Syllabus

Course Meeting Times

Lectures: 2 sessions / week, 1.5 hours / session

Description

At the beginning of the 18th century Russia began to come into its own as a major European power. Members of the Russian intellectual classes increasingly compared themselves and their autocratic order to states and societies in the West. This comparison generated both a new sense of national consciousness and intense criticism of the existing order in Russia. In this course we will examine different perspectives on Russian history and literature in order to try to understand the Russian Empire as it modernized from Peter the Great to the Russian Revolution.

Students are asked to write short papers of approximately 1–2 pages responding to the readings (6 in all). In addition you will write one 8–10 page research paper, due session 19. Each student will lead one class with questions prepared in advance for everyone to consider. At the end of the course there will be a final examination.

Grading

ACTIVITIES PERCENTAGES
Class participation and response papers 25
Research paper 50
Final examination 25

Calendar

SES # TOPICS KEY DATES
1 Introduction to the Course Film excerpt: "Alexander Nevsky"
2 Introduction to the Russian Empire and the Muscovite Heritage  
3 Understanding Serfdom and the Social Structure  
4 Peter the Great and the Petrine Reforms  
5 From Peter the Great to Catherine the Great  
6 Catherine the Great as Woman and Ruler

Film: "Catherine the Great"

Paper topics due

7 Critics and Rebels in the 18th Century  
8 Bureaucratic Monarchy, 1796–1825 Bibliography/Methods due
9 The Decemberists, Nicholas I, and High Society  
10 Bureaucracy in Literature

Statement of possible hypothesis due

Film: "Shinel (The Overcoat)"

11 The Institution of Serfdom  
12 Serfdom in Literature Film: "Oblomov"
13 Alexander II and the Great Reforms Statement of initial findings in your research due
14 The Aftermath of the Reforms  
15 Revolutionary Dreams and Reaction  
16 Exploration and Empire-Building  
17 War and Peace in the Caucasus  
18 Industrialization and Radicalization  
19 Research Paper Presentations Research papers due
20 Industrialization and Innovation—A Challenge for Russia  
21 The Revolution of 1905  
22 The Constitutional Monarchy and World War I  
23 The February Revolution  
24 From February to October Film: Eisenstein, "Strike"
25 The October Revolution  
26 Review