Philosophical Thought and Discussion

This language course targets the development of abstract vocabulary and argumentation skills in Russian through the exploration of philosophical texts. Students will work on their ability to express complex ideas and provide justifications while reading and discussing selected excerpts in Russian or Russian translation from the works of Chaadaev, Chernyshevsky, Berdyaev, Vygotsky, Bakhtin, Derrida, Kristeva, etc. Students will learn a number of discursive strategies for stance taking and argumentation and improve their spontaneous speaking at the advanced/superior level. While reading is an important component, this course focuses primarily on oral communication, and students should be prepared to participate in group discussions and express their ideas about a variety of existential issues and philosophical problems. Counts as a course in language and linguistics, literature, or culture and civilization.