Selected Themes in Russian Studies: The North and the Arctic in the Russian culture and literature, 5 cr

The following course provides students information about the role of the Northern and Arctic territories of Russia in its culture and literature from Czarist times until the present day with emphasis on 20^th century. The aim of the course is to show how significant the North (or rather “the Norths” as different Northern areas are understood in very different ways) is for the cultural identity of Russia. After completing the course, the students are familiar with the main lines of history in Russia’s interest in the North, the multiple ways the North is imagined and represented in the Russian culture and literature, the ethnic plurality of the Northern and Arctic regions in Russian territory and the meaning that the North plays in Russia’s national self-identification. With the information provided, the student is able to reflect critically on the present discussion and cultural representations of the North in Russian culture and society.

The course consists of:

-a small pre-assignment (20 hrs)

-10 hours of lection

-reading materials (both research, fiction and films) (30hrs)

-learning diary, in which the student analyses study material through the information provided in the lectures (40 hrs)

-an independent course essay, where the student focuses on one topic in more detail and reflects it with information provided through lections and additional study materials (55hrs)