Courses

This course, designed for students with no previous study of Arabic, introduces the students of the script system of Arabic language, ensures the acquisition of basic speaking, listening, reading and writing in Modern Standard Arabic (MSA) and an introduction to the Arab culture around the world. Five class hours weekly. One and one-quarter units.

This course focuses on the basic linguistic and cultural fundamentals of Arabic in a communicative approach that allows the students to increase their linguistic abilities in reading, writing, listening and speaking in uncomplicated situations.

This course introduces students to the basic aspects of Arabic culture. Through primary sources, literature and visual materials, the course focuses on the major themes and issues crucial to comprehending the culture of the Arab world. Among the topics students will explore are Arabic language and dialects, religion, food and cuisine, familial ties, customs and traditions, cinema and TV, major trends in modern poetry and novel, music, migration and diaspora. The class is conducted in English and no previous knowledge of Arabic is required. This course is intended solely for students who have no prior knowledge of Arab culture.

This course reviews and expands the fundamentals of the language through oral and written expression accompanied by readings and culture.

This course presents more complex structures and embraces cultural competence by means of discussing TV shows and current newspapers.

Focus on the continued development of spoken Modern Standard Arabic and written Arabic through text and multi-media resources.

Introduces students to the basic expressive and receptive skills in ASL, including conversation strategies, spatial referencing and facial expressions. Questions, commands, and simple sentences are covered, leading to basic conversational skills in ASL. Awareness of Deaf culture is included. Attendance in ASL lab practicum is required in addition to the class time. One and one-quarter units.

Continues to develop the basics of the ASL language and the building of both expressive and receptive vocabulary. Further develops the communicative competencies in the language focusing on skills including use of classifiers, temporal sequencing, spatial agreement and object identification through description. Study of Deaf culture is continued. Attendance in ASL lab practicum is required in addition to the class time. One and one-quarter units.

This course covers issues relating to deafness, deaf people and the Deaf community, focusing on the cultural and linguistic aspects of deafness rather than the medical condition. It explores such questions as whether deafness is something to be fixed or celebrated, and it considers alternative ways of looking at members of society who are different in some way. It considers policy making, and explores the way that the hearing community influences opinions, decisions, and policies that affect the Deaf community. This course is a requirement for students proposing a CIS Student-Designed major or minor which includes Deaf Studies as one of its disciplines. Taught in English. One unit.

This course reviews and expands on the fundamentals of ASL, continues the acquisition of speaking and listening skills through a visual-gestural modality, and develops conversational skills.

This course reviews and expands on the fundamentals of ASL, continues the acquisition of speaking and listening skills through a visual-gestural modality, and develops conversational skills.

With the goal of increased fluency and comfort, topics revolve around sharing information about our environment and us. Students continue to learn conversational strategies. All lab work, social events, videotapes, learning stimulating activities (in and outside of class) and assignments are intended to develop advanced competency in receptive and expressive use of ASL. In addition to the class time, students are required to participate in a Community-Based Learning partnership program where ASL is used. Students are evaluated using the target language in videotape format, in-class presentations and at public forum presentations using ASL. One unit.

This course examines how culture and language intersect in 20th-century ASL literature. It explores the origins of deaf literature, its relationship with written literature, especially its effect on the development of aesthetic expression of ASL literature. It considers works about deafness and works written by deaf authors and the various attitudes toward deafness revealed in these works. Emphasis is placed on historical background, meaning of the content discussion of grammatical features and styles revealed in the study of selected video materials.

Offers students a unique learning experience, a full immersion internship opportunity for the semester with concurrent weekly seminar. Students integrate the hands-on experience of their internship sites with related readings, classroom discussions and student presentations of specific topics. Students make a formal presentation. Students are involved with a unique collaborate signed History project. Using ASL as a means of communication, students conduct interviews with deaf individuals in the community. One unit.

An introduction to spoken Mandarin and written Chinese. Providing a foundation in speaking, listening, reading, writing, and communication skills and an introduction to the Chinese culture.

An introduction to spoken Mandarin and written Chinese. Providing a foundation in speaking, listening, reading, writing, and communication skills and an introduction to the Chinese culture.

An introduction to the history, geography, literature, and social issues of China through readings, films, music, poetry, and web-based resources. Taught in English. Three class hours weekly. One unit.

How were youth as a modern concept and a social category imagined, constructed, and deconstructed? This course uses youth culture as a keyword to explore the questions of politics, identity, education, gender, class, race, and age from the late nineteenth century to the present in China, Taiwan, Hong Kong and Chinese American communities. As a core component of this exploration, we will explore fiction, poetry, films, and social media that constitute what we understand as youth culture in Chinese-speaking communities. All lectures, discussions and assignments will be in English. No prior knowledge required.

As a postcolonial space, Hong Kong has been a hot topic for its relationship with mainland China and Britain. In this course we will examine questions of cultural politics, identity, gender, and memory through the literary and visual representations of Hong Kong. Through close analyses of fiction, poetry, Cantopop, and films from the 1970s to the present, this course re-discovers a Hong Kong that must be unearthed through a cultural lens.

Continued focus on the development of oral and written communication skills and on the strengthening of cultural competency in Chinese through the use of written texts and multimedia resources. Five class hours weekly. One and one-quarter units each semester.

Continued focus on the development of oral and written communication skills and on the strengthening of cultural competency in Chinese through the use of written texts and multimedia resources. Five class hours weekly. One and one-quarter units each semester.

Introduction to major works in traditional Chinese literature. One Unit.

An exploration of Chinese culture through 20th- and 21st-century Chinese cinema. Taught in English. One unit.

An overview of the history and structure of the Chinese language.

Have you eaten yet? As one of the most common greetings among people in China, it suggests the important role food plays in Chinese culture and society. This course examines the Chinese culinary tradition and practice from antiquity to the present and explores diverse representations of food in historical accounts, literature, traditional arts, and the modern media. In this journey to Chinese cultures heart through its stomach, we will savor every bite: both food for thought and food for stomach. While digging into our food, we will also discuss a variety of topics related to the subject of Chinese food, such as food and culture values, food and identity, food and hunger, and Chinese food in the West. Students will develop critical eating skills and will further embrace cultural diversity through food.

This course will explore the complex forces at work in the emergence of modern China through a selection of Chinese literary texts. How was modernity perceived at the turn of the century? How did women's liberation change the face of China? How did we understand colonialism in Taiwan? How did May Fourth literature, New Sensationalism, and leftist literature negotiate questions of age, race, gender and class as well as nationally? Introducing iconic writers such as Lu Xun, Xiao Hong, Eileen Chang, and Wu Zhuoliu, and films such as New Women and Spring in Small Town, this course will chart the course of modern expressions and concerns in the Sinophone worlds of the late 19th to mid-20th centuries. All readings in English translation. No prerequisite.

In this course, we are going to examine the relationship between migration and second language acquisition. Specifically, we will focus on the Chinese migrants in the U.S. and consider what role age plays in this relationship. This course includes three sections: 1) ESL (English as Second Language) in the U.S., 2) age, cognition, and language acquisition, and 3) Teaching Chinese-born seniors English. The first section begins with an overview of the impact of various factors on second language learning for migrants in the U.S. We will discuss how factors such as age, social status, cultural origin, length of residence, distance from mother tongue to the second language, the type of migrants, etc., impact language learning in the U.S. for different communities. The second section examines how age influences second language learning. While a much larger body of second language acquisition research still focuses on children, adolescents, and young adults, second language learning in late adulthood has started to gain attention. We will learn how linguistic experiences and age-specific cognitive skills can be leveraged for language learning. The third section discusses how to teach Chinese-born seniors English by understanding their cultural and educational backgrounds, motivations, concerns, and goals.

This course provides an opportunity to learn about non-Western views of nature and helps students gain a better understanding of environmental conflicts and peacebuilding in the age of globalization. Through exploration of a series of questions regarding the environment and human-nature interactions in China, this course aims to offer both a general picture of the changing relationship between human and nature in China across different historical periods and an in-depth examination of major works and events that have reflected and/or shaped such relationship.

What is the cultural significance of girlhood in modern East Asian societies? This course uses girl culture as a keyword to explore the questions of gender, class, race, and age in various regions of East Asia including China, Japan, Korea, Taiwan, and Hong Kong. As a core component of this exploration, we will explore fiction, poetry, films, anime, artworks that features major girl characters. We will also look at presentations of girl groups in K-pop and Mandopop.

This course explores the evolving concepts surrounding gender and sexuality in the Sinophone world. Scrutinizing cultural narratives of gender from the first century BC to the contemporary digital age, this course explores the variations of concepts such as desire, woman, qing (love), feminism, and queerness proliferated in imperial and modern Chinese-speaking societies. To discuss the images of marginalized gender groups in the Sinophone context, we will examine fiction, philosophy, poetry, and films from China, Taiwan, Hong Kong and diasporic Chinese American communities.

Continued focus on the development of oral and written communication skills and cultural competency through the use of traditional Chinese readings and multimedia resources. Five class hours weekly. One and one-quarter units each semester.

Continued focus on the development of oral and written communication skills and cultural competency through the use of traditional Chinese readings and multimedia resources. Five class hours weekly. One and one-quarter units each semester.

Continued development of oral and written communication skills and cultural competency through the use of readings, videos, and other multimedia resources. One unit each semester.

Continued development of oral and written communication skills and cultural competency through the use of readings, videos, and other multimedia resources. One unit each semester.

This course continues its focus on the development of higher level skills in spoken Mandarin and formal, written Chinese.

An introduction to the classical literary language of China.

This course is designed to improve advanced students' modern Chinese language skills and cultural knowledge by immersing them in the advanced communication context of contemporary Chinese media. Learning materials include Chinese news media, TV series, and films.

This first half of an introduction to the fundamentals of the French language focuses on the acquisition of the basic listening, speaking, reading, and writing skills and presents an introduction to the cultures of the French-speaking world. This course is restricted to students with no previous study of French. Five class hours weekly. Conducted in French.

This second half of an introduction to the fundamentals of the French language reinforces and deepens basic listening, speaking, reading, and writing skills in French as well as knowledge of the cultures of the French-speaking world.

The first half of a review of the fundamentals of French supplemented by reading of literary and cultural material and by practice in oral expression.

The second half of a review of the fundamentals of French supplemented by reading of literary and cultural material and by practice in oral expression.

Designed for gaining proficiency in oral and written French. Emphasis on developing correctness and fluency in everyday situations. Regular methods of instruction include discussions, web activities, skits, listening comprehension, grammar review. Required for French majors and minors. Recommended for first-year students with advanced placement. Four class hours weekly. French.

Designed to give students the tools to read and write critically in French. Students will examine texts representative of major genres and will acquire lexical flexibility, rhetorical skills and stylistic proficiency. Conducted in French.

An overview of French life and letters from the Middle Ages to 1800. Focus is on literature, but other types of material are included to provide insights into the cultural, historical, and ideological contexts. Designed to give students the tools to read and write critically in French. Students will examine texts representative of major genres and will acquire lexical flexibility, rhetorical skills and stylistic proficiency. Conducted in French.

An overview of French life and letters from 1800 to the present. Focus is on literature, but other types of material are included to provide insights into the cultural, historical, and ideological contexts. Designed to give students the tools to read and write critically in French. Students will examine texts representative of major genres and will acquire lexical flexibility, rhetorical skills and stylistic proficiency. Conducted in French.

Arts will be the thematic focus of the course and will encompass readings on urbanism and architecture, film, advertising, comic books, choreography, equestrian theater, political songs, painting, and photography. Designed to give students the tools to read and write critically in French. Students will examine texts representative of major genres and will acquire lexical flexibility, rhetorical skills and stylistic proficiency. Conducted in French.

Paris will be the thematic focus of the course and will encompass a variety of readings on the City of Lights' history, urban design and landscape, landmarks and symbols, cultural institutions, artistic and intellectual neighborhoods. We will also examine how poets, novelists, playwrights, and filmmakers have represented Paris by studying sample(s) of their respective art form. Designed to give students the tools to read and write critically in French. Students will examine texts representative of major genres (poetry, theater, novel) and will acquire lexical flexibility, rhetorical skills and stylistic proficiency. Conducted in French.

The general theme of the Fantastic is the focus of this course. As a literary and cinematic genre, the Fantastic is characterized by the intrusion of the supernatural into our natural world. This intrusion, which can take many forms, destabilizes both the reader/spectator and the characters within the text itself. Students will study a variety of works on the topic. Designed to give students the tools to read and write critically in French. Students will examine texts representative of major genres and will acquire lexical flexibility, rhetorical skills and stylistic proficiency. Conducted in French.

In this course, students analyze works of literature written by francophone authors that feature a voyage, either literal or metaphorical. Focus is on literature, but other types of material are included to provide insights into the cultural, historical and ideological contexts. Designed to give students the tools to read and write critically in French. Students will examine texts representative of major genres and will acquire lexical flexibility, rhetorical skills, and stylistic proficiency. Conducted in French.

In this course, we will analyze works of literature written by authors of diverse backgrounds based in France. One of the course's goals is to explore the many faces of the country, not just that of the Parisian elite. Focus is on literature, but other types of material are included to provide insights into the culture, historical and ideological contexts. Designed to give students the tools to read and write critically in French. Students will examine texts representative of major genres and will acquire lexical flexibility, rhetorical skills, and stylistic proficiency. The course will bring student' proficiency to the level of accuracy and clarity required for the satisfactory completion of 400-level course. Conducted in French [counts toward the French major and minor. Satisfies the College's Language Common Area Requirement]

What makes French people laugh? French humor will be the thematic focus of the course which will examine the place of laughter in French literature (plays, short stories, poems, etc.), art (painting, caricature, the bande dessinée or French graphic novel), and culture (in the media and stand-up). Indeed, laughter is a vital form of communication not to mention a powerful political tool. Designed to give students the tools to read and write critically in French. Students will examine texts representative of major genres and will acquire lexical flexibility, rhetorical skills and stylistic proficiency. Conducted in French.

Designed for students who seek to reach an advanced level of proficiency in French. The four skills are stressed. Particular emphasis on exercises that focus on complex language structures.

Through the translation of selected passages, seeks to teach students to write with precision and clarity in both French and English. Conducted in French.

Even though the French commonly do not believe that one can learn how to become a successful fiction writer by taking courses in creative writing, they admit that there are certain tricks and techniques pertaining to the art of writing that one must know in order to write a fine piece of literature. In this course, we shall take up the challenge. We shall first read samples of fictional works (excerpts, a fable, a tale, a short story, a novel), take them apart to understand how they are fabricated, and analyze each component at play in detail. Students will then compose similar short pieces. By the end of the semester, students will try their hand at a larger piece of fiction in French. Conducted in French.

The major trends and theories by prominent 20th-21st Century novelists are considered. Selected works by authors such as Gide, Proust, Mauriac, Sartre, Colette, Camus, Breton, De Beauvoir, Beckett, Bernanos, Giono, Vian, Queneau, Perec, Pagnol, Tournier, Robbe-Grillet, Sarraute, Duras, Hyvrard, Modiano, Sollers, Lainé, Wittig, Roche, Yourcenar, Leduc, Ernaux, Angot, Germain and others. This course fulfills the literature requirement for the major. Conducted in French.

Focuses on current issues in contemporary France. Politics, society, the arts, domestic and international affairs, education, the media, feminism, etc., are among the topics analyzed and discussed. Conducted in French.

A critical examination of contemporary Francophone music and new poetic forms such as slamming across Africa, Europe, North-America and spanning genres such as afro-pop, hip hop, reggae, zouk. The course seeks to highlight the use of music and spoken work as instruments to contest the prevailing political discourse and a platform to engage social changes.

Emerging Francophone Classics introduces students to recent texts by renowned Francophone writers from Africa, the Caribbean, and the African diaspora. The course engages students in the examination of issues and themes such as immigration, cultural identity, and gender through authors such as Dany Laferrière (Lénigme du retour), Boubabcar Boris Diop (Le temps de Tamango), Véronique Tadjo (Loin de mon père), Fatou Diome (Celles qui attendent), Maryse Condé (Le Cur à rire et à pleurer), Fawzia Zouari (Ce pays dont je meurs), etc. It explores literary aesthetics associated with the individual writers as well as the linguistic influences of their regions of origin.

This course focuses on cinematic masterpieces, understood as either popular or critical successes, or both, in order to provide students with an in-depth study of French and French-language filmmaking from its inception in 1895 to the present. We move chronologically, and cover a variety of trends, periods, and genres, including the 1920s Avant-Garde, Poetic Realism, Occupation Cinema, the Tradition of Quality, the French New Wave, Beur and Banlieue filmmaking, the popular comedy, the documentary, and the road movie. We also explore French-language cinema produced outside Metropolitan France. Conducted in French.

This course introduces students to the politics of representation in contemporary French-language cinema, from France but also other corners of the French-speaking world. We focus specifically on issues of race, gender and sexuality as they emerge in a variety of filmic texts of the last few decades. Other considerations will include class, ethnicity, hybridity and multiculturalism. Key theoretical paradigms such as feminist film studies, queer theory and postcolonial thought will be utilized to contextualize and comprehend these categories. Conducted in French.

Eligible students may elect one or both of these courses with the permission of the section coordinator. Tutorials are normally offered only to students who have previously taken all other advanced courses offered in a given semester.

Eligible students may elect one or both of these courses with the permission of the section coordinator. Tutorials are normally offered only to students who have previously taken all other advanced courses offered in a given semester.

The French 19th century is haunted by scenes of entrapment. From Victor Hugo's prison narratives to the first ever locked room mystery, the period is marked by an impulse to enclose, be it within the walls of a dungeon, a lighthouse, a human body or within the limits of the text itself. This course invites students to explore the theme of confinement through a variety of genres (poems, short stories, novels, graphic novels, plays as well as film adaptations) and authors (Ignace Nau, George Sand, Marie Krysinska, Honore de Balzac, Guy de Maupassant, Rachilde, etc.). Questions we will be asking ourselves include: What do these narrative accounts of isolation reveal about the literary impulse behind bars? How does literature deal with (its own) limits? How can stories about confinement help us process our own experience of quarantine?

A critical analysis of the major themes and aesthetics of Francophone African cinematographic production from the 1950s to the present; with focus on representations of the (post)colonial experience, issues of cultural identity, prevailing social political order, and the emergence of women filmmakers. Priority given to films subtitled in French.

The course focuses on both the history and contemporary issues of Francophone cultures outside of France (in Europe, West Africa, Southeast Asia and the Americas). Politics, society, the arts, domestic and international affairs, decolonization, and postcolonialism are among the topics analyzed and discussed. Conducted in French.

Designed for students with no previous study of German, aimed at the acquisition of a basic speaking, reading and writing knowledge. Five class hours weekly, including two hours of practicum.

Designed for students with no previous study of German, aimed at the acquisition of a basic speaking, reading and writing knowledge. Five class hours weekly, including two hours of practicum.

A review of the fundamentals of the German language, supplemented by readings in literary and cultural texts as well as practice in oral and written expression. Five class hours weekly and laboratory practice.

A review of the fundamentals of the German language, supplemented by readings in literary and cultural texts as well as practice in oral and written expression. Five class hours weekly and laboratory practice.

The city of Berlin represents a microcosm of change and growth in European society yet maintains a unique identity. Its development from a royal city to the capital of a united Germany will be examined through the lenses of literature, film, art, and architecture. In English.

Designed for students wishing to acquire proficiency in spoken and written German. Discussions focus on current and historic events, address stylistic devices and rhetorical strategies in literary texts, and explore students' interests. Weekly oral and written assignments with grammar review as necessary. Required for German majors and recommended for first-year students with advanced placement. In German.

An introduction to outstanding examples of German thought, art, and cultural developments in the 18th and 19th centuries. Important German cultural figures such as Frederick the Great, Goethe, Beethoven, Nietzsche and Marx are discussed. Readings, lectures, and discussions in German.

An introduction to political and cultural developments in Germany in the 20th century. Aspects of the Weimar Republic, the Third Reich, East and West Germany, and the United Germany are studied. Readings, lectures, and discussions in German.

A study of German literature in the age of burgeoning industrialism and materialism, extending from the late romanticism through the era of realism. Works of representative authors such as Heine, Büchner, Grillparzer, Droste-Hülshoff, Stifter, Keller, Meyer and Fontane. Readings and discussions in German.

Introduction to the most significant masters of German prose in the first half of the 20th century. Works of representative writers such as Hauptmann, Schnitzler, Mann, Kafka, Hesse, Brecht. Readings and discussions in German.

A study of German texts created around the turn of the millennium in the newly unified Germany.

Eligible third-year students may elect German 491, 492 with permission of department chair and instructor. Topics to be determined by instructor. Recent topics: Modern German Drama, East German Literature.

Designed for students with little or no knowledge of Italian language, this course provides an overview of basic Italian grammar with an emphasis on oral and written communication, listening comprehension, and reading. Five class hours weekly and laboratory practice.

Designed for students with little or no knowledge of Italian language, this course provides an overview of basic Italian grammar with an emphasis on oral and written communication, listening comprehension, and reading. Five class hours weekly and laboratory practice.

Students who have taken any higher level ITAL course may not register for this class. No previous knowledge of language.

This course focuses on emerging writers whose increasingly ¿ourishing literary production has been reshaping Italys contemporary literature, but whose voices have been often excluded by the dominant literary discourse. These writers narratives o¿er an original, multifaceted, and complex portrait of contemporary Italy while providing insights into the ways in which they express their feelings of belonging and/or alienation.

This course is designed for students who are interested in knowing about Italian migrations over time and how the phenomenon is depicted in films by Italian and non-Italian directors. The focus is on social and historical aspects with the goal of covering the 20th century and migrations involving Italy and Italians.

Provides a review of Italian grammar with an emphasis on oral and written communication. Students also read and discuss Italian literature and cultural material. Four class hours weekly and laboratory practice.

Provides a review of Italian grammar with an emphasis on oral and written communication. Students also read and discuss Italian literature and cultural material. Four class hours weekly and laboratory practice.

This course will focus on Dante's Inferno, guiding students through an exploration of its historical, narrative, and allegorical intricacies. It provides a platform for discussing enduring ethical dilemmas with modern relevance, encompassing topics such as the nature of evil, hubris, desire, gender portrayal, freedom of thought, punishment, redemption, church-state relations, economics and social justice. As students accompany Dante on his journey through the torment-filled realms of Hell, they will sharpen their abilities in analyzing and constructing persuasive arguments by closely examining both primary and secondary materials. The course will be conducted in English.

Offers students intensive oral and written practice in Italian language through an exploration of Italian culture. Authentic materials such as literary texts, newspaper and magazine articles, and video are utilized as a basis for class discussion and written compositions. Grammar is reviewed in context.

Explores the history and the culture of Italy from Fascism to contemporary Italy, passing through the economic boom, the ¿Leaden Years,¿ and the Mafia. Along with historical and cultural information, students will read newspaper articles, letters, excerpts from novels and short stories from authors such as Calvino, Levi, and others. They will also see films by directors like Scola, e Sica, and Giordana.

A study of selected Novellas from Giovanni Boccaccio's masterpiece, The Decameron. Students will learn about the culture, literary tradition, and language of 14th-century Italy. In addition to reading and analyzing the most important of Boccaccio's one hundred stories, they will explore themes, such as merchant culture, the condition of women, and the art of the practical joke, that recur throughout the work. Students will also view selected episodes from Pasolini's homonymous film. Conducted in Italian.

In this course we will review the long-term development of Western medicine in the pre-modern period, including its contact and exchange with other medical cultures. What makes a person healthy or unhealthy? What do health care practitioners and patients do to fight illness and promote health? How does society support and regulate the practice of medicine? The course will deal with these and other questions about health care during the Middle Ages and the Renaissance, a period of the of European history that included the widespread use of herbal remedies, the arrival of the Black Death, and the increasing importance of both anatomical observation and astrology.

This course explores the historical, cultural, and social dimensions of the African diaspora and its impact on Italy. The course delves into the experiences of people of African descent in Italy, examining topics such as migration, identity, racism, integration, and cultural exchanges. It also explores the contributions of Black Italians to various aspects of Italian society, including arts, literature, sports, and music. The aim is to foster a deeper understanding of the complex interplay between race, ethnicity, and nationality within the Italian context and to encourage critical thinking about issues of diversity and inclusion.

The course aims to provide students with the elementary background knowledge needed to appreciate the relevance of a few, selected Medieval/Renaissance authors, along with an adequate knowledge of their works in terms of form, structure, style, imagery, and themes. Students will become familiar with the writings of Dante, Petrarch, Boccaccio, Manetti, Bibbiena, Aretino, Machiavelli and other Renaissance authors. The course will also explore the history of the book throughout the Middle Ages and the Renaissance with particular emphasis on its development in Western culture. The course will also focus on the physical aspects of texts, their production, manufacture, authorship, publication, distribution, and reception. The course is intended 1) to develop students' understanding of the creative context in which the texts originated, namely the world of the Late Middle Ages and Renaissance and its varying social contexts; 2) to introduce the terminology associated with the period; 3) to help students to develop critical approaches to the texts; 4) to learn how the physical and material formats of books have evolved over the time and 5) to understand the practice of manuscript creation, production, dissemination and reception in the larger social, economic and political context of the Middle Ages and Renaissance.

Representative works of the 14th, 15th, and 16th centuries are studied in the context of Renaissance culture and history. Selected works by Petrarch, Boccaccio, Machiavelli, Leon Battista Alberti, Poliziano, and Castiglione will be studied. Conducted in Italian.

Introduces students to the celebrated literature of Sicily, the land of mythology and the Mafia, and home to many of Italy¿s most important writers. The course concentrates on modern Italian literature, tracing the evolution of Sicily¿s culture from the Unification in 1861 to today. Students will read works by Giuseppe Tomasi di Lampedusa, Giovanni Verga, Maria Messina, Luigi Pirandello, Leonardo Sciascia, and Andrea Camilleri and see films based on their works.

A study of 20th-century Italian narrative that focuses on the experience of the war. Topics include Fascist policies, the partisan resistance, the Holocaust and Italian Jews. Authors studied include Ignazio Silone, Giorgio Bassani, Cesare Pavese, Natalia Ginzburg, Primo Levi, and Renata Viganò. Students will also view and discuss films adapted from several of the works in class. Conducted in Italian.

In this course you will learn about Italian womens writing through the study of diverse female authors and their autobiographical novels that span the 20th- and 21st centuries. The texts will be examined in the context of Italian womens history, the twentieth-century womens movement, and feminist theory. The question of gender, racial, and class identity will be addressed through an analysis of different characters and at least one novel by an Italian woman author of color. We will also pose and explore the larger questions suggested by the readings: How do the experiences of women living in another century and in another country relate to our own? Why are most women writers excluded from the literary canon? How does the woman artist/writer find her voice in a patriarchal society? Two overarching considerations of the course are whether womens rights are still considered a pressing concern by todays young women and men; and whether it is still necessary to teach a course such as this one, which focuses exclusively on literature written by (cisgender) women. Finally, in addition to offering a new perspective on Italian literature and society, the course will give you the opportunity to hone your writing and speaking skills in Italian.

The 1800s was the revolutionary period that led to Italys liberation from foreign rulers and unification under an Italian monarchy; as a consequence, its artistic production reflects revolutionary ideals as well as reactions to Italys new reality. This course will acquaint you with nineteenth-century Italian society and cultural life and introduce you to two of Italys most important writers, Alessandro Manzoni and Giovanni Verga, and the artistic movements they represent. Our discussion of literary texts will also consider gender difference in nineteenth-century Italy. As the newly unified nation codified its laws, issues such as family structure, womens education, and even feminism were very much in the forefront.

Eligible third-year students may elect one or both of these courses only with the permission of the department chair. For students who have previously taken all other advanced courses offered in a given semester.

Promotes active communicative skills along with the basics of Russian grammar. By course end, read, write, understand, and speak Russian in a broad range of everyday situations. Various aspects of Russian culture and life are introduced through the medium of language. Five class hours weekly and language lab practice. One and one-quarter units each semester.

Promotes active communicative skills along with the basics of Russian grammar. By course end, read, write, understand, and speak Russian in a broad range of everyday situations. Various aspects of Russian culture and life are introduced through the medium of language. Five class hours weekly and language lab practice. One and one-quarter units each semester.

Description: The collapse of the USSR in 1991 ended decades of literary censorship and spelled the death of the Socialist Realist genre in former Soviet countries. These events lead to a new literary renaissance, a publication explosion and, in many countries, the emergence of a new authoritarianism and regime of censorship and literary repression. In this course, we will explore thirty years of Russian, Ukrainian, and Belarusian novels, shorts stories, and poetry in a variety of genres including literary, historical, and science fiction within their historical and cultural context, focusing on how these works grapple with the difficult legacy of the past, the demise of the Soviet utopian dream, and the uncertain future. Authors will include Vladimir Sorokin, Victor Pelevin, Svetlana Alexievich, Andrey Kurkov, Yuri Andrukhovych, Valzhyna Mort, Tatiana Tolstaya, and others. We will supplement readings with historical and cultural presentations and films.

Designed to activate students' spoken Russian, a wide variety of in-class activities allow students to practice Russian needed for most everyday situations. Textbook and workbook are supplemented with audio and videotapes. Conducted in Russian.

Designed to activate students' spoken Russian, a wide variety of in-class activities allow students to practice Russian needed for most everyday situations. Textbook and workbook are supplemented with audio and videotapes. Conducted in Russian.

From current events in post-Soviet Russia to classic Russian literature, Madness is an ubiquitous element of the Russian experience. We will cover a broad range of works-from medieval to post-Soviet masterpieces-to investigate the evolution of madness in Russian culture. The protagonists of the novels, plays, and short stories we will explore range from holy fools to everyday madmen to chronically troubled spirits. The reading will include Griboyedov's The Trouble with Reason, Pushkin's Queen of Spades, Gogol's The Diary of a Madman, Dostoevsky's The Idiot, Chekhov's The Black Monk and Ward No 6, Kuzmin's Venetian Madcaps, Nabokov's The Defense, Bulgakov's The Master and Margarita, and Pelevin's Buddha's Little Fingers. We will also examine manifestations of fictional insanity in film, opera, and the visual arts.

This course treats the representation of desire in great works of the Western literary tradition. We will examine the transformation of this great literary theme over the ages and in various literary genres. The readings will include Euripides' Hippolytus, Dante's La Vita Nuova, The Don Juan stories of Tirso de Molina, Bryon and Pushkin, Flaubert's Madame Bovary, Tolstoy's Anna Karenina and Nabokov's Lolita. Conducted in English. One unit.

This class takes students on a multidimensional journey through 300 years of Soviet and Russian fantasy and science fiction literature. Drawing on a broad range of media including film and visual art, we will explore the roots of the genre in Russia; the influence of Western science fiction and fantasy on its development; the role of the Russian Revolution, religious philosophy, Communist utopianism, technology, and space travel on its 20th century evolution; the role of the genre in Soviet social engineering; and new ideas that have emerged in the genre since the collapse of the Soviet Union, including the role of science fiction and fantasy in both upholding and challenging contemporary Russian imperialism and militarism. We will examine the key questions of the genre, including: the human beings place in the universe; the existence of life beyond Planet Earth; mortality and its transcendence; the presence or absence of a deity; the difficulty of social progress; the role of science and technology in shaping human interaction; the ethics of scientific and technological advancement and the role of the state therein; the evolution of concepts of gender, sexual relations, marriage, and reproduction in utopian and futuristic societies; and many more.

This course considers Siberia narrative as a distinct tradition (rather than a motif or sub-genre of Russian literature). Of primary importance to this distinction is a world view that regards nature as intrinsically sacred (a characterization that challenges characterizations of Siberia as a frozen wasteland or vast prison camp). While this perception of the earth as iconic is expressed in various ways from ancient oral tales of indigenous Siberian peoples to twenty-first century novels, important shared aspects of the relationship between the Siberian landscape and the people who inhabit it define, shape, and unite the tradition. In it, for example, we repeatedly see the perception of the natural world as an intentional (if not sentient) creator, whose immanence is experienced in the profound yet revelatory silence of Siberias steppe, taiga, and tundra. At its core, the Siberian narrative tradition describes the perception and experience of Siberia as a transcendent and sacred space which, I believe, may answer the following questions: What makes Siberian space sacred? What does it mean to be Siberian? What does Siberia mean to Russia?Readings, films, and discussions in this course focus on the idea of the sacred that grows out of human relationships of the various peoples of Siberia, non-indigenous natives, and other less willing residents of Siberia with its landmass and natural world. You will learn about the geology, ecology, and human history of Siberia and the belief systems and environmental philosophy that grows out of lived experience there. You explore expression and perceptions of the sacred in the following ways: narrative traditions of indigenous Siberian peoples; the rise of Russian monasticism/colonialism in Siberia starting in the sixteenth century and the development of hesychastic prayer practice in Russian Orthodoxy; the dueling views of Siberia from the nineteenth century as both a miraculous land (heaven) and a land of exile (hell); the representation of Siberia as a magical realm of creative and spiritual transformation and transcendence, which includes the discovery of Siberian shamanism by twentieth-century Russian Avant-garde; the birth of the ecology movement in twentieth-century Siberia in part a response to Soviet-era misperceptions and misuses of the environment and natural resources -- and the role of native Siberian narrative and its ecological values. Topics on nineteenth- and twentieth-century narrative include consideration of narratives about the tsarist and Soviet prison that challenge the idea of the sacred in Siberian space. Invited lectures will combine current trends in Siberian narrative and reconsider the future role of Siberia as it relates to global warming, natural resources, and the political and economic policies of the Russian Federation.

The Orthodox icon in Russia is a distinctive art form, a theological text, and an object of veneration. In this course, you will learn about the controversial history of icons, their 10th century introduction into Kievan Rus, and the development of native Russian icon types. You will study the icon painters Andrei Rublev, Theophanes the Greek, Dionisius, Daniil Chornyi, and Simon Ushakov and learn about the materials used to create icons, the precision of the icons composition (prorisi, podlinniki), and the meaning of its colors, its symbols, and its text. You will learn about many of the most important icon types, their narratives (skazanie) of the miraculous, and the idea of their presence. You will consider the relationship between icons and those who venerate them and how in this relationship we see the modern Russian cultural and national identity take shape. By the end of the course, you will be able to understand the meaning of icons historically, aesthetically, and theologically. You will also be able to begin analyzing icons as works of art and faith.

Read Shakespeare, Moliere, Goldoni, and Ibsen and analyze their influence on such Russian playwrights as Pushkin, Gogol, Chekhov, Blok, Evreinov, and others. Special attention will be paid to Stanislavsky's acting system - a Hollywood favorite - and Meyerhold's experimentation on the Russian modern stage. Conducted in English. One unit.

This course examines the development of Russian cinema from its silent pre-Revolutionary stage up to the Post-Soviet blockbusters. It focuses on the artistic and technical achievements of Russian filmmaking and their contribution to practical and theoretical aspects of western cinema. We will discuss the distinction between Russian cinema as an ideological tool of a totalitarian state, and western cinema as an entertainment industry. Screenings will include a variety of cinematic genres and styles such as Eisenstein's legendary The Battleship Potemkin (1925) and the Oscar-winning films Moscow Does not Believe in Tears (1979) and Burnt by the Sun (1994). Conducted in English.

This course explores the ritual origins and subsequent uses and functions of the folk, literary, and contemporary fairytale. Its methods include anthropological, psychological, archetypal, structural, feminist, and spiritual readings of the world's most important tales. The course is both theoretical and practical. It aims not only to help students understand the various functions and methods of treating fairytale, but also to give them the tools to work with the genre themselves. The course also discusses historical problems of the study and classification of the fairytale. The cross-cultural approach of the course is designed to familiarize students with non-Western tales that challenge their assumptions about cultural boundaries and question the notion of what it means to be civilized. Conducted in English. One unit.

This course considers the "Rabbles, Rebels, and Martyrs" of Russia's Golden Age of literature. During the 19th century, the Emancipation of the serfs, the Great Reforms, revolutionary activity and continued westernization changed Russian society dramatically. Perhaps it was these attempts at liberalization that produced the great works of Pushkin, Lermontov, Gogol, Turgenev, Dostoevsky and Tolstoy. Read the classic works of Russia's Golden Age: The Bronze Horseman, Hero of Our Time, The Overcoat, Crime and Punishment and Anna Karenina. Conducted in English. One unit.

A survey of the major works, authors and movements of the 20th and 21st centuries. We will discuss the function of literature in the Russian society over the last one hundred years, from the modernist pre-revolutionary era to the present. We will focus on novels, short stories and poetry written during the Bolshevik Revolution and Civil War, Stalinism, the era of stagnation, and after the fall of communism. The reading will include such diverse writers as Checkhov, Blok, Zamyatin, Bulgakov, Nabokov, Akhmatova, Pasternak, Solzhenitsyn, Pelevin and others. Conducted in English. One unit.

In addition to pure propaganda, the Soviet doctrine of Socialist Realism also produced a rich tradition of art and literature that expressed the ideal of the "New Soviet Person." While introducing students to the wealth of Socialist Realist art and ways to interpret its hidden meanings and messages, this course traces the evolution of the "positive hero" in Soviet literature and art. We consider the meaning of Socialist Realism as a way to practice and understand art. We also discuss the merits and the dangers inherent in the relationship between this kind of literature and Soviet society, one that allowed a nation on its knees to rebuild and modernize as well as one that silenced countless authors. Students are also asked to discern how, in satirical or subversive works, the tenets of Socialist Realism are subverted and their values questioned and why, in today's Russia, there is a growing nostalgia (and market) for Socialist Realist art. Conducted in English. One unit.

This course examines major literary works of the Stalinist era as the artistic expression of the history of twentieth century art, its writers and poets, and their relationship to the Soviet dictator, Joseph Stalin. The course teaches students how to discern symbolic systems that encode the works, often as a form of protest. It also considers the ethical issues at the heart of the works that concern such resistance and it risks and the role that art plays in such discussions. This course presents the social, political and cultural history of the Stalin-era Soviet Union (1922-1953) through primary and secondary historical sources, literature, arts, film (documentary and interpretive), and music. It attempts to piece together the history of stalinism, while asking students to consider the moral complexities of the time and it relevance to Russia as well as to other modern day nations. Students grapple with multiple voices that compete to own the history of Stalin, including that of Stalin himself. Conducted in English. One unit.

The medieval era in present day Ukraine and Russia began with the founding of Kiev and, some say, ended only with Peter the Great in the late 17th century. Throughout those centuries, the Mongol invasion, the establishment of Christianity, the intrigues of its leaders and the development of a national consciousness produced stunning works of art, architecture, music, literature, and letters. This course explores these great works of art and literature within the context of the medieval period in Ukraine and Russia from the tenth century to the death of Ivan the Terrible. We read selections from the Primary Chronicles, lives of saints and holy fools, the letters of Ivan the Terrible, and Russias great epics. We will also focus on the historical, political and spiritual role of the Orthodox icon. We also consider how the medieval age as a political topic in opera and films such as Andrei Rublev, Mongol and 1612. Finally, we consider how modern writers, artists, and leaders including Stalin and Putin as well as have used medieval imagery for their own purposes. Because of the war in Ukraine the geographical capital of Kievan Rus we will also follow how the earlier conflict between the western and eastern parts of the county and Russias current invasion can be understood through the prism of once shared medieval art and culture.

Ukrainian Literature in War will examine a broad cross-section of 19th, 20th, and 21st century Ukrainian short stories, novels, and poetry that explore complex issues like colonialism, ethnic and religious conflict, gender relations, and the relationship between the Slavic world and the West. Course readings will be supplemented by visual arts, film, music, and theater.

This course considers the nature, dynamics, and reality of Soviet and Russian propaganda. It focuses on how various media -- literature, film, animation, and the arts -- use various forms of "soft coercion" to shape what kinds of information the public takes in and how.

Westerners often associate Russia with the onion domes of its Orthodox churches. But did you know that this form of Christianity is just one of Russia's four officially recognized faiths? The others are Judaism, Islam, and Buddhism. In this course, you'll learn how Russia's four faiths or "professions," along with a variety of other popular religious practices like shamanism and animism, have influenced the country's culture, politics, literature, art, and architecture from medieval times to the present. On this foundation, we'll pay particularly close attention to the Putin administration and the power of pro-Kremlin religious institutions, organizations, and people and the dissidents, artists, and social movements that resist them. Texts include works of fiction, journalism, film, visual art, music, and other media.

What is the true nature of reality? Are Earthlings alone in the universe? How are individuals and societies impacted by technological advancements? What should be the limits of surveillance? Is it possible for human beings to transcend illness, aging, death, or embodiment as a whole? Can humanity evolve beyond traits like selfishness, greed, and desire in order to achieve greater social harmony? Do supernatural powers and beings really exist, and can humans communicate with them? How can different sentient species coexist and thrive? All of these questions are at the center of the science fiction and fantasy novellas, short stories, and films that we will read and watch in this interdisciplinary, discussion-centered course. With a special focus on the globally influential science fiction and fantasy literature of Russia, the Soviet Union, and Eastern Europe, we will examine the cultural history of these overlapping genres, the questions they ask about humanity and existence, their contributions to technological progress and its discontents, their predictive tendencies, and the implications of their massive global popularity.

Continued development of oral and written language skills and cultural competency through the use of Russian literature, film, songs, and art.

Walter Benjamin once wrote that [i]t is the task of the translator to release in his own language that pure language which is under the spell of another, to liberate the language imprisoned in a work in his re-creation of that work. By doing so, Benjamin frames translation as a complex relationship between two languages that requires deep thought on issues that range from finding the right word to the notion that there is a common sacred language that translation strives to express. In this course, you will explore various major philosophies and theories of translating from Russia and the West both from one language to the other and within a language itself. Topics will include the role and responsibilities of the translator, the meaning of the original text, the history of translation theories, theories and polemics of literary translation, translation as a literary art and tool of protest, strategies in specialized translations, and the importance of context in translation. You will also learn strategies of translation, as you continue to develop your Russian language skills by encountering a variety of advanced texts and implementing the kinds of strategies that make the process of translation an exciting way of exploring the complexities of two languages at once.

An analysis of literary works and documentary material with the aim of probing Russian cultural traditions of the 19th, 20th and 21st centuries. All discussions, readings and course work in Russian. One unit.

This is a mixed-level course appropriate for students with advanced Russian language abilities from coursework, study abroad or native heritage. The course approaches a chosen theme from various media and focuses on both oral and written literacy. Student interest determines the theme(s) of study and the course is then titled accordingly. This course may be taken more than once.

The correct pronunciation of Russian is difficult for non-natives speakers, especially Northern American speakers of English. This course teaches Russian pronunciation through a study of phonetics and phonemics. Topics include the following: the correct mouth position, learning the system of phonetic transcription, targeted topics (e.g., hard and soft sounds, voicing and devoicing, regressive assimilation, and the study of individual phonemes). Students work with two texts (Unlocking Russian Pronunciation by Kimberly DiMattia and Sound. Rhythm. Intonation by I. V. Odintsova) along with extensive online sources.

Would you trade your soul for limitless knowledge, fame and fortune, unadulterated happiness, or omnipotence and immortality? The legendary Faust readily sells out to the devil, only to realize that he has robbed his lover of her life, his neighbors of their property, and his society of democratic opportunities. Goethe, who coined the term World Literature, revised and expanded his play devoted to Faust for over half a century. His work garnered him international renown and his successors have updated the bargain for their times, culture, and history. In this course, we will explore similar quests that have cost many their Seelenfrieden (peace of mind) in various contexts around the globe. Further, considering that Goethe was an avid reader and translator of foreign literatures, we will examine how Faust shapes the concept of World Literature. Readings will be supplemented in class by musical and film renderings of the Faust theme. A weekly practicum will be offered in German to those interested in counting the course toward the German minor/major.

The course will trace the historical conditions of women's education in the Western traditions with reference to women's 'historical silence' or 'mouthpiece function'. Women's writing will be read as an escape from, answer to, repudiation of a gender discourse favoring men's determination of self and society. Readings and discussions will focus on women's desire for knowledge as well as women's articulation of desire - the desire to be different without having to adapt to standards not set by themselves. The goal of self-determination will be differentiated with regard to both equal rights and equal responsibilities. Finally, the course will address women's conceptualization of history, literature, and language of their own.

An intensive examination of classical texts from twentieth century and contemporary Africa aimed at highlighting their particularities in expressing the colonial experience and its aftermath. Explores manifestations of traditional narrative forms in the modern novel and seeks to introduce students to the contributions of some of the most influential writers from the African continent.

This film course is designed to provide students with the opportunity to study the unique contributions that French-speaking filmmakers have made to the art of cinema. The course is both an introduction to the study of film, and an in-depth survey of French-language filmmaking. We discuss the history of French cinema (from the invention of the cinématographe by the Lumière brothers until today, including cinematic trends such as Poetic Realism, Occupation Cinema, the French New Wave and Young French Cinema) with particular emphasis on sound films (i.e., films made since 1930). We also examine both the qualities of individual films and the cultural and historical factors that have shaped the development of the medium. The course is taught in English and the films (in French with English subtitles) are analyzed in relation to an historical overview of French cinema, an introduction to film theory, key concepts of film studies and various articles on each specific film. Emphasis throughout the semester will be on close readings of the films. One unit.

This course, titled after French philosopher Simone de Beauvoir's 1949 feminist manifesto The Second Sex, explores the unique contributions that women filmmakers have made to the art of cinema, from its inception to the present, with special attention to the contemporary period. Emphasis will be placed on French-language cinema (produced in France, Belgium, Quebec/Canada, North Africa and other francophone countries), but other national cinemas will be discussed as well. Counts toward the Studies in World Literatures (STWL) major, and the concentration in Gender, Sexuality and Women's Studies (GSWS). No prerequisite. Conducted in English. One Unit.

A topical examination of contemporary African societies and cultures as expressed through the camera lens. A study of films from across the continent focusing on the dynamics of change, gender, migrations, conflicts, politics, globalization, and marginalization. The course aims to highlight the internal diversity of perspectives and aesthetics in the representation of such issues. The course focuses less on the technical or theoretical considerations of the films and more so on the examination of the themes and issues they raise, internally and globally. (Films from Algeria, Mali, Mauritania, Senegal, Burkina Faso, Kenya, South Africa, etc.)

Intended as an introduction to French visual culture during the long 19th century (beginning with the French Revolution and ending with the outbreak of World War 1), this course takes a multifaceted look at the masterpieces paintings, lithographs, illustrations, photographs that capture Frances many landscapes. As well as studying the cultures reflected in these works of art and the emerging technologies that played a role in their mass-production, we will read works by canonical French authors inspired by the rapid succession of artistic movements which shook the 19th-century art world. Through the identification of various artistic strategies and techniques (inc. color theory, composition, perspective, etc.), students will learn to write detailed analyses of the works studied in class. The readings and discussions will emphasize the relationships between 19th-century art and the social, technological, and political changes that took place, while visits to the Worcester Art Museum and the American Antiquarian Society will bring these artistic movements and their techniques to life. Recommended for students interested in art history, politics, history, as well as French cultural studies and French language.

This course studies 19th-century French literary and artistic depictions of environmental disaster as a starting point to explore the evolving dynamics between the human and the non-human world from the Enlightenment to the present day. This period saw new forms of expression from the notion of pathetic fallacy to Science Fictions dystopian worlds emerge alongside the growing presence of news (true and false) of planetary upheaval in the public sphere. We will ask ourselves how representations of volcanic eruption, earthquake, flooding, etc. effect not only the literary, journalistic, and artistic production of the time, but also human wellbeing. How does French societys relationship to nature fluctuate throughout the 19th century? By the fin-de-siècle, does modern France need re-sensitizing to nature? And perhaps most importantly, what can we learn about climate change and our own ecological crisis by uncovering the roots of collapsology and eco-anxiety in these depictions of planetary upheaval?

In this course we will study how early modern authors and artists tackled questionsof great relevance for today: Does nature have a language and display agency? Do plants think? Should we regard ourselves as an ecosystem interrelated with awider ecosystem? Can women reclaim their association with nature in a non-detrimental manner? We will see how these authors and artists disrupted thehuman/nonhuman and the male/female divides. We will begin with selected mythsfrom Ovids Metamorphoses and explore how Titian, Velazquez, and Rubensdepict transformations of humans into natural entities. We will analyze lyrics byPetrarch Gaspara Stampa, and Mary Wroth; selected cantos from TorquatoTassos epic poem Jerusalem Delivered; passages from ModerataFontes Floridoro; Cervantes short story The Dialogue of the Dogs; Montaignesessay, On Cannibals; William Shakespeares The Tempest. We will also readselected Shakespearean passages to see in what ways the bard associates femalecharacters (Ophelia, Marina, Perdita, Helena) with plants.