Different approaches to Russia from the point of view of research: History, Culture and Literature, Sociology. Obligatory course for those who intend to make Russian Studies Programme.

The introduction course will address topics such as:

- An overview to the Russian history

- Periodisation of history in Russia and the Soviet Union

- Modernisation emphases of the state Mythmaking and propaganda in history

- Continuum in Soviet and Russian history

- Use of Past in the Soviet Union/Russia

- The legacy of the Soviet Union

- Key concepts of Russian cultural identity

- symbolic world of Russianness

- aspects of cultural history - cultural studies

- "New Man and Woman" - building a new Soviet man: kul'turnost'

- new Russian popular culture

- Russia's transition to a market economy, including the legacy of the Soviet economic system, the shadow economy and new forms of blat;

- Women in Russia, particularly their roles in business and the family

- Russia's transition to democracy, including presidential power, centralization and possibly state-media relations;

- How Russians have coped with the transition in daily life, for example facing changes in the workplace, economic insecurity and the growing gap between rich and poor (e.g. the "new Russians" versus the elderly poor).

Enrollment via NettiOpsu during the period of 20.8.-31.8.2010