2022 Spring SLAVIC R5B 005 LEC 005

Spring 2022

SLAVIC R5B 005 - LEC 005

Reading and Composition

Writing (Against) War: Representing and Resisting Conflict in Literature and Film

Antje Postema

Jan 18, 2022 - May 06, 2022
Mo, We
05:00 pm - 06:29 pm
Class #:28838
Units: 4

Instruction Mode: In-Person Instruction

Current Enrollment

Total Open Seats: 2
Enrolled: 15
Waitlisted: 0
Capacity: 17
Waitlist Max: 3
No Reserved Seats

Hours & Workload

3 hours of instructor presentation of course materials per week, and 9 hours of outside work hours per week.

Other classes by Antje Postema

Course Catalog Description

Reading and composition course based on works of Russian and other Slavic writers, either written in English or translated into English. As students develop strategies of writing and interpretation, they will become acquainted with a particular theme in Russian and/or Slavic literatures and their major voices. R5A satisfies the first half of the Reading and Composition requirement, and R5B satisfies the second half.

Class Description

This course focuses on literary texts and films that significantly engage with historical conflicts in the modern period, with a specific focus on the Slavic speaking world. We will examine literary and filmic representations of historical warfare, keeping in mind the temporal and geographical context of each work. The majority of our attention will be on the variety of generic and rhetorical positions authors take as they represent war. We will analyze the seeming paradox at the root of artistic representation of conflict: that the upheaval of war seems both to demand representation and to inhibit it. Out of this paradox emerge many of the course’s major questions: What characteristic genres or tropes recur in these texts, though they may be written decades apart and in different regions of the globe? Do war stories differ when they are told from the perspective of civilians or soldiers, women or men, victims or perpetrators? How do particular media shape stories? What role do “truth” or “accuracy” play in navigating between lived experience and artistic representation? Is the changing face of war across the long 20th century matched by changes in its treatment in literature and film? Are there, after all, unified genres or modes that might legitimately be termed “war literature” or “war film”? This class will provide opportunities to develop three interrelated skills: critical reading, meaningful discussion, and clear academic writing. By the end of the semester, students will be comfortable analyzing a variety of texts with a careful eye for nuance and considering alternative viewpoints. Reading will be approximately 60-80 pages per week. Students will be expected to complete all assigned reading and come to class prepared to participate actively in class discussion. Writing assignments will include close readings of specific texts and films, two analytical papers, and a final research paper. Over the course of the semester, students will focus on all stages of the writing process: selecting an essay topic, crafting a thesis, developing and sustaining an argument, structuring units of prose, editing and proofreading, word choice, sentence flow, and other topics in grammar, mechanics, and usage. NB: this class emphasizes peer-to-peer discussion and, as such, computers will not be allowed unless needed for an activity.

Class Notes

This course satisfies the second half or the “B” portion of the Reading and Composition requirement.

Prerequisite: Successful completion of the “A” portion of the Reading & Composition requirement or its equivalent. Students may not enroll in nor attend R1B/R5B courses without completin.. show more
This course satisfies the second half or the “B” portion of the Reading and Composition requirement.

Prerequisite: Successful completion of the “A” portion of the Reading & Composition requirement or its equivalent. Students may not enroll in nor attend R1B/R5B courses without completing this prerequisite.

Due to the high demand for R&C courses we monitor attendance very carefully. Attendance is mandatory the first two weeks of classes, this includes all enrolled and wait listed students. If you do not attend all classes the first two weeks you may be dropped. If you are attempting to add into this class during weeks 1 and 2 and did not attend the first day, you will be expected to attend all class meetings thereafter and, if space permits, you may be enrolled from the wait list. show less

Rules & Requirements

Requisites

  • Previously passed an R_A course with a letter grade of C- or better. Previously passed an articulated R_A course with a letter grade of C- or better. Score a 4 on the Advanced Placement Exam in English Literature. Score a 4 or 5 on the Advanced Placement Exam in English Language and Composition. Score of 5, 6, or 7 on the International Baccalaureate Higher Level Examination in English.

Repeat Rules

Course is not repeatable for credit.

Requirements class fulfills

Second half of the Reading and Composition Requirement

Reserved Seats

Current Enrollment

No Reserved Seats

Textbooks & Materials

See class syllabus or https://calstudentstore.berkeley.edu/textbooks for the most current information.

Textbook Lookup

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Associated Sections

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