Course Catalogue

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This course explores Russian culture from the perspective of its relationship with state power. It prompts students to approach written and visual culture as historically embedded and ideologically driven. Students analyse primary sources from the seventeenth century to the present day using a range of theoretical approaches, including postcolonial theory.

18 x 1hour sessions over both semesters.

Available to all students fulfilling requirements for Honours entry into one of the SMLC Honours programmes, Honours entry to CEES, Honours entry to History and by arrangement to visiting students or students of other Honours programmes who qualify under the University's 25% regulation.

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The standard assessments for this course are:

■ Individual presentation of 10 minutes - 30%

■ Essay (3000 words) - 70% 

If required, for instance where a disability prevents a student from undertaking a specific method of assessment, the following alternatives are available:

■ Recorded presentation (video or audio) or PowerPoint with substantial presentation notes as alternative to the Individual Presentation 

■ There is no alternative to the Essay, but extensions to the deadlines can be offered as reasonable adjustment (students should follow the usual process for extensions). 

Further reasonable adjustments may be provided where necessary. Students are encouraged to consult with the course convenor.

It is the default expectation that all courses will offer opportunities for reassessment or deferred assessment. Where it is not possible to offer this in some assessment components, the grade achieved at the first attempt will be counted towards the final course grade, and any exceptions for this course are described below.

[No exceptions]

This course will provide the opportunity to:

■ Provide students with a broad historical overview of Russian statehood from the formation of the Russian state in the early modern era to the present; 

■ Provide students with a detailed understanding of the major ideologies of statehood addressed in Russian culture, paying particular attention to imperialism;  

■ Provide students with a diversity of theoretical tools and cultural texts to engage critically with Russian ideologies of statehood.  

By the end of this course students will be able to:

■ Develop coherent, focused and structured arguments about cultural texts, informed by knowledge about statehood in the Russian context; 

■ Summarise and apply important concepts from postcolonial theory and reflect on their relevance to Russian literature and culture; 

■ Articulate ideas both orally and in writing about Russian ideologies of statehood in a theoretically informed and culturally sensitive way.