UGS 303f: Contemporary Russia through Literature and Film: (Large Format Signature Course, First Summer Session, Summer 2011)

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UGS 303f: Contemporary Russia through Literature and Film: 1991-2011 (Large Format Signature Course, First Summer Session, Summer 2011) Professor Michael Pesenson (CAL 404 - Office Hours T/Th 3-4 and

1 UGS 303f: Contemporary Russia through Literature and Film: (Large Format Signature Course, First Summer Session, Summer 2011) Professor Michael Pesenson (CAL Office Hours T/Th 3-4 and by appt., mpesenson@mail.utexas.edu) Teaching Assistant: Jason Alea (Office Hours T,W,Th 11:30-12:45 and by appt., jason.alea@yahoo.com) Meets TWTH 1-3 (WEL 2.308) M (10-11:30) Unique Number (MAI 220C) M (1-2:30) Unique Number (MAI 220C) M (2:30-4) Unique Number (MAI 220C) The year 2011 marks the twentieth anniversary of the collapse of the Soviet Union. This course will explore works of literature and film reflecting a society in transition, a collapsed superpower searching for a new identity in the post Cold War world. We will examine how writers and directors confronted the demise of the Soviet Union and depicted the birth pangs of a new Russia that is now rapidly redefining itself and reinventing its relations with the world. The films and novels we will discuss offer a unique insight and perspective into Post- Soviet Russia, a newly resurgent nation the United States and the world can no longer ignore. Some of the topics discussed will include: youth culture, popular alienation, terrorism and war, historical memory, racism, political unrest, and criminalization of society. Readings will include works by Tatyana Tolstaya, Vladimir Makanin, Andrei Gelasimov, Victor Pelevin, Ludmilla Petrushevskaya, and Vladimir Sorokin. Film screenings will include Window to Paris, Brother, Tycoon, Night Watch, The Return, and Prisoner of the Mountain. 1

2 Thursday, 6/2: Introduction; overview of course; Introductory lecture/discussion - Russia: Past, Present, Future HW: Vladimir Makanin, Escape Hatch, pp (On Blackboard) Films (to be viewed by Tuesday): Taxi Blues (on YouTube): Little Vera (on YouTube): (Clip 1) and Clips 2-11 from the same up loader (RussischBitte) accessed through that URL WEEK 1: THE CULTURE OF PERESTROIKA AND POST- SOVIET COLLAPSE Monday, 6/6: Presentation/Discussion with TA Underground Culture, Contemporary Music Scene mid 1980 s and Perestroika period SCREENING OF WINDOW TO PARIS (Room and Time TBA) HW: Escape Hatch, pp Tuesday, 6/7: Lecture/Discussion of Makanin s Escape Hatch in context of post- Soviet collapse; discussion of Taxi Blues and Little Vera HW: Viktor Pelevin, Yellow Arrow, pp (On Blackboard) Film (to be viewed by Thursday): Window to Paris (on YouTube): (Clip 1) and Clips 2-5 from the same up loader (РуссоТуристо) accessed through that URL Wednesday, 6/8: Discussion of Makanin s Escape Hatch; discussion of Taxi Blues, Little Vera HW: Yellow Arrow, pp Thursday, 6/9: Discussion of Pelevin s Yellow Arrow; discussion of Window to Paris HW: Petrushevskaya, The Time: Night, pp First Response Paper Due TUESDAY on Questions posted on Blackboard WEEK 2: CRISIS OF THE FAMILY Monday, 6/13: Discussion/Q&A with TA on material from the previous week SCREENING OF THE RETURN (Room and Time TBA) HW: The Time: Night, pp Tuesday, 6/14: FIRST RESPONSE PAPER DUE; Lecture on Family Life in Soviet and post- Soviet Society; begin discussion of The Time: Night 2

3 HW: Short Stories by Gelasimov ( Joan ) and Lipskerov ( Oedipus Complex ) (On Blackboard) Films (to be viewed by Thursday): The Return (on YouTube): The Italian (on YouTube): 99E9B59 (Clip 1) and Clips 2-7 from the same up loader (IgorRussland) accessed through that URL Wednesday, 6/15: Discussion of The Time: Night and short stories Thursday, 6/16: Relationship between Parents and Children in contemporary Russian film: clips from The Return, The Italian, Roads to Koktebel (Entire film available on YouTube: HW: Sorokin, Day of the Oprichnik, pp Second Response Paper Due TUESDAY on Questions posted on Blackboard WEEK 3: MAFIA, CORRUPTION, OLIGARCHS, and ELITES Monday, 6/20: Discussion/Q&A with TA on material from previous week; SCREENING OF BROTHER (Room and Time TBA) HW: Sorokin, Day of the Oprichnik, pp Tuesday, 6/21: SECOND RESPONSE PAPER DUE; Lecture on Rise of the Oligarchs, Russian Mafia and Putin; begin discussion of Day of the Oprichnik HW: Sorokin, Day of the Oprichnik, pp Films (to be viewed by Thursday): Brother (on YouTube): B01B Eastern Promises (available on Netflix) Tycoon: A New Russian (available on Netflix - streaming) Wednesday, 6/22: Discussion of Day of the Oprichnik Thursday, 6/23: Viewing Clips/Discussion of the films: Brother, Eastern Promises, Tycoon 3

4 HW: Prepare brief (5-7 minute) oral presentation on Mafia, Corruption, Oligarchs, Elites based on article of your choice in periodical press for MONDAY s class with TA: NO RESPONSE PAPER DUE TUESDAY! Begin reading Tatyana Tolstaya s The Slynx, pp WEEK 4: WAR AND APOCALYPSE Monday, 6/27: Presentations/Discussion with TA based on material from previous week; SCREENING OF PRISONER OF THE MOUNTAIN (Room and Time TBA) HW: Tolstaya, The Slynx, pp Makanin, short story Prisoner of the Caucasus (on Blackboard) Tuesday, 6/28: Lecture on Wars in the Caucasus, Terrorism, Apocalypse in Contemporary Russia; begin discussion of The Slynx HW: Tolstaya, The Slynx, Films (to be viewed by Thursday): Prisoner of the Mountains (on YouTube): (Clip 1) and Clips 2-7 from the same up loader (IgorRussland) accessed through that URL Alexandra (available on Netflix) Wednesday, 6/29: Discussion of The Slynx HW: Selections from Anna Politkovskaya s writings on Chechnya (on Blackboard) Thursday, 6/30: Discussion of Politkovskaya, Makanin, and films on Chechnya HW: Begin reading Viktor Pelevin s, The Sacred Book of the Werewolf, pp. xi-120. Third Response Paper Due TUESDAY on Questions posted on Blackboard WEEK 5: ESCAPE INTO FANTASY AND SUPERNATURAL Monday, 7/4: NO CLASS HAPPY FOURTH OF JULY!!! HW: Continue reading The Sacred Book of the Werewolf, Tuesday, 7/5: THIRD RESPONSE PAPER DUE; Lecture on Fantasy and Science Fiction in Russia; begin discussion of The Sacred Book of the Werewolf HW: Continue reading The Sacred Book of the Werewolf, Wednesday, 7/6: IN CLASS FILM SCREENING AND END OF SEMESTER CELEBRATION NIGHT WATCH HW Finish reading The Sacred Book of the Werewolf, Lukyanenko, short story The Heart of a Snark (on Blackboard) Thursday, 7/7: Finish discussion of The Sacred Book of the Werewolf; Wrap-Up of Session 4

5 Final Examination: Date/Time/Room TBA Films (in order of the course syllabus): Little Vera (Pichul, 1988) Taxi Blues (Lungin, 1990) Window to Paris (Mamin, 1994) The Return (Zvyagintsev, 2003) The Italian (Kravchuk, 2005) Roads to Koktebel (Khlebnikov, 2003) Brother (Balabanov, 1997) Tycoon: A New Russian (Lungin, 2002) Eastern Promises (Cronenberg, 2007) Prisoner of the Mountains (Bodrov, 1996) Alexandra (Sokurov, 2007) Night Watch (Bekmambetov, 2004) MORE GREAT RUSSIAN FILMS WITH SUBTITLES ARE AVAILABLE at the SLAVIC DEPARTMENT RUSSIAN FILM LIBRARY on the FOURTH FLOOR of CALHOUN HALL! Literature (in order of the course syllabus) Vladimir Makanin, Escape Hatch, 1991 (on Blackboard) Viktor Pelevin, Yellow Arrow, 1993 (on Blackboard) Liudmila Petrushevskaya, The Time: Night, 1992 (in Bookstore) Andrei Gelasimov, short story Joan, 2004 (on Blacboard) Dmitry Lipskerov, short story Oedipus Complex, 2002 (on Blackboard) Vladimir Sorokin, Day of the Oprichnik, 2006 (in Bookstore) Tatyana Tolstaya, The Slynx, 2000 (in Bookstore) Vladimir Makanin, short story Prisoner of the Caucasus, 1994 (on Blackboard) Selections from Anna Politkovskaya s journalistic accounts on Chechnya (Blackboard) Viktor Pelevin, Sacred Book of the Werewolf, 2004 (in Bookstore) Sergei Lukyanenko, short story The Heart of a Snark Course Requirements Attendance and Participation in Class: 20% (Attendance will be taken at the start of each class; due to the condensed nature of the course, only 2 UNEXCUSED ABSENCES will be permitted. If you miss any more class time without my permission, your attendance grade will noticeably suffer. This counts also for the Monday meetings with the Teaching Assistant.) 5

6 3 Short Response Papers on Topics Posted (2-3 pages): 30% (Short essays on the topics covered during the week, based on choice of questions provided, typically 2 out of 4. These essays will represent primarily your original thoughts, although other sources may be cited. WARNING ON PLAGIARISM: If you use other people s words and ideas, you must cite their work! Plagiarized work will not be accepted and you will get an F for that paper.) Oral Class Presentation: 20% (One oral presentation will be given during the TA discussion class on the topic of corruption, mafia, oligarchs and elites in contemporary Russia chosen by the student in consultation with the professor and TA. The student will make a 5-7 minute PowerPoint presentation based on journalistic and Internet accounts.) Final Examination: 30% (Short Answer and Essay Comprehensive Examination on material covered in the course.) LAPTOP and CELL PHONE Policies: Use of cell phones is prohibited in class. Laptops can only be used for taking notes. 6

Professor Michael Pesenson (BUR Office Hours T/Th 11:15-12:15 and by appt., phone )

UGS 303: Russia and the West: Obsession and Conflict (Signature Course, FALL 2016) Professor Michael Pesenson (BUR 464 - Office Hours T/Th 11:15-12:15 and by appt., mpesenson@utexas.edu, phone 232-9132)