BUI 301-004: Intellectual Crises in pre-Revolutionary Russia

 

Fall Semester 2006

 

Instructor: Andrew M. Drozd

Office Hours: 1-2 M, 11-12 Th

Time: 12:30-1:45 TR

Office: 210 B. B. Comer

Location: Tuomey 102

Phone: 348-5720

E-mail: adrozd@bama.as.ua.edu

WWW: http://bama.ua.edu/~adrozd

 

TEXTS:

To Purchase: Thomas Riha, Readings in Russian Civilization, Vol. 2 [R]; W. J. Leatherbarrow and D. C. Offord, A Documentary History of Russian Thought [L & O]; N. Gogol, Dead Souls; A. Herzen, Who Is To Blame?; Ivan Turgenev, Fathers and Sons; N. Chernyshevsky, What Is To Be Done?; F. M. Dostoevsky, Notes from the Underground; A. Bely, Petersburg; Vekhi; John Bayley, ed., The Portable Tolstoy; Diana Hacker, A Pocket Style Manual. Course packet.

On Gorgas Reserve: J. Edie, Russian Philosophy [E]; T. Stavrou, Art and Culture in Nineteenth-Century Russia; F. D. Reeve, An Anthology of Russian Plays, Vol. 1; A. Pushkin, Eugene Onegin; A. Pushkin, N. Gogol, Selected Tales; Vladimir Markov and Merrill Sparks. Modern Russian Poetry; V.S. Soloviev. Politics, law, and morality.

Suggested Additional Readings (not required): Philip Pomper, The Russian Revolutionary Intelligentsia; M. Lermontov, A Hero of Our Time; I. Goncharov, Oblomov; F. Sologub, The Petty Demon.

 

DESCRIPTION: 

This course will introduce the student to the major issues of Russian intellectual history to 1917. Students will read the primary materials in English translation and be expected to discuss these materials in-depth in class. Students are also expected write critical essays on the materials read, taking into account issues discussed in class. Although the essays are primarily intended to develop students' analytical skills, a minimum of good style is expected. The criteria for judging acceptable style are found in Diana Hacker, A Pocket Style Manual.

Special Note: No knowledge of Russian is required for this course.

 

GOALS:                  1. Become familiar with the basic facts and themes of Russian intellectual history before 1917.

2. Understand how this legacy affects Russia's politics and culture to the present day.

 

REQUIREMENTS:

A written, final exam (essay type) will be designed to have the students synthesize the material they have read. Final Exam is on Thursday, Dec. 14, 11:30AM-2:00PM.

Writing component: Four (4) critical essays (seven-eight pages each) on the assigned reading material. The essays must be typed, double-spaced with one-inch margins in size 12 Times New Roman font.

Attendance is mandatory: five or more absences will result in the lowering of your final grade by one full letter.

 

GRADING:

Grades will be based on your final exam, worth 25% of your final grade, the four essays, worth 50%, and participation in class discussions, worth 25%. All course grades are now given on a +/- basis. For an explanation of the policy, see p. 20 of the Undergraduate Catalog.


Instructor Homepage
 

BUI 301 Course Page

 

Course Schedule

 


Andrew M. Drozd

adrozd@bama.ua.edu
The University of Alabama
Last Update: 8/23/06