German, Russian, and East Asian Languages and Literatures

Associate Professors Sweet, Decker, Costlow, Browne (on leave, winter semester), and Strong, Chair; Assistant Professor Yang; Ms. Ofuji, Ms. Neu-Sokol, Ms. Miao, Mr. Strukov, Mr. Yanishevsky, and Mr. Liu

Students of German, Russian, and East Asian languages gain particular insight into peoples whose lives are in the process of unprecedented change. The curricula in Chinese, Japanese, German, and Russian emphasize the interconnections of society, culture, and language. They assert the vitality of traditions challenged and invigorated by change, and the importance of attaining fluency not just in language but in the nuances of cultural understanding.

The Department offers majors in Chinese, German, Japanese, and Russian language and literature. A secondary concentration can be pursued in all languages offered. Application for a secondary concentration should be made to the Chair of the Department. A secondary concentration requires a minimum of seven courses in the given language (or six courses and a designates Short Term unit). All courses taken at Bates must be from the curriculum of the Department. At least one of the seven courses must involve a study of literature or culture (taught either in the language or in translation), but only one course in translation may be counted toward the concentration. A student may petition to have up to three comparable courses, completed at other institutions either in the United States or abroad, apply toward the secondary concentration.

All students, and especially majors, are strongly encouraged to spend an extended period of time abroad prior to graduation. Opportunities to do so include participation in the Bates Fall Semester Abroad programs in China, Japan, and Germany, Junior Year or Junior Semester Abroad programs, summer sessions, and the various off-campus Short Term units sponsored by the Department.

Entering students are assigned to the appropriate level in language courses according to the following criteria: their performance on an Achievement or Advanced Placement Test of the College Entrance Examination Board taken in secondary school, relative proficiency based on length of previous study, and/or after consultation with an appropriate member of the Department.

Foreign Literatures and Cultures in Translation. While the Department emphasizes the importance of acquiring the fluency needed to study literature and culture in the original, the following courses are offered in translation. See listings under individual languages for detailed descriptions of these courses.

Chinese 207. Masterworks of Chinese Literature.
Chinese 209. Modern China Through Film and Fiction.
Chinese 261. Self and Society in Chinese Culture.
Chinese s30. Chinese Calligraphy and Etymology.

German 250. Reason and Revolution.
German 254. Berlin and Vienna, 1900-1914.
German 260. Germany and Its Others.
German 280. Goethe, Schiller, Heine.
German 365. German Nation/Jewish Identities.
German s25. The German Cinema.

Japanese 240. Japanese Literature: A Survey.
Japanese 250. Modern Japanese Women's Literature.
Japanese s20. Kawabata and Mishima.
Japanese s25. Haiku Poetry.
Japanese s32. Appreciation of Japanese People and Society Through Films.

Russian 240. Women and Writing in Russia.
Russian 261. Russian Culture and Civilization.
Russian 270. Dostoevsky and Tolstoy.
Russian 271. Topics in Modern Russian Literature.
Russian 272. Drama and Society in Russia.
Russian 273. Country Life in Russian Literature and Culture.

Chinese
The major offers a structure sequence of instruction in language skills leading to competency in spoken and written Mandarin Chinese, with classical Chinese taught at the advanced level. Emphasis is also placed on familiarizing the students with the rich cultural heritage of China's four thousand years' history, which is transmitted and embodied by the native language of over one billion people. The Department strongly recommends that majors spend their junior year at any departmentally recognized study abroad program in China and/or Taiwan. Together with the major in Japanese, this major replaces the former major in East Asian Languages and Cultures. Students wishing to pursue a broadly based, interdisciplinary study of East Asia should consult the listings for the East Asian Studies major in the Asian Studies Program.

The major consists of a minimum of twelve courses which must include: a) Chinese 101-102, 201-202, 301-302, or the equivalent; b) Chinese 207 and Japanese 240; c) two courses from the following: Chinese 209, 261, s24, s30, History 374, or one from this list and an additional course on the literature of another culture; d) either Chinese 401 or 415; and e) a senior thesis project, Chinese 457 or 458, completed in the senior year. Students are expected to utilize some source materials in Chinese in conducting research for the thesis. Qualified students are encouraged to write in Chinese. Note that students may petition the Department to have courses taken in their study abroad program applied toward the fulfillment of requirements a) and c).

Courses
101. Beginning Chinese I. An introduction to spoken and written modern Chinese. Conversation and comprehension exercises in the classroom and laboratory provide practice in pronunciation and the use of basic patterns of speech. F. Liu.

102. Beginning Chinese II. A continuation of Chinese 101 with increasing emphasis on the recognition of Chinese characters. By the conclusion of this course, students know over one quarter of the characters expected of an educated Chinese person. Classes, conducted increasingly in Chinese, stress sentence patterns that facilitate both speaking and reading. Prerequisite(s): Chinese 101. S. Yang.

201-202. Intermediate Chinese. Designed to enable students to converse in everyday Chinese and to read simple texts in Chinese (both standard and simplified characters). Classes conducted primarily in Chinese aim at further development of overall language proficiency. Prerequisite(s): Chinese 102. L. Miao.

207. Masterworks of Chinese Literature in Translation. An exploration of Chinese literature through reading and discussion of some of its masterworks of poetry, drama, fiction, and belles-lettres prose pieces from the ancient times through the pre-modern era. Open to first-year students. F. Liu.

209. Modern China Through Film and Fiction. This course explores modern China through a number of short stories and feature films produced in the twentieth century, from Lu Hsun's fiction written around 1920 to recent films directed by such world-famous directors as Zhang Yimou and Ang Lee. The focus of the course is on ways of interpreting different cultural products of modern China. Students thereby also gain a general knowledge of the history of modern Chinese fiction and film. All readings, lectures, and discussions are in English. Open to first-year students. S. Yang.

261. Self and Society in Chinese Culture: Classics and Folk Tales. An introduction to Chinese culture and civilization through reading and discussion of a number of classical texts of Confucian, Taoist, and Buddhist thoughts, as well as traditional tales, popular stories, and legends in which these basic Chinese thoughts are reflected. Readings and lectures are all in English. Open to first-year students. Staff.

301-302. Upper-Level Modern Chinese. Designed for students who already have a strong background in spoken Chinese, the course gives an intensive review of the essentials of grammar and phonology, introduces a larger vocabulary and a variety of sentence patterns, improves conversational and auditory skills, and develops some proficiency in reading and writing. Extensive use of short texts (both literary and nonfictional) and some films. Classes are conducted primarily in Chinese. Prerequisite(s): Chinese 202. Open to first-year students. L. Miao.

360. Independent Study. Independent study of individually selected topics. Periodic conferences and papers required. Permission of the Department is required. Students are limited to one independent study per semester. Staff.

365. Special Topics. Designed for the small seminar group of students who may have particular interests in areas of study that go beyond the regular course offerings. Periodic conferences and papers are required. Written permission of the instructor is required. Staff.

401. Advanced Chinese. This course is designed to further enhance students' ability to understand and speak idiomatic Mandarin Chinese. Included are readings of modern and contemporary literary works, journalistic writings and other non-literary texts. A few classical texts may also be studied upon students' request. Recommended background: three years of Chinese or more. Prerequisite(s): Chinese 302. Open to first-year students. S. Yang.

415. Readings in Classical Chinese. An intensive study of classical Chinese through reading selections of ancient literary, historical, and philosophical texts in the original, including excerpts from the Analects, the Mencius, Laozi, Zhuangzi, Shiji, Tang-Song prose and poetry. This course is conducted in Chinese. Prerequisite(s): Chinese 302 or 401. Open to first-year students. S. Yang.

457-458. Senior Thesis. An extended research or translation project on a topic in Chinese literature, culture, or language utilizing some source materials in Chinese. Qualified students may choose to write the thesis in Chinese. Before registering for either 457 or 458, the student should consult with his or her advisor and submit a concise description and a tentative bibliography. Students register for 457 in the fall semester and for Chinese 458 in the winter semester, unless the Department gives approval for a two-semester project. Majors writing an honors thesis register for both Chinese 457 and 458. Staff.

Short Term Units

s24. Chinese Language and Culture in Beijing, China. This unit involves intensive work for five weeks at Renmin University in Beijing, China, as well as excursions to some famous historical sites, such as the Great Wall, the Forbidden City, and the Tiananmen Square. This unit is offered at two levels: 1) for students who have had no Chinese, and 2) for students who have completed one or more years of college-level Chinese. Recommended background: one year or more of Chinese. Open to first-year students. Enrollment limited to 20. Written permission of the instructor is required. Staff.

s30. Chinese Calligraphy and Etymology. A study of Chinese calligraphy through practice in the use of the brush-pen and through analysis of the aesthetics as well as the historical development of this graphic art. Calligraphy or brushwriting (shufa in Chinese and shodo in Japanese) is considered in East Asia as a spontaneous yet premeditated act of self-expression, which embraces philosophy, religion, culture, and an artistic tradition thousands of years old. Conducted in English. Recommended background: some knowledge of Chinese characters or kanji. Prerequisite(s): Chinese 101 or Japanese 101. Open to first-year students. Enrollment limited to 20. S. Yang.

s50. Individual Research. Registration in this unit is granted by the Department only after the student has submitted a written proposal for a full-time research project to be completed during the Short Term and has secured the sponsorship of a member of the Department to direct the study and evaluate the results. Students are limited to one individual research unit. Staff.

Japanese
Japanese is one of the leading languages of the Pacific rim area and is rapidly becoming an international language in its own right. Japanese is also the medium of an enduring, complex, and constantly developing culture to which the rest of the world has repeatedly turned for insight and understanding. The major in Japanese offers an opportunity for an in-depth and focused study of Japanese language and culture. The major places emphasis on the student's acquisition of oral and written language proficiency as well as on the development of cultural awareness and competency. The Department strongly recommends that majors spend their junior year at the Associated Kyoto Program or some other departmentally recognized two-semester study abroad program in Japan. Together with the major in Chinese, this major replaces the former major in East Asian Languages and Cultures. Students wishing to pursue a broadly based, interdisciplinary study of East Asia should consult the listings for the East Asian Studies major in the Asian Studies Program.

The major consists of a minimum of twelve courses which must include: a) Japanese 101-102, 201-202, 301-302, or the equivalent; b) Japanese 240 and Chinese 207; c) two courses from the following: Japanese 250, s20, s25, s32, Chinese s30, or one from this list and an additional course on the literature of another culture; d) either Japanese 401 or 402; and e) a senior thesis project, Japanese 457 or 458, completed in the senior year. Students are expected to utilize some source materials in Japanese conducting research for the thesis. Qualified students are encouraged to write in Japanese. Note that students may petition the Department to have courses taken in their study abroad program applied toward the fulfillment of requirements a) and c).

Courses
101-102. Beginning Japanese I and II. An introduction to the basics of spoken and written Japanese as a foundation for advanced study and proficiency in the language. Fundamental patterns of grammar and syntax are introduced together with a practical, functional vocabulary. Mastery of the katakana and hiragana syllabaries as well as approximately 140 written characters introduces students to the beauty of written Japanese. Open to first-year students. S. Strong.

201-202. Intermediate Japanese I and II. A continuation of Japanese 102, the course stresses the acquisition of new and more complex spoken patterns, vocabulary building, and increasing knowledge of cultural context through use of role play, video, and varied reading materials. One hundred sixty written characters are introduced. A range of oral as well as written projects and exercises provide a realistic context for language use. Prerequisite(s): Japanese 102. Open to first-year students. K. Ofuji.

240. Japanese Literature: A Survey. This course examines major trends in the history of Japanese literature from its beginnings up to the Tokugawa period. Particular attention is paid to thematic and cultural issues such as class, gender, and the role of women as producers of literary culture. Through selected readings and discussion, students consider a range of genres including popular tales, poetry collections, diaries, narrative fiction, and drama. Japanese 240 is conducted in English. Open to first-year students. S. Strong.

250. Modern Japanese Women's Literature. In its beginnings, Japanese literature was considered a female art; the greatest writers of the classical period were women, while men at times assumed a female persona in order to write. After a brief introduction to the classical tradition, this course examines how twentieth-century writers have positioned themselves with regard to this female literary legacy. In addition, students consider issues such as family, power, gender roles, selfhood, and the female body that have been of primary concern to women writers working both within and without the traditional female canon. Authors may include Yosano Akiko, Enchi Fumiko, Tanizaki Junichiro, Ohba Minako, Tsushima Yuko, and others. The course is conducted in English. Open to first-year students. S. Strong.

301-302. Intermediate Japanese III and IV. The course completes the introduction of essential Japanese syntactic forms and sentence patterns. Students continue development of oral skills while emphasis is placed on increased competence in the written language. Two hundred new characters are introduced. Prerequisite(s): Japanese 202. K. Ofuji.

360. Independent Study. Independent study of individually selected topics. Periodic conferences and papers are required. Permission of the Department is required. Students are limited to one independent study per semester. Staff.

401. Advanced Japanese I. Through the discussion and study of contemporary literary texts and other journalistic modes, the course seeks to utilize, develop, and integrate skills acquired in the earlier stages of language learning. Particular emphasis is placed on reading and writing, and on the acquisition of written characters. Prerequisite(s): Japanese 302. K. Ofuji.

402. Advanced Japanese II. Through the discussion of materials in Japanese such as newspaper articles, television news, and other media material, the course seeks to utilize, develop, and integrate skills acquired in the earlier stages of language learning. Particular emphasis is placed on increasing the student's range of oral and written competency and on the acquisition of written characters. Prerequisite(s): Japanese 401. K. Ofuji.

457, 458. Senior Thesis. An extended research or translation project on a topic in Japanese literature, culture, or language utilizing some source materials in Japanese. Qualified students may choose to write the thesis in Japanese. Before registering for either 457 or 458, the student should consult with his or her advisor and submit a concise description of the proposed project as well as a tentative bibliography. Students register for Japanese 457 in the fall semester and for Japanese 458 in the winter semester, unless the Department gives approval for a two-semester project. Majors writing an honors thesis register for both Japanese 457 and 458. Staff.

Short Term Units

s20. Kawabata and Mishima. Mishima Yukio and his mentor, Kawabata Yasunari, stand out as conspicuous yet contrasting talents in the field of modern Japanese fiction. Through an examination of representative works, the unit traces the artistic development of both writers, paying particular attention to their handling of theme and image. Film renditions of several of the novels are viewed and discussed. Conducted in English with some chance for guided reading in Japanese for students proficient in the language. Enrollment limited to 25. Staff.

s25. Haiku Poetry. Matsuo Basho (1644-1694) is one of Japan's most celebrated poets. As a haikai master he led group compositions in linked verse (renga), in addition to writing the seventeen-syllable hokku for which he is best known. His travel diaries represent a landmark in the history of Japanese literature. This unit explores the background and nature of the haikai genre, with particular attention to Basho's outstanding achievement. The unit is taught in English. Students of Japanese language are encouraged to do some guided reading in the original. Recommended background: Japanese 240 and History 172. Enrollment limited to 25. S. Strong.

s32. Appreciation of Japanese People and Society Through Films. This unit examines aspects of both traditional and contemporary Japanese society through that society's depiction in film. Topics of discussion include the family as a social institution, parent-child relationships, education, friendships, and representations of minority groups. Lectures, discussions, and readings in English. Films in Japanese with English subtitles. Additional class sessions may be arranged for those students with sufficient language proficiency who would like to discuss these issues in Japanese. Recommended background: at least one course in Japanese literature, history, or religion. Open to first-year students. Enrollment limited to 20. K. Ofuji.

s50. Individual Research. Registration in this unit is granted by the Department only after the student has submitted a written proposal for a full-time research project to be completed during the Short Term and has secured the sponsorship of a member of the Department to direct the study and evaluate the results. Students are limited to one individual research unit. Staff.

German
The major consists of nine courses beyond the intermediate level or eight courses beyond the intermediate level and one Short Term unit. Required are German 233, 234, and at least one course from each of the following four groups: 1) 241, 242, 301, 303; 2) 243, 244; 3) 357, 358; 4) 270, 356. In addition, majors must complete at least one of the following: History 226, 227, 229, English 172, 295, Philosophy 241, 273, Music 242, 243, 244.

Majors also choose either to a) write a senior thesis or b) pass a series of comprehensive examinations in the second semester of the senior year. Students choosing to write a thesis must register for 457-458.

Courses
101-102. Fundamentals of German I and II. This course introduces students to the German language and its cultural contexts. By emphasizing communicative skills, students learn to speak, act out real life situations, build vocabulary, and develop their listening comprehension. German 101 is not open to students who have had two or more years of German in secondary school. C. Decker.

201-202. Intermediate German I and II. Open to first-year students who enter with at least two years of German. A continuation of German 101-102, with added emphasis on the development of reading strategies and composition skills. Prerequisite(s): German 102. D. Sweet.

233-234. German Composition and Conversation. Topical courses designed to develop linguistic and cultural competency. Through reading and discussing a variety of texts, working with multimedia, and completing weekly writing assignments, students attain greater oral and written proficiency in German while deepening their understanding of the culture of German-speaking countries. Open to first-year students. R. Lewin, C. Decker.

241. German Literature of the Twentieth Century I. A study of German literature and society from 1890-1933, with emphasis on the aesthetic and sociohistorical underpinnings of Naturalism, Impressionism, Expressionism, and selected works of Mann, Kafka, and Brecht. Prerequisite(s): German 234. C. Decker.

242. German Literature of the Twentieth Century II. A continuation of German 241, focusing on post-World War II literature and emphasizing such authors as Böll, Brecht, Frisch, Dürrenmatt, Bachmann, and Wolf. Attention is given to contemporary women writers and poets whose works center on utopian visions and the search for peace. Prerequisite(s): German 241. G. Neu-Sokol.

243. Introduction to German Poetry. A study of poetry in German-speaking countries since 1800. The course focuses on four or five well-known poets, to be chosen from among the following: Hölderin, Novalis, Mörike, Heine, Droste-Hülshoff, Rilke, Trakl, Brecht, Celan, and Bachmann. Attention is also given to the poetry of Lasker-Schüler, Kolmar, Bobrowski, Lavant, Enzensberger, and Kirsch. Students make oral presentations and write short interpretations. Prerequisite(s): German 234. G. Neu-Sokol.

244. The Development of German Drama. A study of major issues in German dramaturgy from the Enlightenment to the present, explored through texts that dramatize problems relating to marriage. Authors include Lessing, Büchner, Brecht, Horvàth, and Kroetz. Prerequisite(s): German 234. Staff.

250. Reason and Revolution. The Enlightenment, with its emphatic belief in reason and education, is surely a topic central to the college and university today. This course focuses on the German Enlightenment and its legacy in the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries, with reference to its limits, the rhetoric of revolution, and romantic subjectivity. We discuss and analyze a variety of material, including literature by Goethe, Lessing, and Schiller, philosophical texts by Kant, Marx, and Nietzsche, and music by Beethoven and Wagner. Open to first-year students. R. Lewin.

254. Berlin and Vienna, 1900-1914. From the beginning of the twentieth century to the outbreak of World War I, the capital cities of Berlin and Vienna were home to major political and cultural developments, including diverse modernist movements in art, architecture, literature, and music, as well as the growth of mass party politics. The ascending German Empire and the multi-ethnic Habsburg Empire teetering on the verge of collapse provide the context within which this course examines important texts of fin-de-siècle modernism, a modernism that continues to exert a profound effect on our lives at the end of the twentieth century. The course is conducted in English. Not open to students who have received credit for FYS 200. Open to first-year students. C. Decker.

260. Germany and Its Others. This course investigates the mechanisms used to construct German identities that privilege some and negate the "others." Some of the "others" in Germany have been women, "foreigners," Jews, lesbians, and gay men. What mechanisms are implemented to make them "other," and what movements are developing in Germany today that take stock of and value a "multicultural" society? In English. Open to first-year students. D. Sweet.

270. Living with the Nazi Legacy. A study of contemporary works from Austria, East Germany, and West Germany that articulate the experiences of children of Nazis. Texts, which include autobiographical writings, novels, films, interviews, and essays, are analyzed in terms of their representation of the Nazi past and its continuing impact on the present. Prerequisite(s): German 234. Staff.

280. Goethe, Schiller, Heine. Social and intellectual upheaval lashed Germany in the latter part of the eighteenth and first half of the nineteenth centuries, a period often called the "Age of Goethe." This course examines the works of three key writers who reflect the struggles of their age from humanism to revolution, political reaction to the belief in beauty as a way to educate the human race. Class discussions conducted in English; students may read texts either in German or in English translation. Open to first-year students. D. Sweet.

301. The Enlightenment in Germany. The Enlightenment was a formative force of modernity. Its adherents promulgated tolerance and universality, new forms of education, and social utopias. This course is an interdisciplinary investigation of the movements, protagonists, and ideas of the Enlightenment in Germany and includes a postscript to the project of enlightenment at the end of the twentieth century. Readings by Kant and Goethe, Lessing and Mendelssohn, Wieland and Herder. Contemporary writers include Horkheimer, Adorno, and Michel Foucault. Prerequisite(s): one 200-level literature course taught in German. D. Sweet.

303. German Romanticism. Profoundly affected by the French Revolution, Germany's young generation sought to create a philosophical literature (German Romanticism) to reform human consciousness. To achieve this, they posited new forms for sexuality and gender relations and sought to renew spirituality and consciousness of the supernatural. This course examines key philosophical and literary writings by the early German Romantics, including Friedrich Schlegel, Novalis, Wackenroder, and Tieck. Prerequisite(s): one 200-level literature course taught in German. D. Sweet.

356. Representing Austrian Fascism. Official state documents and popular historical imagination frequently present Austria as the "first victim of Nazi aggression," thus discounting the active role that Austrians played in the Anschluss and the Third Reich. This course explores the myth of Austria's victimization through analysis of government documents, literary texts, and documentary films that represent Austrian involvement in and response to the Nazi past. Prerequisite(s): one 200-level German literature course. C. Decker.

357. Austrian Literature. A study of Austrian fiction that emerges from and responds to three important periods in Austrian political and cultural history: the restorative and revolutionary period of the mid-nineteenth century; fin-de-siècle Vienna and the impending collapse of the Habsburg Empire; and the post-World War II Second Austrian Republic. Prerequisite: one 200-level German literature course. Staff.

358. Literature of the German Democratic Republic. Reading and discussion of selected prose and poetry of the German Democratic Republic. Topics include the theory of Socialist Realism, the role of the GDR Writers' Union, GDR authors who emigrated to the West, and the emergence of younger, independent writers. Works by Schneider, Becker, Wolf, Heym, and Wander are among those examined. Recommended background: German 242. Prerequisite(s): one 200-level German literature course. Written permission of the instructor is required. D. Sweet.

360. Independent Study. Independent study of individually selected topics. Periodic conferences and papers are required. Permission of the Department is required. Students are limited to one independent study per semester. Staff.

365. Special Topics. Designed for the small seminar group of students who may have particular interests in areas of study that go beyond the regular course offerings. Periodic conferences and papers are required. Permission of the Department is required. Staff.

457-458. Senior Thesis. Research leading to writing of a senior thesis. Open to senior majors, including honors candidates. Students register for German 457 in the fall semester and for German 458 in the winter semester. Staff.

Short Term Units

s25. The German Cinema. An introduction to methods of filmic analysis and to major issues in German film history from the 1920s to the present. Special attention is devoted to representations of the Nazi past in recent German films. Discussions and readings in English; films in German with English subtitles. Enrollment limited to 25. Staff.

s30. German Language in Germany. Intensive work for eight weeks at the Goethe Institute in Germany. This unit is offered at three levels: 1) for students who have had no German; 2) for students who have completed one year of college German; 3) for students who have completed two or more years of college German. Permission of the Department is required. Enrollment limited to 4. Staff.

s32. Austria: Its Language(s) and Culture. The unit combines intensive study of German with cultural immersion in Austria. Students attend the Deutsch-Institut Tirol in Kitzbühel, which offers instruction in the German language and in the geography, history, and culture of Austria. Open to first-year students. Enrollment limited to 15. Written permission of the instructor is required. C. Decker.

s34. Literature of Post-Reunification Germany. Who are the writers and what are the themes emerging in the new literature of post-reunification Germany? What has become of the old east/west divide? Who are the non-German (immigrant) writers writing in German? Is their writing a "dialogue between the cultures"? This unit investigates current literature by contemporary writers‹short stories, novels, plays, poetry‹that elucidate the human condition in the Germany of post-reunification in all its contradictions. These include multiculturalism side by side with racism and xenophobia, east-west mistrust, and the attempt to come to terms with the legacy of socialism in the former German Democratic Republic. Recommended background: one 200-level literature course. D. Sweet.

s50. Individual Research. Registration in this unit is granted by the Department only after the student has submitted a written proposal for a full-time research project to be completed during the Short Term and has secured the sponsorship of a member of the Department to direct the study and evaluate results. Students are limited to one individual research unit. Staff.

Russian
The major consists of a minimum of ten courses that must include: a) Russian 201, 202, 301, 302; b) two courses from Russian 240, 270, 271, 272, 273; c) one course from Russian 261, History 221 or 222; and d) two courses from Russian 365, 401, 402, and 451. A student may request the Department to substitute a Short Term unit in Russia for one of the courses in group d).

Students have the option of writing a senior thesis or taking a comprehensive examination on the language, literature, and civilization of Russia. Majors choosing the thesis option should enroll for either Russian 457 (fall semester) or Russian 458 (winter semester) in their senior year. A detailed outline and bibliography must be approved by the Department in the semester prior to the semester in which the thesis is written. Majors electing the comprehensive examination must fulfill this requirement during the fall semester. Honors candidates must register for Russian 457-458.

Courses
101-102. Elementary Russian I and II. Reading, understanding, speaking, and writing modern Russian, with emphasis on oral work, basic grammar, and vocabulary. Regularly scheduled language laboratory sessions. D. Browne, A. Strukov.

201-202. Intermediate Russian I and II. Continuation of Russian 102, emphasizing vocabulary acquisition, firmer control of grammar, and oral fluency through readings and drill sessions. Prerequisite(s): Russian 102. Open to first-year students. A. Yanishevsky,
J. Costlow.

240. Women and Writing in Russia. This course focuses on how written and oral culture in Russia has depicted woman and the feminine, and on the ways in which Russian women have described their own senses of self and experience in words. Reading includes texts crucial to Russian imaginations of femininity, women's writing in various genres, and theoretical essays that raise issues of women's writing and their representation in culture. Conducted in English. Open to first-year students. J. Costlow.

261. Russian Culture and Civilization. A topical survey of Russian civilization as manifest in a number of cultural institutions such as the family, the church, the educational system, the popular media, and the arts. Slides, videotapes, and audio recordings supplement the readings and lectures. Conducted in English. Open to first-year students.
D. Browne.

270. Nineteenth-Century Russian Literature. An introduction to the nineteenth-century novel and short story, with readings from such authors as Pushkin, Gogol, Turgenev, Dostoevsky, Tolstoy, and Chekhov. Open to first-year students. J. Costlow.

271. Topics in Modern Russian Literature. In the twentieth century, Russian literature has continued its tradition as one of the great world literatures by producing several outstanding and influential authors. However, Russia has experienced violent political upheavals and has been marred by some of the most tragic abuses of human rights and freedom of speech. The authors we discuss share one common fate: the inability to publish their works in the Soviet Union. Some, like Solzhenitsyn and Sinyavsky, were imprisoned and subsequently exiled, while others, like Bulgakov and Pasternak, were silenced in their Motherland. The course traces the effects of censorship through the seventy-four-year reign of the Soviet empire. Conducted in English. Open to first-year students.
A. Yanishevsky.

272. Drama and Society in Russia. This course examines major works from the Russian dramatic tradition, and pays particular attention to the roles which drama and the theater have played in Russian social and political life. Reading includes works by playwrights of the eighteenth to twentieth centuries. We examine the political and cultural significance of drama as revealed in pre-Petrine and popular traditions (skomorokhi and puppet theater); the institution of serf theaters; stigmatization of women on the stage; and Bolshevik and Stalinist appropriations of theater. Open to first-year students. Staff.

273. "Nature" in Russian Culture. Why are "Mother Russia" and the "Rodina" ("Motherland") so deeply associated with the world of nature? How has the geography of the steppe‹boundless and undifferentiated‹affected the Russian psyche? How have pre-Christian nature religions coexisted with official beliefs in Russia? How have serfdom, collectivization, environmental degradation, and the "spirituality of the village" helped to shape Russian prose, poetry, and film? The course focuses primarily on the twentieth century, exploring the meanings of "nature" in Russian "culture." Open to first-year students. J. Costlow.

274. Women's Autobiography. What empowers the voice of the self? What is the self for women in different cultures? How do women conceive of the relationship between private and public lives? What kinds of chronology shape their stories? Why might autobiography be the privileged genre for women in some traditions? This course focuses on women's autobiographical writing in Russia and the United States in order to raise questions about the ways in which women make sense of their lives and create forms to express that meaning. Contemporary critical essays introduce us to theoretical perspectives on women's autobiography. Prerequisite(s): any course listed in the women's studies program or Russian literature. Open to first-year students. J. Costlow.

283. From Chekhov to the Revolution. The early twentieth century is a period of unprecedented experimentation and energy in Russian culture: symbolists, Marxists, god-builders, futurists, and neo-realists envision Russia in crisis, on the eve of momentous political and social changes. We trace some of those visions in the work of Bely, Bunin, Chekhov, and Gorky, and in Russia's first generation of great women writers; some attention will be given to visual and musical culture and to experimentation in the theater. Texts, lectures, and discussions in English. Students proficient in Russian are encouraged to do some reading in the original. Open to first-year students. J. Costlow.

301-302. Advanced Russian I and II. Continuation of Russian 202, concentrating on the subtleties of Russian grammar, building vocabulary, improving oral skills, and developing students' awareness of various styles of spoken and written Russian. Extensive use of short texts (fictional and nonfictional), music, and film. Classes are conducted in Russian. Prerequisite(s): Russian 202. D. Browne, J. Costlow.

360. Independent Study. Independent study of individually selected topics. Periodic conferences and papers are required. Permission of the Department is required. Students are limited to one independent study per semester. Staff.

365. Special Topics. Designed for the small seminar group of students who may have particular interests in areas of study that go beyond the regular course offerings. Periodic conferences and papers are required. Written permission of the instructor is required. Staff.

401-402. Contemporary Russian I and II. The course is designed to perfect students' ability to understand and speak contemporary, idiomatic Russian. Included are readings from Aksyonov, Dovlatov, Shukshin, and Baranskaya, and viewing of contemporary Soviet films. Conducted in Russian. Prerequisite(s): Russian 302. A. Yanishevsky, A. Strukov.

451. Seminar in Russian Poetry and Prose. This course introduces students to the intensive study of the Russian literary tradition in the original. Students read major works of prose and poetry from the nineteenth century; prose readings focus primarily on the short story, but include one novella-length work. All reading is in Russian; written work and discussions are in either Russian or English, depending on the proficiency level of the students. Prerequisite(s): Russian 301. Staff.

457, 458. Senior Thesis. Open only to senior majors, with departmental permission. Students register for Russian 457 in the fall semester and for Russian 458 in the winter semester. Before registering for 457 or 458 a student must present to the Department an acceptable plan, including an outline and a tentative bibliography, after discussion with a Department member. Majors writing an honors thesis register for both Russian 457 and 458. Staff.

Short Term Units

s21. A Balkan Tale of Two Cities. After a week-long orientation on campus, students travel to Belgrade, Yugoslavia and Zagreb, Croatia to interview life-long residents about their native cities. The last week of Short Term is spent on campus where the material gathered in the interviews is used to produce both radio and video documentaries about life in Belgrade and Zagreb in the last half of the twentieth century. All participants are expected to participate in a public presentation of the documentaries at the end of Short Term. This unit is taught in English. Open to first-year students. Enrollment limited to 12. D. Browne.

s23. Russian Language and Culture in Russia. Language study with Russian instructors in Oryol. Excursions to points of historical and cultural interest, and the opportunity to become familiar with Russian life through home stays. Prerequisite(s): at least one year of Russian. Enrollment limited to 12. J. Costlow.

s24. Rock: The Triumph of Vulgarity. "America has perfected the rites of vulgar Romantic pantheism. It gives them to an astonished world. And the music of its ritual is rock," (Robert Pattison, The Triumph of Vulgarity). Through individual and collaborative work, students in this unit test Pattison's hypothesis that the aesthetic of rock is that of vulgar Romanticism triumphant. We also examine the nature of rock in the non-English-speaking world: is rock the "MacMusic" of the late twentieth century? Materials for the unit include texts, documentaries, fiction films, and ear-splitting rock and roll. Knowledge of a foreign language and culture is desirable, but not a requirement. Open to first-year students. D. Browne.

s50. Individual Research. Registration in this unit is granted by the Department only after the student has submitted a written proposal for a full-time research project to be completed during the Short Term and has secured the sponsorship of a member of the Department to direct the study and evaluate results. Students are limited to one individual research unit. Staff.

Other Foreign Languages
141-142-143-144. Self-Instructional Program in Less Commonly Taught Languages. Learning languages through the use of tapes, textbooks, and conventional classroom procedures, with consultants proficient in the language, under the supervision of a member of the Department. Where appropriate, final testing is by a visiting examiner of recognized qualifications, who consults with the Department Chair on the testing. One course credit is granted upon completion of two consecutive semesters. For the academic year 1997-1998 no languages will be offered. Written permission of the Department Chair is required.

360. Independent Study. Individual study, under the direction of a staff member, of a language not included in the regular course offerings. Permission of the Department is required. Students are limited to one independent study per semester. Staff.

Short Term Units

s50. Individual Research. Registration in this unit is granted by the Department only after the student has submitted a written proposal for a full-time research project to be completed during the Short Term and has secured the sponsorship of a member of the Department to direct the study and evaluate results. Students are limited to one individual research unit. Staff.

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