Combining epic sweep with lyrical intensity, Doctor Zhivago is a great writer's look back at a turbulent epoch in his country's history. Set in Russia's revolutionary years, Boris Pasternak's novel is a testament to the survival of life, love, art - and the possibility of freedom even under the most difficult conditions. This course will situate a close reading of Pasternak's novel within the various contexts (biographical, political, literary) relevant to understanding this major, but sometimes mysterious, work of Russian fiction.

This course examines pivotal archetypes of Russian civilization that reflect Russia's past, demarcate its present, and constrict its future. We will focus on the canonic historical monuments of Russia, such as the Kremlin of Moscow and the downtown of St. Petersburg. Starting with the representation of these landmarks in the media, we will explore them in depth by reading conflicting historical narratives and cultural histories and eventually deconstruct their cultural message and value.

Perhaps no other novelist has delved as deeply into the psychological and metaphysical dimensions of evil as the Russian novelist Fyodor Dostoevsky. This course will be devoted to a close reading of Dostoevsky's landmark novel of murderous passion and parricide, The Brothers Karamazov. Why should crime and transgression be a privileged avenue of access into the human interior? How is psychology tied to the metaphysical aspect of human existence? What are the sources of evil--and redemption?

Since its creation at the beginning of the twentieth century, the Soviet Union dominated the minds of Western foreign policymakers. None of the West's policies in the Middle East, the Third World, Europe, or China after World War II can be understood without the study of Soviet foreign policy. We will examine the development of Soviet foreign policy since 1917 and, following the collapse of the USSR in 1991, the role played by Russia and Russia and the former Soviet republics in the far more complex and multipolar 'New World Order.' What should U.S.

Students will view films, read excerpts from Soviet and Russian prose about childhood and coming of age, and study the socio-cultural aspects of becoming an adult in Russia. Films will include: Ivan's Childhood, The Scarecrow, The Thief, and The Return. Readings will include literary texts and film reviews. We will continue to work on oral and writing skills, and vocabulary. This course prepares students to express opinions, ideas, points of view, and critiques on films, social issues and cultural phenomena using more complex and rich language.

Nationalism is one of the greatest challenges to multiethnic states. They have had to create new strategies to deal with the demands of ethnic minorities. Taking the four states of Spain, Canada, Russia, and the former Yugoslavia as examples, we will focus on nationalist movements within these states and the central governments' responses. What has been the effect of the Communist legacy? Are there alternatives to federalism as a way of managing national claims? What socioeconomic policies have governments used to control ethnic tensions?

Russia was the first nation in the world to face political terrorism. In Russia, the era of terrorism lasted from the 1860s, when the People's Will group launched the hunt on the tsar Alexander II, until 1918, when the Socialist Revolutionary Party attempted to assassinate Lenin. A case study of terrorism in Russia will help us to answer a number of questions highly relevant today. What are the causes of terrorism? What are its goals and methods? What can governments do to cope with it? What is the impact of terrorism on society?

This course uses a sociological framework to examine the nature and structure of modern industrial societies. To identify central trends in society and culture, this course covers several basic themes, such as social inequality and social interaction, that have appeared repeatedly in the works of major social thinkers.

This course uses a sociological framework to examine the nature and structure of modern industrial societies. To identify central trends in society and culture, this course covers several basic themes, such as social inequality and social interaction, that have appeared repeatedly in the works of major social thinkers.

This course introduces students to qualitative research methods. The course is designed for students to receive basic training in the collection and analysis of qualitative research data, gain experience writing and presenting qualitative data, get exposure to the theoretical assumptions underlying qualitative inquiry, and to gain insight about the ethical responsibilities surrounding qualitative social analysis. We will focus on methods such as in-depth interviews, focus groups, participant observation, and archival analysis.