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.

The turbulent 1860s sparked a series of explosive events that changed the world forever. With global capitalism in ascendance and cultural modernism dawning, the decade witnessed the two largest wars in North and South American history, the Meiji Restoration and Japan’s debut on the global stage, the beginnings of German and Italian unification, and the ending of the Opium Wars in China. In the momentous years of 1861 and 1863, two budding world powers—first Russia and then the United States—declared an end to the twin evils of serfdom and slavery. In the sciences, Charles Darwin had just published On the Origin of Species, Gregor Mendel founded modern genetics, and Dmitri Mendeleev developed the periodic table. Advancements in technology brought the world’s first underground metro system to London and the first transcontinental railway to the United States, while the transatlantic telegraph cable instantly sped up global communications. Closer to home, the university you are attending was founded in 1868. During this vital decade, authors and critics reckoned with the rapidly modernizing world, exploring social and ethical dimensions of this new era in the pages of thick literary journals. Three classic novels written during these years—Ivan Turgenev’s Fathers and Sons (1862), Nikolai Chernyshevsky’s What Is to Be Done? (1862-3), and Fyodor Dostoevsky’s Notes from the Underground (1863-4)—spurred radical developments in nihilist, socialist, and existentialist thought. Each of these texts scandalized Russian readers, introduced iconic heroes, and presented competing literary visions of emancipation, visions that galvanized political and social developments not only on the streets of Saint Petersburg, but also around the globe. Through thoughtful engagement with these primary sources as well as corresponding works of literature, art, and philosophy, this course will attempt to understand the dynamics that shaped this pivotal decade. This course fulfills the second half of the UC Berkeley Reading & Composition requirement. The primary goal of this class is to teach college-level writing and research skills. In addition to learning how to make clear, persuasive arguments, students will learn to work with secondary sources, evaluate outside scholarship, and compose research papers. No prior knowledge of East European, Russian or Eurasian languages, literatures or cultures is required.

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