Russia: History and Culture A (RÚS106G)

This course gives an overview of Russia's history, from the old Kyivan State to the Bolshevik Revolution of 1917. It will discuss how geographical and natural conditions, Russian Orthodoxy, autocratic tsars, and serfdom influenced the country's and its people's history and development. The course will also focus on the status of social institutions and different groups within the country, the history of ideas, and the conditions that led to the fertile ground for the Bolshevik revolution in 1917.

This course is taught during the first half of the semester.

Russian Government and Society (RÚS110G)

This course provides an exploration of the Russian government and its key institutions, tracing their evolution since the collapse of the Soviet Union. Through a critical examination of institutional transformation, students will analyze how power has been exercised and manifested from Soviet times to the present day. Key topics include the pivotal role of the Russian presidency, the development and influence of Russian media, and the complex interactions between political actors and powerful interest groups that shape—and often undermine—political discourse. The course also investigates the rise of nationalism, the resurgence of the Orthodox Church, and the dynamics of both active and passive political opposition in an increasingly isolated Russia. Additionally, students will examine Soviet legacies and their enduring impact on contemporary Russia. Particular attention will be given to how historical narratives are recycled, reinterpreted, and weaponized by the Russian government to legitimize its authority and restore elements of past rule. By the end of the course, students will gain a nuanced understanding of the forces shaping modern Russia’s political landscape and its place in global affairs.

Individual Project A (RÚS208G)

An individual project in Russian.

Individual Project B (RÚS209G)

An individual project in Russian.

Russian Grammar I (RÚS103G)

The course provides a detailed overview of the alphabet, pronunciation and spelling rules, and grammar intended for beginner-level students, including features such as:

• Nouns, adjectives, and pronouns in the nominative case, both singular and plural
• Declension of nouns and pronouns in the singular
• Numbers
• Present tense conjugation of verbs
• Simple questions and answers
• Syntax

Students also get training in reading and writing simple texts.

The course covers the first part of the material required to achieve proficiency at level A1, according to the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR).

Teaching Methods and Learning Approach:

The course requires active participation from students. Classes include traditional instruction as well as interactive oral and grammar practice. Teaching materials include grammar charts, overviews, texts, and various exercises.

Homework is an essential feature of the studies.

• Homework is an essential feature of the studies.
• In addition to standard grammar lessons, 40-minute grammar practice sessions are held once a week.
• The course is taught during the first half of the semester.

Russian Practical Language I (RÚS104G)

The course provides a detailed overview of pronunciation rules. Part of the vocabulary designed for beginner-level Russian learners will be introduced. Students will get training in formulating simple questions and answers, engaging in basic conversations, talking about themselves, their families, hobbies, and surroundings, retelling texts, and discussing them. The course is based on the grammar covered in RÚS103G (Russian Grammar I).

The course covers the first part of the material required to achieve proficiency at the A1 level according to the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR).

 To participate in this course, students must also be enrolled in, or have finished the course RÚS103G Russian Grammar I.

Teaching Methods / Learning Approach:

Combination of traditional teaching and interactive exercises. Course materials include texts and exercises emphasizing oral practice, listening, and written assignments.

• Students are expected to complete homework diligently and actively participate in class activities.
• The course is taught during the first half of the semester.
• In addition to classes in Practical Language, students will have weekly training in the Language Laboratory.

Russian Grammar II (RÚS108G)

This course is a continuation of Russian Grammar I, and will continue to introduce grammar intended for beginner-level students, including features such as:

• Declension of nouns, adjectives, and pronouns.
• Ordinal numbers.
• Verbs in the present, past, and future tenses.
• Syntax

The course completes the grammar required for proficiency at the A1 level according to the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR) and begins covering material at the A2 level.
 To enroll in this course, students must have completed:

• RÚS103G (Russian Grammar I)

Teaching Methods and Learning Approach:

The course requires active participation from students. Classes include traditional instruction as well as interactive oral and grammar practice. Teaching materials include grammar charts, overviews, texts, and various exercises.

• Homework is an essential feature of the studies.
• In addition to standard grammar lessons, 40-minute grammar practice sessions are held once a week.
• The course is taught during the second half of the semester.

Russian Practical Language II (RÚS109G)

Further training in reading, writing, listening, oral expression, dialogues, and monologues on everyday life and culture. Special attention will be paid to pronunciation and intonation. The teaching is based on traditional teaching and interactive exercises.

This course covers what remains of the material for stage A1 and the first parts of the material for stage A2.

To be able to participate in this course, students should have completed:

• RUS103G Russian Grammar I
• RUS104G Practical Russian Language I

Furthermore, students should be enrolled in, or have finishied the course RUS203G Russian Grammar II.

Teaching Methods / Learning Approach:

Combination of traditional teaching and interactive exercises. Course materials include texts and exercises emphasizing oral practice, listening, and written assignments. 

• Students are expected to complete homework diligently and actively participate in class activities.
• In addition to classes in Practical Language, students will have weekly training in the Language Laboratory.
• The course is taught during the second half of the semester.

Ukraine and Russia (RÚS215G)

The course explores Ukraine and its position after the Russian invasion of 2014 which led to the Russian annexation of Crimea, and the full-scale invasion in 2022. A historical overview will be offered first with a discussion of the medieval state in Kyiv and its connections to Constantinople in the south and Scandinavia in the north. Students will learn about national awakening in the nineteenth century, Ukraine's short-lived independence during and after the Russian revolutions of 1917 and the Bolshevik takeover in 1918. Ukraine's Soviet period will be examined as well as its social and political development after the collapse of the Soviet Union. Russian encroachment of Ukrainian lands culminating in the 2022 will be the main focus of course discussion, and attempts to use historical and cultural arguments to justify military action and occupation.

Russian Literature I: 19th Century (RÚS201G)

The course will explore movements and trends in 19th-century Russian literature. Works by some of Russia’s most prominent authors will be read in Icelandic or English translations. We will examine literary types and themes, the role and status of literature in societal discourse, where censorship played an important role, and its relation to authority during the golden age of Russian literature in the 19th century and at the turn of the century.

Teaching Methods / Approach:

• Instruction is based on lectures and in-class discussions.
• It is essential that students actively engage with the reading material, reflect on the questions and topics provided for each session (posted on Canvas), and participate in class discussions.
• Films or recordings of stage adaptations related to the course material will be utilized as feasible and as time allows.

The course is taught during the first half of the semester.

Russian literature II: 20th Century (RÚS213G)

At the beginning of the 20th century, Russia experienced a vibrant cultural flourishing, and literature was no exception. Russian literature underwent a test of endurance amidst the upheavals of revolution and civil war, during the reign of terror in the Soviet Union, and later during the periods of thaw, stagnation, and the collapse of the Soviet Union. This course will explore the social, political, and philosophical role and challenges of literature in 20th-century Russia/Soviet Union, the dire circumstances of the author in this totalitarian state, and the ongoing dialogue within literature with the past, present, and future.

Teaching Methods / Approach:

• Instruction is based on lectures and in-class discussions.
• It is essential that students actively engage with the reading material, reflect on the questions and topics provided for each session (posted on Canvas), and participate in class discussions.
• Films or recordings of stage adaptations related to the course material will be utilized as feasible and as time allows.

 The course is taught during the second half of the semester.

Russian Cinema in the twentieth century (RÚS214G)

This course offers an exploration of some highlights of Russian cinema in the twentieth century, examining its development as both an art form and a reflection of social, political, and cultural transformations. Russia was, during the first decades of the twentieth century, a true laboratory of this new form of art. Soviet directors such as Dzhiga Vertov, Sergei Eisenstein and Aleksandr Dovzhenko were internationally recognized and admired. In the fifties and sixties more Soviet directors gained international recognition and admiration, including Andrei Tarkovsky, Larisa Shepitko and others later such as Nikita Mikhalkov and Aleksandr Sokurov. Students will discuss directors and main genres of Russian film from the Russian Revolution until the end of the twentieth century, analyzing them from a social and cultural perspective.

Soviet History 1 (RÚS206G)

This course delves into the transformative events of early 20th-century Russia, beginning with the collapse of the tsarist regime and the revolution of 1917. It examines the creation of a new society after the devastation of the Civil War (1918–1921) and traces the evolving political landscape of the 1920s. Key topics include the Bolshevik regime’s efforts to control industry and food production, debates over the revolution’s direction, and the emergence of “new people” as a result of revolutionary changes. The course also explores the global impact of Communism, including the role of the Communist International, before turning to Stalin’s rise to power. Students will look at Stalin’s totalitarian rule, the changes caused by industrialization and collectivization in the early 1930s, and their profound consequences. Finally, the course investigates Stalin’s reign of terror, focusing on the Great Purges and the extensive prison camp system (the Gulag).

Individual Project A (RÚS208G)

An individual project in Russian.

Individual Project B (RÚS209G)

An individual project in Russian.

The Battle for Gúttó, Anti-fascists and Stonewall: A Global History of Social Movements and Radicals (SAG451G)

The course will explore how social movements have shaped and influenced our contemporary societies. What were the demands put forward by these movements, how were they justified, how did they mobilize and unite people around their demands?

The course is a global history of these social movements, thus historical events in one country are contextualized through transnational and international perspectives. The course will also deal with historiographical aspects, how these movements have been interpreted through theoretical frameworks such as contentious politics and collective memory.

Each week will deal with a different social movement and their history. These are movements that have had important impacts on our societies, such as the labor movement, women’s movement, peace movement, anti-fascists, movements for LGBTIQ and environmentalists.  

Power Politics, Ideological Struggles, and Resistance in the 20th Century: Global History IV (SAG269G)

This introductory course deals with international history in the 20th century with an emphasis on the changes in the international system and international politics.  Special attention wil be devoted to several themes: (1) the new state system after the end of World War I; (2) the impact of political ideologies, notably, communism and Nazism/fascism; (3) The origins and nature of World War II and its effects on decolonization and national liberation struggles in Africa and Asia; (4) the ideology of the Cold War and the power politics exercised by the United States and the Soviet Union; (5) geopolitical shifts in the present, especially with respect to strategic competition between the United States and China.