Department of Slavic Languages and Literatures
CHRISTOPHER R. PUTNEY, Chair
Professors
Madeline G. Levine, Peter Sherwood.
Associate Professors
Lawrence Feinberg, Christopher R. Putney, Ivana Vuletic.
Assistant Professor
Radislav Lapushin.
Lecturer
Eleonora Magomedova.
Professors Emeritus
Vasa Mihailovich.
Introduction
The Department of Slavic Languages and Literatures offers courses leading to the degrees of bachelor of arts, master of arts, and doctor of philosophy. The undergraduate programs leading to the B.A. with a major in Slavic languages and literatures are made up of a series of courses in languages, literature, and linguistics that give the student a good knowledge of the Slavic/East European language of their specialization and a grounding in the most representative works of the Slavic/East European culture of their specialization. Courses in Czech, Hungarian, Polish, and Serbian and Croatian are offered within the department.
The department offers two undergraduate tracks leading to the B.A. with a major in Slavic languages and literatures: a concentration in Russian language and culture, and a concentration in Slavic and East European languages and cultures. Both tracks provide preparatory training that will be useful in government employment, internationally oriented business, journalism, law, and teaching, among others, as well as for graduate study in a range of humanistic and social science disciplines.
The Department of Slavic Languages and Literatures offers instruction in many of the languages and literatures of Eastern Europe and the former Soviet Union, a vast multicultural region of enormous linguistic and cultural richness and complexity. For historical reasons, Russian remains the most important linguistic key to understanding, in its totality, the cultural and linguistic heritage of many of the peoples of the former USSR and Eastern Europe. Russian is also the language of one of the world’s great literatures and provides an essential gateway for the study of the many other languages, literatures, and cultures of the Slavic world.
Programs of Study
The degree offered is the bachelor of arts with a major in Slavic languages and literatures, with a concentration in Russian language and culture, or in Slavic and East European languages and cultures. Minors are offered in Slavic and East European cultures and in Russian culture.
Majoring in Slavic Languages and Literature: Bachelor of Arts
Major Track in Russian Language and Culture
• Five courses in Russian language: RUSS 101, 102, 203, 204, and 321.
• Three additional language courses: RUSS 406 and 407, third year Russian; and RUSS 322, third-year Russian conversation.
• Five additional courses selected from the Russian language, linguistics, literature, and literature/culture courses offered by the department. One of these five must be RUSS 250, an introduction to Russian culture with all readings in Russian. RUSS 250 is taught as an independent or small-group study by tenure-track faculty.
Students who participate in the study abroad program in Russia can earn some of the credit for the major during their Russian stay and should consult beforehand with the director of undergraduate studies about their program.
Major Track in Slavic and East European Languages and Cultures
• Requirements: Five semesters in any target language
• Two semesters of any other Slavic language (Russian is strongly suggested)
• Five additional courses selected from the Slavic/East European and Russian language, linguistics, literature, and literature/culture courses offered by the department. Of these five, one must be SLAV 250, an introduction to the non-Russian Slavic/East European culture of the candidate’s specialization, with all reading in that national language. SLAV 250, like RUSS 250, is taught as an independent or small-group study by tenure-track faculty members.
Students who participate in study abroad programs in Eastern Europe can earn some of the credit for the major during their stay and should consult beforehand with the director of undergraduate studies about their program.
Minoring in Slavic and East European Cultures
The minor in Slavic and East European cultures consists of a minimum of five courses in any aspect of Slavic/East European language, literature, or culture. The first two semesters of any language may not be counted toward this minor (for example, CZCH 401/402, PLSH 401/402, HUNG 401/402, RUSS 101/102, SECR 401/402). Students who participate in an approved study abroad program in Russia or another East European country can earn some of the credit for this minor during their overseas stay.
Minoring in Russian Culture
The minor in Russian culture consists of a minimum of five courses in any aspect of Russian language, literature, or culture. The first two semesters of Russian (i.e., RUSS 101/102) may not be counted toward this minor.
Honors in Slavic Languages and Literature
All majors with the appropriate grade point average are eligible to graduate with honors. They should ask the undergraduate advisor to enroll them in RUSS 691H and 692H or SLAV 691H and 692H to provide information about writing an honors thesis.
Special Opportunities in Slavic Languages and Literature
Departmental Involvement
The department hosts a wide array of events designed for student cultural enrichment: lectures, roundtables, films, and small conferences. It sponsors a variety of student clubs and activities, including weekly conversation hours in the languages we teach. The department hosts a fall open house for all students interested in pursuing internship, study abroad, graduate study, and employment opportunities in Russia and East/Central Europe. Every spring the department presents a Slavic talent night or Spektakl’, in which students give a wide variety of individual and group performances—skits, songs, puppet shows, plays, poetry readings—in the Slavic and East European languages they are learning in the program.
Study Abroad
Students are strongly encouraged to participate in a study abroad program, particularly once they have acquired sufficient language skills to benefit most from this immersion experience. Students can study on semester- or year-long programs in Russia, including in Moscow and St. Petersburg, while earning credit towards their Carolina degree. Students also have the possibility of participating in a summer program in Russia, such as the UNC in Moscow program at the Russian State University of the Humanities.
UNC–Chapel Hill also has two programs in the Czech Republic (the Honors in Prague Program and the SIT Program in Arts and Social Change, also in Prague); and programs at the Jagiellonian University in Krakow, Poland. For more information about these and other programs in East/Central Europe, go to studyabroad.unc.edu.
Undergraduate Awards
Established in 1999, the Paul Debreczeny Prize is awarded each spring to a graduating senior whose work in Russian language and literature or Slavic linguistics has been judged outstanding. This prize honors one of the founding faculty members of the Department of Slavic Languages and Literatures, the late Paul Debreczeny. Membership in the UNC–Chapel Hill chapter of Dobro Slovo, the National Slavic Honor Society, is available to majors and minors who have completed two years (or equivalent) of study of Slavic languages, literature, culture, or related subjects, with a minimum average grade of B+.
Undergraduate Research
Students are encouraged to work on course-complementary or independent research projects with department faculty. Students eligible for honors study are encouraged to write a senior honors thesis in consultation with a faculty advisor.
Facilities
Students in Slavic and East European languages make use of a variety of online resources as well as the materials and labs available in the Foreign Language Resource Center on the first floor of Dey Hall.
Graduate School and Career Opportunities
A major in the department provides preparation for a number of advanced study programs, including Slavic and East European languages and literatures, comparative literature, linguistics, history, law, international business and management, international relations, and professional translation.
Courses about Central and Eastern Europe make up an important part of a liberal education, and a major in the department can provide excellent preparation for many career opportunities, particularly when the major is combined with courses in business, economics, political science, journalism, and other fields. The Department of Slavic Languages and Literatures is one among a very few academic departments in the United States that offer a wide range of critical and/or less commonly taught languages of Eastern Europe and the former USSR. People who know these languages are in particularly high demand in business and government careers.
Contact Information
Radislav Lapushin, Director of Undergraduate Studies, CB# 3165, 425 Dey Hall, (919) 962-1178. Web site: www.unc.edu/depts/slavdept.
401 [101] Elementary Bulgarian (3). Pronunciation, structure of language, and reading in modern Bulgarian.
402 [102] Elementary Bulgarian (3). Pronunciation, structure of language, and reading in modern Bulgarian, continued.
403 [103] Intermediate Bulgarian (3). Continuation of the proficiency-based instruction begun in Elementary Bulgarian.
404 [104] Intermediate Bulgarian (3). Continuation of the proficiency-based instruction begun in Elementary Bulgarian, continued.
405 [105] Advanced Bulgarian (3). Advanced readings and discussion in Bulgarian in humanities and social science topics.
406 [106] Advanced Bulgarian (3). Advanced readings and discussion in Bulgarian in humanities and social science topics, continued.
411 [111] Bulgarian Literature (3). Introduction to Bulgarian literature in English translation. Taught in English. Some readings in Bulgarian for qualified students.
401 [101] Elementary Czech (3). Pronunciation, structure of language, and reading in modern Czech.
402 [102] Elementary Czech (3). Pronunciation, structure of language, and reading in modern Czech, continued.
403 [103] Intermediate Czech (3). Continuation of proficiency-based instruction begun in Elementary Czech.
404 [104] Intermediate Czech (3). Continuation of proficiency-based instruction begun in Elementary Czech, continued.
405 [105] Advanced Czech (3). Advanced readings and discussion in Czech in humanities and social science topics.
406 [106] Advanced Czech (3). Advanced readings and discussion in Czech in humanities and social science topics, continued.
411 [111] Czech Literature (3). Introduction to Czech literature in English translation. Some readings in Czech for qualified students.
425 Topics in Czech and/or Slovak Literature (3). Study of topics in Czech and/or Slovak literature and culture not currently covered in any other course. The specific topic will be announced in advance. Taught in English. Some readings in Czech for qualified students.
280 Hungarian Cinema since World War II (3). An introduction to Hungarian society and culture since the end of World War II through a selection of film classics with English subtitles, with supporting background materials. Taught in English.
401 [101] Elementary Hungarian (3). Pronunciation, structure of language, and reading in modern Hungarian.
402 [102] Elementary Hungarian (3). Pronunciation, structure of language, and reading in modern Hungarian, continued.
403 [103] Intermediate Hungarian Language (3). Continuation of the proficiency-based instruction in Elementary Hungarian.
404 [104] Intermediate Hungarian Language (3). Continuation of the proficiency-based instruction in Elementary Hungarian, continued.
411 Introduction to Hungarian Literature (3). An introduction to Hungarian literature of the last five centuries through a selection of works in English translation, with supporting background materials including films (in English, with English subtitles). Taught in English; some readings in Hungarian for qualified students.
425 [125] Topics in Hungarian Literature and Culture (3). Study of topics in Hungarian literature and culture not currently covered in any other course. The specific topic will be announced in advance. Taught in English; some readings in Hungarian for qualified students.
401 [101] Elementary Macedonian (3). Pronunciation, structure of language, and reading in modern Macedonian.
402 [102] Elementary Macedonian (3). Pronunciation, structure of language, and reading in modern Macedonian, continued.
403 [103] Intermediate Macedonian (3). Continuation of the proficiency-based instruction begun in Elementary Macedonian.
404 [104] Intermediate Macedonian (3). Continuation of the proficiency-based instruction begun in Elementary Macedonian, continued.
405 [105] Advanced Macedonian (3). Advanced reading and discussion in Macedonian in humanities and social science topics.
406 [106] Advanced Macedonian (3). Advanced reading and discussion in Macedonian in humanities and social science topics, continued.
280 The Modern Cinema of Poland (3). An overview of postwar Polish cinema from the Polish school of the 1950s to the so-called Generation 2000. Includes films of Wajda, Munk, Kieslowski, Polanski, and others.
401 [101] Elementary Polish (3). Pronunciation, structure of language, and reading in modern Polish.
402 [102] Elementary Polish (3). Pronunciation, structure of language, and reading in modern Polish, continued.
403 [103] Intermediate Polish (3). Continuation of the proficiency-based instruction in Elementary Polish.
404 [104] Intermediate Polish (3). Continuation of the proficiency-based instruction in Elementary Polish.
405 [105] Advanced Polish (3). Advanced readings and discussion in Polish on humanities and social science topics.
406 [106] Advanced Polish (3). Advanced readings and discussion in Polish on humanities and social science topics, continued.
411 [111] 19th-Century Polish Literature and Culture (3). A survey of the major works of 19th-century Polish literature and culture in English translation. Some readings in Polish for qualified students.
412 [112] 20th-Century Polish Literature and Culture (JWST 412) (3). A survey of the major works of 20th-century Polish literature and culture in English translation. Some readings in Polish for qualified students.
425 Topics in Polish Literature (3). Study of topics in Polish literature and culture not currently covered in any other course. The specific topic will be announced in advance. Taught in English. Some readings in Polish for qualified students.
101 [001] Elementary Russian (4). Introductory course designed to lay the foundation of grammar and to convey basic reading and pronunciation skills.
102 [002] Elementary Russian (4). Continuation of the introductory course designed to lay the foundation of grammar and to convey basic reading and pronunciation skills.
203 [003] Intermediate Russian (3). Grammar-translation work with increasing proportions of free reading and oral work.
204 [004] Intermediate Russian (3). Grammar-translation work with increasing proportions of free reading and oral work, continued.
213 [011] Intermediate Russian Conversation (2). Corequisite, RUSS 203. Supplements the grammar presentations in RUSS 203. Basic conversational practice on topics relevant to Russia today.
214 [012] Intermediate Russian Conversation (2). Corequisite, RUSS 204. Continuation of RUSS 213.
244 [044] Selected Readings in Russian (1–12). Permission of the instructor. Readings in Russian literature or linguistics on topics not usually covered in course work.
250 [050] Introduction to Russian Literature (3). Prerequisite, RUSS 204. Permission of the instructor for students lacking the prerequisite. Reading and discussion of selected authors in Russian aimed at improving reading skill and preparing the student for higher level work in Russian literature.
270 [070] Russian Literature of the 19th Century (3). Introduction to Russian prose fiction of the 19th century with particular consideration of selected writings of Pushkin, Gogol, Turgenev, Dostoevsky, and Tolstoy. Lectures and readings in English.
272 [072] Russian Literature from Chekhov to the Revolution (3). Literary situations and authors of 1880 to 1917, with emphasis on Chekhov and the Symbolists. Lectures and readings in English.
273 [073] Russian Culture and Society: 1890–1917 (3). Examines the extraordinary diversity of turn-of-the-century Russian culture (1890s to 1917); the proliferation of visual and performance arts; the rise of popular culture; new artistic explorations of gender and sexuality. Lectures and readings in English.
274 [074] Russian Literature after 1917 (3). Russian writers and literary problems from the Revolution to the present. Lectures and readings in English.
275 [075] Russian Fairy Tale (3). An introduction to the Russian fairy tale with attention to its roots in Russian folklore, its influence on Russian culture, and its connections with American folk and popular culture. Lectures and readings in English.
281 Russian Literature in World Cinema (3). Survey of masterpieces of Russian literature in the context of their cinematic adaptations. Lectures and readings in English.
321 [021] Russian Conversation (3). Prerequisite, RUSS 204. Permission of the instructor for students lacking the prerequisite. Designed to develop conversational skills in a variety of situations and subjects. Russian used, except for a minimum of linguistic explanations or comment.
322 [022] Russian Conversation (3). Prerequisite, RUSS 321. Permission of the instructor for students lacking the prerequisite. Designed to develop conversational skills in a variety of situations and subjects. Russian used, except for a minimum of linguistic explanations or comment.
394 [094A] Russians View America (3). Exploration of Russian responses to the United States from the American Revolutionary War through the end of the Cold War. Course materials include fiction and nonfiction readings as well as films. Lectures and readings in English.
400 [100] The Evolution of Russian (3). This course traces the development of Russian from late common Slavic to contemporary Russian. Consideration is given to linguistic developments as well as cultural, social, and historical circumstances shaping contemporary Russian.
405 [101] The Structure of Modern Russian (3). Prerequisite, RUSS 400. Permission of the instructor for students lacking the prerequisite. For students who want a systematic understanding of the language. Synchronic analysis of contemporary standard Russian phonology, morphology, morphophonemics, semantics, and syntax.
406 [105] Advanced Russian Grammar (3). Prerequisite, RUSS 204. Permission of the instructor for students lacking the prerequisite. A comprehensive review of Russian grammar on an advanced level, emphasizing reading and writing skills.
407 [106] Advanced Russian Grammar (3). Prerequisite, RUSS 406. Permission of the instructor for students lacking the prerequisite. A comprehensive review of Russian grammar on an advanced level, emphasizing reading and writing skills.
411 [111] Advanced Russian Conversation and Composition (3). Prerequisite, RUSS 322 or 407. Permission of the instructor for students lacking the prerequisite. Designed to develop conversational and writing skills in a variety of situations and subjects.
412 [112] Advanced Russian Conversation and Composition (3). Prerequisite, RUSS 411. Permission of the instructor for students lacking the prerequisite. Designed to develop conversational and writing skills in a variety of situations and subjects.
413 Russian Stylistics (3). Prerequisite, RUSS 412. Permission of the instructor for students lacking the prerequisite. Advanced Russian conversation and composition, with appropriate grammatical and stylistic explanations. Can be taken repeatedly for credit, but only counts once toward degree requirements.
414 Russian Stylistics (3). Prerequisite, RUSS 413. Permission of the instructor for students lacking the prerequisite. Continuation of Russian Stylistics at a more advanced level.
425 [125] Topics in Russian Literature (3). Study of topics in Russian literature and culture not currently covered in any other course. The specific topic will be announced in advance. Taught in English. Some readings in Russian for qualified students.
431 [131] Dandies and Dead Souls: Russian Literature and Culture, 1800–1850 (3). A survey of major works of Russian literature and culture in the first half of the 19th century. Readings in English translation. Some readings in Russian for qualified students.
432 [132] Great Novels and Cursed Questions: Russian Literature and Culture, 1850–1881 (3). A survey of major works of Russian literature and culture in the Golden Age, an era of sociopolitical reform. Readings in English translation. Some readings in Russian for qualified students.
435 [135] Literature and Music in Russia (3). Exploring the uses Russian composers have made of literary works and motifs, as well as the response of Russian writers to musical compositions and composers, and to music as an art form. Readings in English translation. Some readings in Russian for qualified students.
441 [141] From Decadence to Revolution: Russian Literature and Culture, 1881–1945 (3). A survey of major works of fin-de-siècle Russian and early Soviet literature and culture. Readings in English translation. Some readings in Russian for qualified students.
442 [142] From Cold War to Capitalism: Russian Literature and Culture, 1945–Present (3). A survey of major works of Russian literature and culture from 1945 to the present. Readings in English translation. Some readings in Russian for qualified students.
462 [162] Russian Poetry of the 19th Century (3). Readings and lecture on 19th-century Russian poetry. Readings in Russian.
463 Russian Drama: From Classicism to Modernism (3). Survey of Russian drama as a literary and theatrical phenomenon from the end of the 18th to the beginning of the 20th centuries. Readings in English translation. Some readings in Russian for qualified students.
464 [164] Dostoevsky (3). Study of major works of Dostoevsky and a survey of contemporary authors and literary trends relevant to his creative career. Readings in Russian for majors, in English for nonmajors.
465 [165] Chekhov (3). Study of major works of Chekhov and survey of contemporary authors and literary trends relevant to his creative career. Readings in Russian for majors, in English for nonmajors.
469 Bulgakov (3). Study of major works of Mikhail Bulgakov, including The Master and Margarita, and a survey of contemporary Russian history and culture relevant to his creative career. Readings in English, in Russian for majors.
471 [171] Gogol (3). Study of major works of N. V. Gogol and a survey of contemporary authors and literary trends relevant to his creative career. Lectures and seminar discussions. Readings in Russian for majors, in English for nonmajors.
475 [175] Literature of Russian Terrorism: Arson, Bombs, Mayhem (PWAD 475) (3). Literary representations of Russian revolutionaries and terrorists in the 19th and early 20th centuries. Readings by Dostoevsky, Chernyshevsky, Bely, Joseph Conrad, and by some of the terrorists themselves. Readings in English translation. Some readings in Russian for qualified students.
479 [179] Tolstoy (3). Study of the major works of Tolstoy and a survey of contemporary authors and literary trends relevant to his creative career. Readings in Russian for majors, in English for nonmajors. Readings in Russian for majors, in English for nonmajors.
486 [186] Contemporary Russian Women’s Writing (WMST 486) (3). A study of Russian women’s writing after World War II, including both fictional and propagandistic works analyzed in their sociopolitical context. Serves as an introduction to Russian women’s studies. Readings in Russian for majors, in English for nonmajors.
493 [193] Russian Short Story (3). An introduction to the Russian short story. The readings, in English for nonmajors and in Russian for majors, include works from the 17th century to the present. Readings in Russian for majors, in English for nonmajors.
511 [211] Russian Mass Media (3). Prerequisite, RUSS 412. Permission of the instructor for students lacking the prerequisite. Module 1: Fifth-year Russian, to expand and master the knowledge of the language necessary for understanding deep ongoing changes in different spheres of Russian society—political, social, economic, cultural, etc.
512 [212] Russian Mass Media (3). Prerequisite, RUSS 511. Permission of the instructor for students lacking the prerequisite. Module 2: Fifth-year Russian, to expand and master the knowledge of the language necessary for understanding deep ongoing changes in different spheres of Russian society—political, social, economic, cultural, etc.
513 Russian Culture in Transition I (3). Prerequisite, RUSS 411. Permission of the instructor for students lacking the prerequisite. Fifth-year Russian—to expand knowledge of the language necessary for understanding social changes that are taking place in Russian society—in literature, art, culture, and everyday human mentality.
514 Russian Culture in Transition II (3). Prerequisite, RUSS 412. Permission of the instructor for students lacking the prerequisite. RUSS 513 is not a prerequisite. Fifth-year Russian—continuing with the theme of RUSS 513 offered in the fall semester.
560 [160] Russian Sentimentalism and Romanticism (3). Prerequisite, RUSS 407. Permission of the instructor for students lacking the prerequisite. Survey of Russian sentimentalism and romanticism, with special attention to the intellectual currents of the period (ca. 1770 to 1850). Consideration of Western precursors (Rousseau, Sterne, Byron, et al.). Readings in Russian.
691H [397] Honors Reading Course (3). Russian language and culture majors only. Researching and writing of an honors thesis on an agreed-upon topic not covered by scheduled courses, under the direction of departmental advisors.
692H [398] Honors Reading Course (3). Russian language and culture majors only. Researching and writing of an honors thesis on an agreed-upon topic not covered by scheduled courses, under the direction of departmental advisors.
401 Elementary Serbian and Croatian Language (3). Pronunciation, structure of the language, and readings in modern Serbian and Croatian language.
402 [102] Elementary Serbian and Croatian Language (3). Pronunciation, structure of the language, and readings in modern Serbian and Croatian language, continued.
403 [103] Intermediate Serbian and Croatian Language (3). Continuation of the proficiency-based instruction begun in Elementary Serbian and Croatian language.
404 [104] Intermediate Serbian and Croatian Language (3). Continuation of the proficiency-based instruction begun in Elementary Serbian and Croatian language, continued.
405 [105] Advanced Serbian and Croatian Language (3). Advanced readings and discussion in Serbian and Croatian language on humanities and social science topics.
406 [106] Advanced Serbian and Croatian Language (3). Advanced readings and discussion in Serbian and Croatian language on humanities and social science topics, continued.
411 [111] Introduction to Serbian and Croatian Literature (3). Introduction to Serbian and Croatian literature with an emphasis on 19th- and 20th-century prose. Taught in English. Some readings in Serbian and Croatian for qualified students.
425 Topics in South Slavic Literatures (3). Study of topics in Serbian, Croatian, and other South Slavic literatures and cultures not currently covered in any other course. The specific topic will be announced in advance. Taught in English. Some readings in the target language for qualified students.
SLAV
080 First-Year Seminar: The Devil and the Problem of Evil in Russian Literature (3). An exploration of how the devil and other representatives of “unclean power” have been portrayed in over seven centuries of Russian literature. Readings include texts by Gogol, Dostoevsky, and Bulgakov.
081 First-Year Seminar: Metaphor and the Body (3). All human beings inhabit a physical body, with inherent oppositions of inside/outside, up/down, and left/right. This course examines bodily experience as the wellspring of meaning.
082 [006M] First-Year Seminar: Doctor Stories (3). Explores and reflects on the experience and significance of being a doctor in Russia and the United States, analyzing “doctors’ stories” presented in fiction, nonfiction, film, and other media.
083 [006M] First-Year Seminar: The Actress: Celebrity and the Woman (3). Reflects on the experience, significance, and influence of the stage and motion picture actress in the modern era, analyzing her representation and reception in memoirs, biographies, fiction, and film.
084 [006M] First-Year Seminar: Terror for the People: Terrorism in Russian Literature and History (PWAD 084) (3). Terror was used as a political weapon in 19th-century Russia. This seminar introduces the terrorists through their own writings and fictional representations in novels by Fyodor Dostoevsky and Joseph Conrad.
085 [006M] First-Year Seminar: Children and War (PWAD 085) (3). Readings for this seminar include children’s wartime diaries, adult memoirs of child-survivors, and fiction from Eastern Europe and east Asia. Focused on WWII, but with attention to present-day conflicts.
086 [006M] First-Year Seminar: Literature and Madness (3). This course examines the ways in which modern European and American fiction, essays, and film construct representations of madness.
101 [030] Introduction to Slavic Civilizations: Peasants, Popes, and Party Hacks (3). Introduction to the essentials of Slavic cultures, including religion, literature, history, art, cinema, folklore, geography, and music. Course materials include films, slides, and recordings. Lectures and readings in English.
196 [032H] Peoples and Languages of Eastern Europe (3). The cultural diversity of Eastern Europe is examined through the emergence of competing religions, newly formed literary languages, and political controversies surrounding the birth of new languages and nations. All readings in English.
198H East European Literature (3). An introduction to the literatures of Eastern Europe, including consideration of political and social influences on literary creation within different cultural traditions. All readings in English translation.
244 [044] Directed Readings in a Slavic Language (1–12). Permission of the instructor. Directed readings in a Slavic language other than Russian on topics in literature and linguistics not normally covered in scheduled courses.
248 [048] Childhood and Adolescence in Slavic Literature (3). Childhood and adolescence as portrayed in both fictional and autobiographical form by 19th- and 20th-century Russian, Polish, Czech, and other East European writers, including Tolstoy, Dostoevsky, Nabokov, I. B. Singer, Schulz, Milosz. Lectures and readings in English.
250 [050] Introduction to Non-Russian Slavic/East European Culture (3). Prerequisite, BULG 404, CZCH 404, HUNG 404, MACD 404, PLSH 404, or SECR 404. Permission of the instructor. Reading and discussion of selected authors in the target language aimed at improving reading and analytical skills and preparing the student for higher level work.
251 [094A] Ideology and Aesthetics: Marxism and Literature (GERM 251) (3). See GERM 251 for description.
306 [075] Language and Nationalism (LING 306) (3). This course focuses on language, identity, and nationalism in contemporary societies, with special emphasis on Europe, Africa, Asia, and the United States.
405 [105] Introduction to Slavic Linguistics (3). The phonological and morphological history of Slavic languages from the late Indo-European to the split of the common Slavic linguistic unity.
409 [109] Cognitive Linguistics (LING 409) (3). Development of and present state of research in cognitive linguistics. Readings discuss various language phenomena and are drawn from linguistics, psychology, philosophy, artificial intelligence, and literary analysis of metaphor.
425 Topics in Slavic Literatures (3). Study of topics in Slavic literatures and cultures not currently covered in any other course. The specific topic will be announced in advance. Taught in English. Some readings in the target language(s) for qualified students.
463 [144] Medieval Slavic Culture (RELI 463) (3). Survey of medieval Slavic culture, beginning with Christianization in the ninth and 10th centuries. Themes include Byzantine missions, the replacement of paganism with Christianity, the oral traditions, and Slavic literary relations. Readings in English for non-Slavic concentrators.
464 [164] Imagined Jews: Jewish Themes in Polish and Russian Literature (JWST 464) (3). Explores the fictional representation of Jewish life in Russia and Poland by Russian, Polish, and Jewish authors from the 19th century to the present. Readings in English for non-Slavic concentrators.
465 [165] Literature of Atrocity: The Gulag and the Holocaust in Russia and Eastern Europe (JWST 465, PWAD 465) (3). Literary representation in fiction, poetry, memoirs, and other genres of the mass annihilation and terror in Eastern Europe and the former Soviet Union under the Nazi and Communist regimes. Readings in English for non-Slavic concentrators.
467 [167] Language and Political Identity (PWAD 467) (3). This course examines the roles of language policy and linguistic controversies in determining national identity and fueling political polarization. It focuses primarily on Western and Eastern Europe and Central Asia.
469 [169] Coming to America: The Slavic Immigrant Experience in Literature (JWST 469) (3). Fictional and autobiographical expressions of the Slavic and East European immigrant experience in the 20th century. Readings include Russian, Polish, Jewish, and Czech authors from early 1900s to present. Readings in English for non-Slavic concentrators.
470 [170] 20th-Century Russian and Polish Theater (3). A comparative survey of the major trends in 20th-century Russian and Polish dramaturgy and theatrical production, with attention to aesthetic, professional, and political connections between the two. Readings in English for non-Slavic concentrators.
490 [125] Topics in Slavic Literature (3). Comparative study of topics in non-Russian Slavic literatures and culture not covered in any other course. Specific topics will vary and will be announced in advance. Taught in English.. Some readings in the target language(s) for qualified students.
500 [100] Old Church Slavonic (3). An introduction to the language of the oldest Slavic texts. Translation, grammatical analysis, comparison of texts.
560 [160] Reading Other Cultures: Issues in Literary Translation (CMPL 560) (3). Permission of the instructor. Reading knowledge of a language other than English recommended. Starting from the proposition that cultural literacy would be impossible without reliance on translations, this course addresses fundamental issues in the practice, art, and politics of literary translation.
580 [180] East European Literary Criticism (3). Survey of 20th-century Slavic literary criticism. Russian formalists, Bakhtin and his circle, Czech structuralists, Soviet semiotics. Emphasis on influence of Slavic criticism on development of Western literary criticism.
691H [397] Honors Reading Course (3). Slavic and East European languages and cultures majors only. Research and writing of an honors thesis on an agreed-upon topic not covered by scheduled courses, under the direction of departmental advisors.
692H [398] Honors Reading Course (3). Slavic and East European languages and cultures majors only. Research and writing of an honors thesis on an agreed-upon topic not covered by scheduled courses, under the direction of departmental advisors.