Slavic Courses – Spring 2027
(4 credits)
- Lecture 001: MTWRF 8:50 – 9:40 am
- Lecture 002: MTWRF 12:05 – 12:55 pm
- Lecture 003: MTWRF 1:20 – 2:10 pm
Instructor: Anna Tumarkin
Course Description: Continuation of SLAVIC 101.
Prerequisites: SLAVIC 101. Open to first-year students.
(4 credits)
- Lecture 001: MTWR 9:55 – 10:45 am
Instructor: Krzystof Borowski
Course Description: Continuation of SLAVIC 111 — First Semester Polish.
Prerequisites: None
(Meets-with GNS 370.)
(4 credits)
- Lecture 001: MTWRF 9:55 – 10:45 am
- Lecture 002: MTWRF 12:05 – 12:55 pm
Instructor: Anna Tumarkin
Course Description: Continuation of SLAVIC 203.
Prerequisites: SLAVIC 203. Open to first-year students.
(This course is also offered to graduate students as SLAVIC 304.)
(4 credits)
- Lecture 001: MTWR 8:50 – 9:40 am
Instructor: Krzysztof Borowski
Course Description: Continuation of SLAVIC 207 — Third Semester Polish.
Prerequisites: None
(Meets-with Slavic 304.)
(3 credits)
- Lecture 001: MW 2:30 – 3:45 pm
Instructor: Oksana Stoychuk
Course Description: Since the early 1990s, there has been an explosion of women’s writing in Central and Eastern Europe greater than in any other cultural period. This is due to the fact that women in this region have experienced more cataclysmic transformations than most of their contemporaries in Western Europe. This course focuses on the question of how women writers have responded to the collapse of communism, searching in their work for new forms of posttotalitarian identities – national, cultural or sexual, creating the new empowered female voices. We will read a number of contemporary Central and Eastern European women writers and trace narrative manifestations of the women’s struggle against different forms of authority: political regimes, religion, cultural hegemony, and patriarchy. In addition to works of fiction, we will read articles, interviews, and other secondary sources to achieve a general understanding of contemporary politics, cultural conflict, and gender roles in Central and Eastern Europe.
Prerequisites: Open for everyone. No knowledge of the German language is required for this class.
(4 credits)
- Lecture 001: TR 11:00 am – 12:15 pm
- Discussion 301: W 9:55 – 10:45 am
- Discussion 302: W 11:00 – 11:50 am
- Discussion 303: W 1:20 – 2:10 pm
- Discussion 304: W 2:25 – 3:15 pm
Instructor: Irina Shevelenko
Course Description: This course is designed as an interdisciplinary introduction to Russian civilization whose formation began in the northern part of Eurasia in the medieval period. From early on, Russian culture became connected in myriad ways with the multiethnic and multicultural space of the vast part of present-day Eurasia, and we will explore and analyze these ties. This course examines Russian history and Russia of the present day, relying on a variety of disciplinary perspectives and drawing on the expertise of guest speakers from UW–Madison and other institutions. This course aims to impart a basic knowledge of Russian history, geography, literature, art, religious traditions, philosophy, economy, and politics, to provide students with the tools to begin to grasp the complex issues with which Russian culture and society present us.
(3 credits)
- Lecture 001: TR 11:00 am – 12:15 pm
Instructor: Kirill Ospovat
(3 credits)
- Lecture 002: TR 2:30 – 3:45 pm
Instructor: Kirill Ospovat
(3 credit)
- Lecture 001: MWF 9:55 – 10:45 am
Instructor: Alexandra Walter
Course Description: A review of several major aspects of Russian grammar, focusing on the use of complex syntax in speech and writing. Read and discuss literary works and other Russian-language texts. Students will develop writing proficiency through compositions on a variety of topics. The goals of this course are to improve students’ reading fluency, writing skills, and command of Russian grammar and structure. We will focus on the use of complex syntax and undertake a thorough review of several major aspects of Russian grammar (including the imperative, verbal aspect, participles, comparatives and verbs of motion). Grammar topics will be presented and practiced using the textbook Panorama. In addition, grammatical forms will be contextualized by reading literary works as well as songs and articles. While the development of speaking skills is not a primary goal of this course (as it is in Slavic 315/316), class discussion of grammar, lexicon, and texts will be largely conducted in Russian.
Prerequisites: None
(3 credits)
- Lecture 001: TR 2:30 – 3:45 pm
Instructor: Łukasz Wodzyński
Course Description: In this course, students explore both traditional and evolving notions of culture in Poland, review grammar, and build vocabulary related to the cultural topics studied. The course places a strong emphasis on speaking and reading. Reading assignments include short stories, press articles, poetry, and a novel. Additionally, the program incorporates films, music, and visual arts.
Open to Freshmen
(3 credits)
- Lecture 001: TR 2:30 – 3:45 pm
Instructor: Łukasz Wodzyński
Course Description: In this course, students explore both traditional and evolving notions of culture in Poland, review grammar, and build vocabulary related to the cultural topics studied. The course places a strong emphasis on speaking and reading. Reading assignments include short stories, press articles, poetry, and a novel. Additionally, the program incorporates films, music, and visual arts.
Open to Freshmen
(4 credits)
- Lecture 001: MTWR 8:50 – 9:40 am
Instructor: Krzysztof Borowski
Course Description: Continuation of SLAVIC 207 — Third Semester Polish for graduate students. Includes additional work at the graduate level. Open to all graduate students and taken for graduate credit.
(3 credits)
- Lecture 001: TR 2:30 – 3:45 pm
Instructor: Łukasz Wodzyński
Course Description: The aim of the course is to help students to extend their knowledge of the language, as well as to enhance their literacy skills, and cultural awareness. Class activities are largely based on contemporary Polish prose and on articles from the Polish press related to contemporary Polish society. Students expend their vocabulary by engaging with texts from different genres, historical periods and perspectives. The syllabus includes working on grammar with written exercises and compositions. The course has a strong emphasis on speaking. Students work in groups, make presentations, and debate different issues in class discussions. A study of Polish culture is offered also through films, music and media.
Prerequisites: Slavic 204 OR placement test for other students including Freshmen.
(L&S Credit – Counts as Liberal Arts and Science credit in L&S. Counts for the Slavic Certificate)
(3 credits)
- Lecture 001: TR 2:30 – 3:45 pm
Instructor: Łukasz Wodzyński
Course Description: In this course, students explore both traditional and evolving notions of culture in Poland, review grammar, and build vocabulary related to the cultural topics studied. The course has a strong emphasis on reading and speaking. The reading assignments are based on short stories, press articles, poetry, and a novel. Assignments will contain discussion questions, reading/listening comprehension activities, lexical, and grammar exercises.
Prerequisites: Slavic 305.
(3 credits)
- Lecture 001: TR 1:00 – 2:15 pm
Instructor: Anna Tumarkin
Course Description: The goals of this course are to improve students’ listening comprehension and speaking skills in Russian, focusing on the development of syntax and conversational patterns to increase the complexity and length of discourse students can understand and create. Students will discuss topics related to contemporary Russian culture and society and work with authentic reading and listening materials, including literary texts, newspaper articles, songs, and film.
(3 credits)
- Lecture 001: TR 2:30 – 3:45 pm
Instructor: Łukasz Wodzyński
Course Description: In this course, students explore both traditional and evolving notions of culture in Poland, review grammar, and build vocabulary related to the cultural topics studied. The course places a strong emphasis on speaking and reading. Reading assignments include short stories, press articles, poetry, and a novel. Additionally, the program incorporates films, music, and visual arts.
Open to Freshmen
Prerequisites: Slavic 208 or a placement test.
(3 credits)
- Lecture 001: TR 2:30 – 3:45 pm
Instructor: Łukasz Wodzyński
Course Description: In this course, students explore both traditional and evolving notions of culture in Poland, review grammar, and build vocabulary related to the cultural topics studied. The course places a strong emphasis on speaking and reading. Reading assignments include short stories, press articles, poetry, and a novel. Additionally, the program incorporates films, music, and visual arts.
Open to Freshmen
Prerequisites: Slavic 208 or a placement test.
(3 credits)
- Lecture 001: TR 1:00 – 2:15 pm
Instructor: Łukasz Wodzyński
(3 credits)
- Lecture 001: MWF 12:05 – 12:55 pm
Instructor: Sara Karpukhin
Course Description: Second in a two-semester course sequence, this course focuses on those topics in modern Russian cultural history that are most often discussed by Russians and serve as the basis for contemporary political and media discourse. The primary aim of the course, the second one in a two-course sequence, is to offer an overview of those aspects of Russian history and culture which are most relevant in Russia today. The course will include a survey of the most important historical events of Russian history whose purpose is to introduce you to the discussion of Russian culture in Russian. There will be no separate discussion of grammar and I will not correct your grammar in conversation as long as everyone understands your meaning. We will continually practice all four skills (listening, reading, speaking, writing), but always in application to historical and cultural knowledge.
(3 credits)
- Lecture 001: MWF 11:00 – 11:50 am
Instructor: Sara Karpukhin
Course Description: A focus on development of reading, writing, and speaking skills and on the interpretation of texts in their historical and cultural context. This course is the final course in the Russian language sequence required for the Russian major (either Russian Language & Literature or Russian Language & Civilization). It will focus on development of reading, writing, and speaking skills in the interpretative (interpreting written and audio/video materials), interpersonal (speaking with others), and presentational (oral presentations to the class and written compositions) modes. The goal of this course is to enable students to progress in language proficiency from the Intermediate to the Advanced level in reading and listening, and to the Intermediate High level in speaking and writing. In addition, the course will enrich students’ cultural knowledge through reading and discussion of literary texts.
(3 credits)
- Lecture 001: MWF 8:50 – 9:40 am
Instructor: Karen Evans-Romaine
Course Description: This advanced-level course focuses on improving students’ Russian proficiency in listening and speaking through contemporary media in Russian. The course provides students with basic knowledge and vocabulary in a variety of areas related to contemporary Russian-language media and culture necessary for a professional-level command of the language, regardless of the student’s discipline. Course modules will include recent Russian history (since perestroika); media, mass communications, and censorship; Russian domestic and foreign policy, with a focus on Russia’s war on Ukraine and its consequences; political opposition in Russia; economic issues; and contemporary culture(s) in countries where Russian is among the widely spoken languages. We will also discuss some American political and economic issues from a Russian point of view.
(3 credits)
- Lecture 001: F 2:30 – 5:00 pm
Instructor: Andrew Reynolds
Course Description: This course introduces students to various trends in Russian Modernist literature, from the twilight of realism (Chekhov) and the birth of Symbolism in the 1890s through the 1930s. We will examine the aesthetic theories and creative practices of major representatives of various trends within Russian experimental literature during the earlier part of the 20th century. Students will acquire a solid foundation in the historical and philosophical groundings of the Russian Modernist imagination, will read a range of secondary sources addressing various aspects of the literary legacy of Russian Modernism, and will develop skills in textual analysis and interpretation. This course is lecture-based and reading intensive.
Prerequisites: Graduate or professional standing.
SLAVIC 900-002
SLAVIC 900-002 is a 1-credit course that serves as a seminar add-on for SLAVIC 708 – Russian Modernism. It meets five times a semester in 150-minute class periods.
Prerequisites: Graduate or professional student.
(1 credit)
- Lecture 001: R 2:30 – 3:45 pm
Instructor: Anna Tumarkin
Course Description: This practicum course is designed for Russian Language Teaching Assistants and emphasizes topics related to the teaching of First- and Second-year Russian, including course design, lesson planning, and assessment development.
(3 credits)
- Seminar 001: M 2:30 – 5:00 pm
Instructor: Sara Karpukhin
(1 credit)
- Seminar 002: T 2:30 – 5:00 pm
Instructor: Irina Shevelenko