New Courses
RUSS 001 Beginning Intensive Russian
For students who wish to begin Russian in college or who did not move beyond an introduction in high school. Designed to impart an active command of the language. Combines the study of grammar with intensive oral practice, work on phonetics, writing, web materials, and readings in literary and expository prose. Conducted primarily in Russian;
RUSS 013 The Russian Novel
(Cross-listed as LITR 013)![tolstoy](https://www.swarthmore.edu/sites/default/files/styles/main_page_image_floating/public/assets/images/russian/tolstoy.png.webp?itok=f623sco1)
The Russian novel represents one of Russia's most fundamental and enduring contributions to world culture. This course surveys the development of the Russian novel from the early 19th century to the Soviet period by examining seminal works, including novels by Dostoevsky, Tolstoy and Bulgakov. The course examines these works in terms of their literary, social and political context, highlighting issues such as sexism, racism, Orientalism, terrorism, and imperialism, as well as Russia's national identity.
Writing course.
1 credit.
Fall 2012. Johnson.
RUSS 023. The Muslim in Russia
(Cross-listed as LITR 023R)![tolstoy](https://www.swarthmore.edu/sites/default/files/styles/main_page_image_floating/public/assets/images/russian/YoungWoman.jpg.webp?itok=ihNMfuel)
The long and strong relationship of Russia and Islam has been neglected in scholarship until recently. This course will examine texts (and films) spanning more than a thousand years, to introduce actual interactions of Russians and Muslims, images of Muslims in Russian literature (and a few Muslim images of Russia), the place of Muslim writers in Soviet literature, and the current position of Muslims in Russia and in Russian discourse.
1 credit.
Fall 2012.
Forrester.
RUSS 070. Translation Workshop
(Cross-listed as LING 070 and LITR 070R)![tolstoy](https://www.swarthmore.edu/sites/default/files/styles/main_page_image_floating/public/assets/images/russian/translation.png.webp?itok=6c5rAdVh)
This workshop in literary translation will concentrate on both theory and practice, working in poetry, prose, and drama as well as editing. Students will participate in an associated series of bilingual readings and will produce a substantial portfolio of work. Students taking the course for linguistics credit will write a final paper supported by a smaller portfolio of translations. No prerequisites exist, but excellent knowledge of a language other than English (equivalent to a 004 course at Swarthmore or higher) is highly recommended or, failing that, access to at least one very patient speaker of a foreign language.
1 credit.
Fall 2012.
Forrester.