Russia at the Crossroads of East and West
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Course Overview:

For more than a millenium, Russia has been a society which finds itself at several cultural crossroads: located between East and West, North and South, Russia has ancient and distinctive indigenous traditions, yet it has always been highly influenced by the societies which have surrounded it and invaded it.  For hundreds of years, great debates have taken place among Russians and Western observers as to where Russia belongs in the overall categorization of cultures. These debates have passionately engaged philosophers, theologians, historians, writers, folklorists, anthropologists, and others, and they have impelled social engineers (from Peter the Great to the Communists to the IMF and other international institutions) to try to change Russia's historical course and the very nature of Russian society.  At times this has impelled Russia in a Europeanizing direction, at other times it has led toward an imaginary utopian future centered on Russia's self-image as a cultural messiah bearing unique lessons for the entire world.  To this day Russia is pulled in many directions, and one of the most complex problems facing politicians and social reformers is to manage the complex conflicts currently taking place over national identity and self-image.  This course will explore Russia as a cultural system, past and present, with a steady gaze on the ways that Russia's distinctiveness, its place in the world, “national character,” and collective struggles, successes, and failures are framed and contested by Russians themselves. 

An integral component of this course will be our collaboration with two other sections of this class taught by Professors Halimur Khan (CORE 187A) and James F. Goodwin (CORE 187C). At least twice during the semester you will be required to attend joint activities with students from these classes The syllabus includes two evening movie screenings; we hope to have a performance by the Women’s Slavic Choir from Yale and perhaps a guest lecture during the semester on issues relevant to Russian culture. You will be informed ahead of time if and when the performance and lecture are arranged.  We will also conduct an "Electronic Essay Competition" (with prizes!), during which you will vote to select some of the best essays written among our three sections.

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V. I. Surikov -- "The Morning of the Execution of the Streltsy" (1881)