducted by members of Kazakh National University's Philological Faculty and supervised by the program director. Prerequisite: Russian 102 or placement beyond Russian 102. 4 credits; NE; Not offered 2016-17
RUSS 108 Russian at a Cultural Crossroad Program: Beginning Phonetics This course is taken in combination with Russian 107. Students focus on the essentials of Russian pronunciation with preliminary work in intonation. This course is conducted by members of Kazakh National University's Philological Faculty and supervised by the program director. Prerequisite: Russian 102 or placement beyond Russian 102. 2 credits; NE; Not offered 2016-17
RUSS 109 Russian at a Cultural Crossroad Program: Beginning Conversation This course is taken in combination with Russian 107. Emphasis on socially relevant material. This course is conducted by members of Kazakh National University's Philological Faculty and supervised by the program director. Prerequisite: Russian 102 or placement beyond Russian 102. 3 credits; NE; Not offered 2016-17
RUSS 150 Facts and Fairy Tales: Introduction to Russian Cultural History This course explores issues central to life in Russia today--e.g., ethnic and religious diversity, gender equality, ecology, poverty (and wealth), demographics, and corruption--through the lens of Russia's arts as developed over the last thousand years. Media include architecture, folklore, nineteenth- and twentieth-century fiction, painting, music, and cinema. Theoretical texts address different approaches to the study of national cultures. Discussions are supplemented by occasional lectures; student assessment is based on participation, a final exam, and short papers designed for inclusion in the portfolio. No knowledge of Russian language or Russian studies assumed or required. 6 credits; HI, WR2, IS; Not offered 2016-17
RUSS 204 Intermediate Russian Continued four-skill development using texts and resources from a variety of sources. Emphasis on communicative skills. Prerequisite: Russian 103 or equivalent. 6 credits; NE; Fall; Diane M Nemec Ignashev
RUSS 205 Russian in Cultural Contexts In this course students continue to develop skills of narration, listening comprehension, and writing, while exploring issues of contemporary Russian life and consciousness. The issues are examined from the position of two cultures: American and Russian. The course draws on a variety of sources for reading and viewing, including the periodic press, film, and music. Prerequisite: Russian 204 or equivalent. 6 credits; IS, NE; Winter; Anna M Dotlibova
RUSS 206 Russian Practicum In this three-credit course students will both refresh their knowledge of Russian acquired in the 101-204 sequence as well as develop intermediate-level skills in grammar, reading, listening, and speaking. Curriculum from term to term will be adjusted by the instructor to student needs. Prerequisite: Open to students who have completed Russian 204 and not yet embarked on Russian 330 or above courses, or by permission of the instructor. 3 credits; NE; Not offered 2016-17
RUSS 207 Russian at a Cultural Crossroad Program: Intermediate Grammar This course aims at vocabulary expansion and the assimilation and activation of formulaic conversational structures and speech etiquette at the same time it develops familiarity with more complex principles of Russian grammar. This course is conducted by members of Kazakh National University's Philological Faculty and supervised by the program director. Prerequisite: Russian 205 or equivalent. 3 credits; NE; Not offered 2016-17
RUSS 208 Russian at a Cultural Crossroad Program: Intermediate Phonetics This course is taken in combination with Russian 207. Students focus on the essentials of Russian pronunciation and correction. Preliminary work in intonation will be offered. This course is conducted by members of Kazakh National University's Philological Faculty and supervised by the program director. 3 credits; NE; Not offered 2016-17
RUSS 209 Russian at a Cultural Crossroad Program: Intermediate Conversation This course is taken in combination with Russian 207. Emphasis will be placed on socially relevant reading materials. This course is conducted by members of Kazakh National University's Philological Faculty and supervised by the program director. Prerequisite: Russian 205 or equivalent. 3 credits; NE; Not offered 2016-17
RUSS 226 Moscow Program: Russia's Hallowed Places This course explores localities in Russia that have acquired the significance of hallowed or sacred places, the reasons underlying their designation, and the diversity of belief systems they embody. Localities considered include places in and around Moscow (some holy, others cursed), the routes of literary heroes (and their creators) in St. Petersburg, sites of legendary historical significance in Central Russia, and the "sacred sea" of Siberia, Lake Baikal, and its Buryat-Mongol shamanist-Buddhist environs. Course materials: readings, films, excursions, lectures, and travel. Student learning is assessed through occasional quizzes, weekly discussions, and integrative blog writing assignments. Prerequisite: Acceptance in Russian OCS Program. 6 credits; HI, IS; Not offered 2016-17
RUSS 244 The Rise of the Russian Novel From the terse elegance of Pushkin to the psychological probing of Dostoevsky to the finely wrought realism of Tolstoy, this course examines the evolution of the genre over the course of the nineteenth century, ending with a glimpse of things to come on the eve of the Russian Revolution. Close textual analysis of the works will be combined with exploration of their historical and cultural context. No prior knowledge of Russian or Russian history is required. 6 credits; LA, WR2, IS; Not offered 2016-17
RUSS 266F Dostoevsky in Russian Readings and discussion of texts by Dostoevsky in the original Russian. Requires concurrent registration in Russian 266. Prerequisite: Russian 205 or the equivalent, requires concurrent registration in Russian 266. 1 credit; NE, IS; Spring; Laura Goering
RUSS 266 Dostoevsky An introduction to the works of Dostoevsky. Readings include Poor Folk, Notes from the Underground, and The Brothers Karamazov. Conducted entirely in English. Prerequisite: No prerequisites and no knowledge of Russian literature or history required. 3 credits; LA, IS; Spring; Laura Goering
RUSS 267 War and Peace Close reading and discussion of Tolstoy's magnum opus. Conducted entirely in English. Prerequisite: No prerequisites and no knowledge of Russian literature or history required. 3 credits; LA, IS; Spring; Laura Goering
RUSS 267F War and Peace in Russian Reading and discussion of Tolstoy's War and Peace in the original Russian. Requires concurrent registration in Russian 267. Prerequisite: Russian 205 or the equivalent. Concurrent registration in Russian 267. 1 credit; NE, IS; Spring; Laura Goering
RUSS 280 Russian History Through Song In this course we will analyze, sing, and stage some of the best-known Russian songs of the twentieth century, songs that have become the "prayers" of the new civic religion. Prerequisite: Russian 205 or instructor permission. 2 credits; NE, IS; Not offered 2016-17
RUSS 307 Russian at a Cultural Crossroad Program: Advanced Grammar This course combines advanced work in Russian grammar (largely corrective) and fundamentals in composition, with conversational Russian. Prerequisite: Six credits of Russian at the 300 level and participation in Russian OCS Program. 3 credits; NE; Not offered 2016-17
RUSS 308 Russian at a Cultural Crossroad Program: Advanced Phonetics and Intonation This course is taken in combination with Russian 307. Students focus on corrective pronunciation and theory and practice of Russian intonation. This course is conducted by members of Kazakh National University Philological Faculty and supervised by the program director. Prerequisite: Six credits of Russian at the 300 level and Participation in Russian OCS program. 3 credits; NE; Not offered 2016-17
RUSS 309 Russian at a Cultural Crossroad Program: Advanced Practicum This course aims at skill development in speaking and oral presentation as well as in limited forms of composition. It is taken in combination with Russian 307 and conducted by members of Kazakh National University Philological Faculty and supervised by the program director. Prerequisite: Six credits of Russian at the 300 level. 3 credits; NE; Not offered 2016-17
RUSS 341 From Folktale to Fanfiction: Russian Short Prose In addition to its well-known “doorstop novels,” Russia has a rich tradition of short fiction. This course presents a sampling of prose genres, from nineteenth-century classic folktales and short stories to contemporary works in which twentieth- and twenty first-century writers play with tradition. Conducted in Russian. Prerequisite: Russian 205 or the equivalent. 6 credits; LA, IS; Not offered 2016-17
RUSS 346 Russian Cultural Idioms: The Golden Age An introduction to the names, quotations and events that every Russian knows--knowledge which is essential to understanding Russian literature, history and culture of the last two centuries. We will study literary and artistic works produced in the first half of the nineteenth century in the context of history and social thought, with emphasis on poetry and theater. Not open to students who have taken Russian 345. Prerequisite: Russian 205 or instructor permission. 3 credits; LA, IS; Not offered 2016-17
RUSS 347 Russian Cultural Idioms: The Age of Reform An introduction to the names, quotations and events that every Russian knows--knowledge which is essential to understanding Russian literature, history and culture of the last two centuries. We will study literary and artistic works produced in the second half of the nineteenth century in the context of history and social thought, with emphasis on music and fine art. Not open to students who have taken Russian 345. Prerequisite: Russian 205 or instructor permission. 3 credits; LA, IS; Not offered 2016-17
RUSS 351 Chekhov A study of Chekhov's short fiction, both as an object of literary analysis and in the interpretation of critics, stage directors and filmmakers of the twentieth century. We will also examine the continuation of the Chekhovian tradition in the works of writers such as Bunin, Petrushevskaia and Pietsukh. Conducted in Russian. Prerequisite: Russian 205 or permission of the instructor. 6 credits; LA, IS; Fall; Anna M Dotlibova
RUSS 395 Senior Seminar: The Cult of Stalin Drawing on materials from film, literature, architecture, and mass culture, we will examine the cult of Iosif Stalin during "the Leader's" lifetime and continuing into subsequent eras through both repudiation and periodic revivals. We will address the pagan and Christian foundations of the Stalin cult, as well as its connections with the cult of Lenin. Conducted entirely in Russian. Prerequisite: At least 6 credits at the level of Russian 330 or higher or instructor permission. 6 credits; LA, IS; Spring; Anna M Dotlibova