RUS 270 - Literature of Catastrophe (in translation)

This course is both a deep exploration and a creative journey into contemporary Russian literature born out of the catastrophic realities of war, repression, and societal upheaval. Students will immerse themselves in poetry, prose, plays, reportage, diaries, manifestos, and letters to uncover how writers document crises and create a voice for those silenced. Beyond analysis, this is a laboratory - a space to experiment with your own creative responses to the themes explored. Each week, we’ll examine literary works, discuss the cultural and historical contexts that shape them, and engage in writing workshops designed to ignite your imagination. Together, we will explore literature not only as a mirror to broken reality but also as a form of resistance and a tool for survival.

By the conclusion of the course, students will collaboratively prepare a bilingual Russian-English anthology of texts, created jointly with students of the Free University (Russia, working in exile). This anthology will combine translations, original creative writing, and critical reflections, serving as both an academic and cultural contribution.

Texts and discussion in English, with the option for those with advanced Russian to read in the original.

Satisfies the cultural diversity requirement
Satisfies the Literary Studies, Creative Writing, and Rhetoric requirement
Counts as an elective in the English major and minor
Satisfies a requirement in the Global Literary Theory interdisciplinary minor.
Satisfies a requirement toward the Russian minor
Satisfies a requirement toward the major in Russian Studies
Satisfies a requirement toward the major in Russian Language & Literature

Prerequisites & Notes
No knowledge of Russian required or expected.
Course is repeatable for credit given different topic/title.