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Global and Regional Studies 91 -
Today's Russia:  92 Years in the Making
HOMEWORK ASSIGNMENTS - Fall 2009


First Week  Aug 31 - Sept. 4
Monday  Introduction to course.  As you use this site, please note that the day you see an assignment is the day it is due!
                Study skills.    
Wednesday  Read Kort, The Soviet Colossus, History and Aftermath. Read and be prepared  to discuss Prologue, pp.  3-7.
               Start watching VIDEO- Siege at Beslan (Wide Angle - Bill Moyers).  Begin reading the article handed out
              Monday from The Economist on Putin's Russia. 
Friday   Finish watching VIDEO- Siege at Beslan (Wide Angle - Bill Moyers).  Discuss the video and disucss some of
            the material from The Economist.  

Second Week   Sept 7 - 11
Monday    NO CLASS - Laor Day recess.
               
Wednesday
             Read and be prepared to discuss the second half of Chpt. 19, The Russian Devolution, pp. 4431-452. Finish reading the article handed out last week from The Economist on Putin's Russia.  Discuss both in class.
Friday  
        Class Discussion in preparation for upcoming writing assignments.  See the link on the writing of PAPERS.
        Today marks the beginning of your computer log of New York Times articles.  For each entry: list the name of the
        article, its date and only TWO sentences maximum to describe the article. 

Third Week  Sept 14 - 18
Monday
      VIDEO "The Kursk"  (nuclear submarine, which exploded and sank on exercises in the Baltic).
      Pass in FIRST PAPER, The Russian Devolution.  Your paper synopsis MUST include BOTH the chapter on Devolusiton     
       AND the article from The Economist.
Wednesday
        Return first paper.  Discuss the correction process and student needs.  Read Kort, Chpt. 18, Gorbachev:  From
         Restructuring to Reconstruction, first half of chapter,  pp.  355-381.  Discuss first half of chapter.
          VIDEO- Chernobyl - Update - "60 Minutes."
Friday
          Read second half of Chpt. 18, Gorbachev, pp. 382-407.  Discuss last half of the chapter on Mikhail Gorbachev
          assigned for today.
          VIDEO- second Chernobyl - Update "Vice."    Translation of War in the Gulf, Speech by Gorbachev to the Soviet people.

Fourth Week  Sept 21 - 25
Monday
        Read Gogol,  St. Petersburg Tales - The Overcoat.   Be prepared to discuss this literary work in class.
Wednesday 
         VIDEO--  Secret Lies; Atomic Spies.  Video takes the entire class period.  
        Pass in second paper on Gorbachev (from the chapter in Kort and our discussions in class).
 Friday
         VIDEO - Finish viewing Secret Lies; Atomic Spies.
         Arms Production and Sales from Bulgaria,"Vice."   Composer:  Tchaikovsky,  excerpt from Sym. #6 (Pathetique).
         Read Kort, first half of Chpt. 17, Brezhnev,  pp. 311-333.  Be prepared to discuss in class

Fifth Week  Sept 28 - Oct. 2
Monday
              Read Kort, second half of Chpt. 17, Brezhnev, pp. 334-351.  We shall discuss the unit in its entirety in class.   
Wednesday
             Submit third paper,  Gogol,  St. Petersburg Tales - The Overcoat. Literary analysis of the  literary piece.  This is NOT a book recport.
             DO NOT simply retell the plot.  VIDEO - Russian Maffia - Togliati (from the program "Wide Angle")
Friday     VIDEO - Astrospies (Nova)
           

Sixth Week  Oct  5 - 9
Monday    Using my web site LINKS for this course,  look up (and print) at least two articles on which you will report orally concerning news of
            Russia or Eastern Europe.  Composer: Rimsky-Korsakov, Scheherazade.
               Submit fourth paper, Brezhnev.  Please DO NOT forget to include a little on Andropov and Chernenko.
Wednesday
                Read the first half of Dostoevsky's Notes from Undereground, pp. 3-41.   The Pevear/Volokhonsky translation
                you purchased contains a fabulous Introduction.  Reading it will help you to comprehend the work.
Friday -  
                Finish reading Dostoevsky's Notes from Underground.

Seventh Week    Oct  12 - 16
Monday - Discuss and analyse Dostoevsky's Notes from Underground.
              Start thinking about topics for your semester research project.  This includes a topic, some initial research in the library to see if it is
              ultimately doable and narrowing of your focus in order to produce clarity.  We shall discuss your topic choiuces in class.
Wednesday - Submit fifth paper - literary analysis of Notes from Underground.
               VIDEO - Red Files - Soviet Space Program.            
Friday       
            Read Kort, first half of Chpt 16, Khrushchev, Reforming the Revolution, pp. 279-296.                     
             VIDEO - Red Files - Soviet Propoganda Machine.  Discuss the video
   
Eighth Week  Oct  19 - 23
Monday
            Read  Kort, final half of Chpt 16, Khrushchev, Reforming the Revolution, pp. 296-310.
            Electronically submit your topics for the semester project.    Forward a short description of the topic, plus
            areas of research you will pursue.
            We shall discuss these in class.  The most important considerations are 1). the topic itself, 2) sufficient limitation
            of the topic to accomplish reasonable research and results.   Library research is required.  Internet research alone
            will NOT produce a passing grade.  Although you are submitting the topics to me, we shall discuss them together
            in class.
Friday
             Submit sixth paper on Krushchev and his period.
          VIDEO - Lager #155
          In connection with term projects, discuss plagiarism....
          Composer: Sergei Rachmaninov, excerpts from Piano Concerto #2, Corelli Cariations.      

Ninth Week  Oct  26 - 30
Monday
            VIDEO - Russia's Nuclear Warriers - Vladimir Pozner
            Kort, Chapters 12-15 will be read in chronological order.   You will be writing ONE essay on  the Stalin period (8-12 pages).
              A logical way to accomplish this involves writing 3-4 pages after you read each chapter.  Combining these fascicles into an essay
            is then easier!
            Read Kort, Chpt. 12, Bolshevism Without Lenin, pp. 173-196. We shall discuss this in class.
           Composer: Aleksandr Scriabin, excerpts from Piano Concerto #l, Preludes for piano.    
Wednesday    
           Read Kort, Chpt. 13, The Revolution from Above, pp. 197-243. We shall discuss this in class.
Friday          
             Read Kort, Chpt. 14, Trial by Fire: The Great Patriotic War, pp. 244-259.
        
Tenth Week  Nov  2 - 6
Monday
         Read Kort, Chpt. 14,  Stalin's September Songs, pp. 260-277.
          Advizing note - TUESDAY, November 4, LAST DAY to drop courses for a grade of "W" = withdraw.
Wednesday
             Eighth paper due:  Joseph Stalin.
            VIDEO - Army Hazing; VIDEO -  TB in Russia .  Composer: Sergei Prokofiev - excerpts: Classical Symphony, Romeo
             and Juliette Ballet.
Friday
          Read Kort, Chpt. 9, Russia's Two Revololutions, pp. 91-112.  Transmit information concerning annotated
          bibliography and  footnotes in semester project.  Footnote/bibliography help sheet

Eleventh Week  Nov  9 - 13
Monday
          Read Kort, Chpt. 10, Into the Fire: The Civil War, pp. 113 - 139.
Wednesday
          Student consultations   For those who have not yet cleared their course schedule with me, please bring that information to class. 
         We shall all end up in my office where I can unlock your registration.
Friday
        Read Kort, Chpt. 11, New Policies and New Problems, pp. 141 - 169.


Twelvth Week  Nov  16  - 20
Monday
     NO CLASS - free time to work on semester project
Wednesday

    TERM RESEARCH PROJECTS DUE         

      In class, we shall also set up the times for the term project presentations.  If you are not in class to do this yourself,
    I shall place you on the list where there are openings.  The schedule will appear on this web page.  After we have preset
    the presentation time schedule, changes may only be made by exchanging with another presentor.
Friday
    Send NY Times file electronically (as an MS WORD attached document).  This counts as one paper grade.  
    VIDEO screen video:  Youth Against Lukoshenko - A Lesson on Byelorussian Independence. 
    Read Kort, The First Years and Last Stand, pp. 74-88

       
Thirteenth Week  Nov  23 - 27
      Monday - Discuss The First Years and Last Stand, pp. 74-88 and discuss video from Friday.
      Wednesday - Friday       NO CLASS - Thanksgiving Recess

 Fourteenth Week   Nov  30 - Dec 4
Please see the link for how to present a clear oral presentation.
N.B.  Presentations are graded on clarity, information, diction, professionalism.  If you encounter an unforseen problem whereby you need to present on a different day, simply email another student and exchange times with then.  Additionally, be sure to notify me of the change.   
                                                   
                                              Attendance absolutely required
Monday         (November 30)

                      
Wednesday    (December 2)

             
Friday     (December 4)
       
                        Course Evaluation
      

Fifteenth Week  (December 7 - 9)  Attendance absolutely required

Monday    (December 7)
        
              
Wednesday    (December 9)


         

         
This is a seminar course  There is NO final examination.

The absolute, final date for turning in owed assignments is Monday,
December 12 at noon.  Anything beyond that exact date and time will
be entered as a ZERO on the spread sheet.