Contemporary Russia in the Mirror of Russian Prose



The course is designed to acquaint students with the development of Russian literature over the last two decades. We will examine modern patterns of literature (prose, poetry, and non-fiction) and the ways they reflect and interpret dynamic changes in Russian society, politics, and customs. We will analyze such topics as Russian Postmodernism, its concepts and paradigms; Rituals of the Totalitarian State in the Postmodernist Mode; and Metaphors and Symbols of Post-Soviet Culture. We will also discuss modern social and political issues, as well as the most recent cultural events in Russia. We will use heterogeneous materials: works of literature (both fiction and non-fiction), Russian popular culture, and Internet texts. Authors to be read include Tatyana Tolstaya, Victor Pelevin, Liudmila Petrushevskaia, Vladimir Sorokin, Dmitry Bykov, and Lev Rubinshtein. Other requirements will include 5 short written assignments (2 pages), and a final paper (10 pages).