I. Description:

Socialist Realism was the single artistic genre allowed under socialism.  Stalin believed that artists were “engineers of the soul,” and engaged them to create a vision of appropriate socialist citizens.  Artists were to paint or write visions of happy, beautiful workers heroically building the new bright, shining, future world of communism; audiences were to understand this art as a guide for correct behavior.  This course will investigate the meaning and message of Socialist Realism, its creation, installation and transformation over time.  Reading officially produced narratives from authoritarian states will allow us the question the nature of reading and writing itself as a product: in the Soviet sphere art was a tricky conversation between authors, censors and audiences in which multiple unofficial interpretations and readings were possible.  We will discover belief and acquiescence, solace and resistance, and the power and malleability of narratives in the art of the Soviet world.

II. Purpose:

The ability to read with understanding and critical judgment cannot be underestimated.  Academic success, professional competence, cultural literacy, and intellectual development depend fundamentally on flexible reading skills that can be applied to a wide range of texts.  Reading with “understanding” involves several important processes: comprehending and contextualizing information; identifying meaningful patterns and conventions; identifying key ideas, claims, and assumptions; synthesizing an author’s ideas with the reader’s experiences and knowledge; and developing a comprehensive and well-informed interpretation.  Reading with “critical judgment” is a similarly complex task that includes reading with a sense of objectivity, asking questions about what a text literally says and what it implies, evaluating an author’s reasoning, and assessing the degree to which a writer has achieved his or her purpose.  This seminar provides students with opportunities to develop these skills.  

A. Objectives for the Student:

Successful completion of this course will enable the student to

1. identify the tone, purpose, audience, and main idea of a text

2. determine the meaning of a text through close textual analysis

3. annotate, outline, summarize, and evaluate a text

4. situate a particular text within a larger cultural and critical context

5. understand different uses of language and writing conventions

6. determine the uses and validity of different kinds of evidence

7. find and evaluate sources from a variety of mediums (books, journals, magazines, newspapers, the Internet, and so on)

8. synthesize materials from several sources to express ideas, formulate positions, and construct arguments in spoken and written forms

B.  General Learning Outcomes for the Student:

This course aims to help students

1. understand the crucial role that critical reading plays in academic work

2. approach reading as a process in which critical understanding occurs gradually over time with rereading and as new information is acquired

3. recognize the ways in which reading can foster intellectual, moral, and spiritual enrichment and contribute to a satisfying and purposeful life

4. better understand the role of language in everyday life (business, politics, humanities, sciences, etc.) and how it is used to explain, inform, influence, persuade, express, and entertain 

5. take pleasure in the process of making and defending interpretations

6. appreciate the importance of looking at and discussing an issue from a variety of perspectives and disciplines

7. develop the skills and habits of good scholarship—critical reading, logical thinking, effective oral and written argumentation, and academic integrity

8. recognize the personal significance and social relevance of intellectual questioning and liberal arts learning

III. General Requirements:

A. Course Readings:

Drakulic, Svetlana, How We Survived Communism and even Laughed, Harper Perrenial, 1993 (0060975407)

Erofeev, Venedikt, Moscow to the End of the Line, trans. by H. William Tjalsma, Northwestern University Press, 1992 (ISBN-10: 0810112000)

Fitzpatrick, Sheila, The Russian Revolution, 3rd Edition, Oxford University Press, 2008 (ISBN-10: 0199237670)

Gladkov, Fyodor, Cement, trans. by A.S. Arthur and C. Ashliegh, Northwestern University Press, 1994. (ISBN-10: 0810111608)

Grushin, Olga, The Dream Life of Sukhanov, Penguin, 2008  (ISBN-10: 0143038400)

B. Course Films:

Kalatozov, Mikhail, The Cranes are Flying, 1957

Kaufman, Mikhail, Man with the Movie Camera, 1929

Menshov, Vladimir, Moscow does not Believe in Tears, 1980

Pinchul, Vasili, Little Vera, 1988

Room, Abram, Nikolai Shpikovsky, Nikolai and Vsevolod Pudovkin, Bed and Sofa, 1927

C.  Microthemes:

Five times during this semester you will be responsible for writing a 1-2 page microtheme on the assigned primary source material covered during that time.  These microthemes are intended to allow you the opportunity to analyze and write about these sources historically and should consist of two parts: first, you should summarize the argument of the sources—you should ask and elucidate what the author, director or artist was trying to say.  Second, you should place the piece and argument within the larger context of the 20^th century.  What themes and trends is the artist or author tapping into?  How does it relate to larger issues in the class?  How are we to make sense of the work historically? 

Due dates for microthemes:

D.  Quizzes:

Five times during the semester you will take an in-class quiz on readings.  These quizzes will ask you to examine the argument and claims of a text within the framework of socialist realism.   

Dates for Quizzes:

E.  Leading Class Discussion:

You will be responsible for leading class discussion twice during this semester.  This will entail reading the assigned text, song collection or film closely, arranging a list of topics and themes to discuss in class and preparing a series of questions to discuss during class.  You will e-mail a list of 8-10 questions to me and your classmates no later than 5:00 the evening before class so that we will have time to reflect on them and prepare responses.  

G.  Class Discussion and Participation:

As well as providing you with the methodological and analytical tools for engaging in critical reading and thinking, this class will ask you to actively take part in a larger conversation within the class.  I expect this class to allow us to delve deeply into the topics of each week’s readings.  To that end you need to make sure that you arrive to class on time ready to discuss the weekly readings, having carefully read and thought over the material.  You must take an active role in the class discussions.  Thus a portion of your grade will depend on your in-class performance and presence. 

In a class of this nature it goes without saying that a classroom environment in which everyone feels comfortable is essential.  You should treat your fellow classmates with respect, listen carefully to their comments and respond to them in a polite manner. 

H.  Grading:

Your final grade will be based on the following percentages

Your grade distribution for class assignments is as follows:

I. Academic Integrity:

The Department of History adheres to guidelines on academic integrity outlined in the Student Conduct Code in the Student Handbook: 

http://www.kings.edu/student_handbook/studentregulations_rights/conductcode.htm

Cheating and plagiarism will be penalized in accord with the penalties and procedures indicated in that source.  All students are responsible for familiarizing themselves with the definition of these infractions of academic honesty. 

J. Absences:

I will regularly take attendance in this class. Absences due to college activities, emergency or extended illness may be excused by the appropriate college official. You should consult with the professor about making up missed work in advance or as soon as possible after your return.  Other absences are unexcused and will lower the class participation portion of your grade. After any absence, you are responsible for requesting hand-outs and already returned assignments from me or borrowing notes from other students. If you miss an exam, contact me as possible. You may take a missed exam only at the discretion of the instructor.

K.  Dissabilities:

King’s College and I will make every effort to accommodate students with a bona-fide disability that impacts on their ability to learn the course material.  Please meet with me privately so that appropriate arrangements can be made to help in the learning process.

IV. Course Schedule:

Course Introduction

Monday, August 31^st

Russian Revolution, Part I: Russia at the Turn of the Century

Wednesday, September 2^nd

**Reading: Fitzpatrick, "The Setting," in The Russian Revolution (1-40)

Russian Revolution, Part II: Great October

Friday, September 4^th

**Reading: Fitzpatrick, "1917: The February and October Revolutions," in The Russian Revolution (40-68)

Labor Day: No Classes

Monday, September 7^th 

Revolutionary Life, Part I: Voices from the Revolution (selections)

Wednesday, September 9^th 

**Handout: Voices from the Revolution (selections)

**Discussant:

Revolutionary Life, Part II: The Destruction of the "Old Order"

Friday, September 11^th

**Film: Kaufman, Man with a Movie Camera

**Discussant:

Russian Revolution, Part III: Whites and Reds

Monday, September 14^th 

**Reading: Fitzpatrick, "The Civil War," in The Russian Revolution (68-93)

Russian Revolution, Part IV: Nepmen

Wednesday, September 16^th 

**Reading: Fitzpatrick, "NEP and the Future of the Revolution," in The Russian Revolution (93-120)

Revolutionary Life, Part III: Gender Roles

Friday, September 18^th

**Film: Room, Shpikovsky, and Pudovkin, Bed and Sofa

**Discussant:

Russian Revolution, Part V: Stalin

Monday, September 21^st   

**Reading: Fitzpatrick, "Stalin's Revolution," in The Russian Revolution (120-149)

***1st Microtheme***

1st Quiz

Wednesday, September 23^rd   

Russian Revolution, Part VI: The Great Turn

Friday, September 25^th

**Reading: Fitzpatrick, "Ending the Revolution," in The Russian Revolution (149-173)

Inventing Soviet Culture

Monday, September 28^th 

**Readings: Leon Trotsky, Literature and Revolution, 1924 selections (Handout)

**Readings: Andrei Zhdanov, On Socialist Realism, 1934 (Handout)

**Discussant:

Cement

Wednesday, September 30^th 

**Readings: Gladkov, Cement, chapters 1-6 (1-105)

**Discussant:

Visual Socialist Realism, Part I

Friday, October 2^nd

**Sharepoint: Socialist Realism (1)

**Discussant:

Cement

Monday, October 5^th

**Reading: Gladkov, Cement, Chapters 7-12 (105-199)

**Discussant:

***Second Microtheme***

Animated Socialist Realism, Part I

Wednesday, October 7^th

Stalinist Culture, Part I 

Friday, October 9^th

**Reading: Mass Culture in Soviet Russia (selections)

**Discussant:

2nd Quiz 

Monday, October 12^th

Cement

Wednesday, October 14^th

**Reading: Gladkov, Cement, Chapters 13-18 (199-311)

**Discussant:

Fall Break: No Classes

Friday, October 16^th

Stalinist Culture, Part II

Monday, October 19^th

**Readings: Mass Culture in Soviet Russia (selections)

**Discussant:

Translations

Wednesday, October 21^st

**Reading: Anna Akhmatova, Requiem, trans. by, Yevgeny Bonver, <<http://www.poetryloverspage.com/poets/akhmatova/akhmatova_ind.html>>

**Reading: Anna Akhmatova, Requiem, annonymous translation, <<http://curricula.voicesinwartime.org/Home/WorldWar2/900DaySeigeCaseStudy/AnnaAkhmatovaRequiem/tabid/497/Default.aspx>>

Friday, October 23^rd

**Reading: Scarboro, "Plotting the Self in the Bulgarian Socialist Humanist Art Gallery" (Handout)

**Discussant:

Monday, October 26^th

**Reading: Scarboro, "Plotting the Self in the Bulgarian Socialist Humanist Art Gallery" (Handout)

**Discussant:

***Third Microtheme***

Wednesday, October 28^th

**Reading: Scarboro, "Plotting the Self in the Bulgarian Socialist Humanist Art Gallery" (Handout)

**Discussant:

3rd Quiz

Friday, October 30^th

The Thaw

Monday, November 2^nd

**Film: Kalatazov, The Cranes are Flying

**Discussant:

Moscow to the End of the Line

Wednesday, November 4^th

**Erofeev, Moscow to the end of the Line (entire)

**Discussant:

How We Survived Communism

Friday, November 6^th

**Reading: Drakulic, Chapters 1-4 (1-43)

**Discusant:

How We Survived Communism

Monday, November 9^th

**Reading: Drakulic, Chapters 5-8 (43-83)

**Discussant:

***Fourth Microtheme***

How We Survived Communism

Wednesday, November 11^th

**Reading: Drakulic, Chapters 9-12 (82-123)

**Discussant:

How We Survived Communism

Friday, November 13^th

**Reading: Drakulic, Chapters 13-16 (123-159)

**Discussant:

How We Survived Communism

Monday, November 16^th

**Reading: Drakulic, Chapters 17-20 (159-224)

**Discussant:

Animated Soviet Socialist Realism, Part II

Wednesday, November 18^th

4th Quiz

Friday, November 20^th

The Late Soviet Good Life

Monday, November 23^rd

**Film: Menshov, Moscow does not believe in Tears

**Discussant:

***Fifth Microtheme***

Thanksgiving Break: No Classes

Wednesday, November 25^th

Thanksgiving Break: No Classes

Friday, November 27^th

Sots Art

Monday, November 30^th

**Sharepoint: Sots Art

**Discussant:

The Dream Life of Socialist Realism, Part I

Wednesday, December 2^nd

Reading: Grushin, The Dream Life of Sukahnov, Chapters 1-10 (1-127)

**Discussant:

Little Vera

Friday, December 4^th

Film: Pinchul, Little Vera

**Discussant:

The Dream Life of Socialist Realism, Part II

Monday, December 7th

Reading: Grushin, The Dream Life of Sukahnov, Chapters 11-17 (128-247)

**Discussant:

5th Quiz

Wednesday, December 9th

The Dream Life of Socialist Realism, Part III

Friday, December 11^th

Reading: Grushin, The Dream Life of Sukahnov, Chapters 17-23 (248-354)

**Discussant: