The course addresses modern global transformations of gender relations and family forms, and explores them anthropologically in the context of Russia and Russian-speaking diaspora in Europe. In this course, Russia is approached from the perspective of transnational anthropology, which challenges popular, political and academic rhetoric and imaginaries bounded by the logic of nation-states (which often obscures the complexity and richness of everyday lives). Transnational anthropology starts with the premise that any cultural and social phenomenon is in fact a result of combined effects of local processes, transnational cultural flows and people’s mobility, as well as international political re-configurations. The course will start with discussions of changing gender symbolism and relations from Soviet to contemporary Russia, and an overview of transnational linkages of Russian-speakers in Europe. We will explore how imaginations and practices linked to the iconic figure of the babushka (grandmother) have changed in the midst of post-socialist and transnational changes. We will further address the co-existence and interaction of modern and traditional, “nuclear” and “extended”, modes of family; and we will see how both modes are manifest and re-negotiated in Russian-Finnish transnational families. Finally, we will discuss Russian folk magic as well as Orthodox beliefs, practices and materiality as the means of family-making within and beyond Russia. In lectures and seminars, students will engage anthropologically with various types of sources, including people’s narratives, posters, animated movies, and icons.

Teacher responsible: Tatiana Tiaynen-Qadir

Visiting lecturers: Associate Professor Suvi Salmenniemi (University of Turku), Doctoral researcher Jaanika Kingumets (University of Tampere)                                                                              

Teaching: spring term 2016, 25.01.2016 – 3.03.2016, on Mondays and Thursdays, 10.00-12.00.

Lectures: 14 hours

Seminars: 6 hours

25.01. lecture (2 h): Introduction: Russia and Russian-speaking diasporas in Transnational Anthropology and Anthropology of Post-socialism  

28.01. lecture (2 h): From Soviet gender matrix to New Russia’s gender multiplication (Associate Professor Suvi Salmenniemi)

1.02. lecture (2 h): Babushka and transnational grandmothering between Russia and Finland

4.02. seminar (2 h): Russian masculinities and femininities across time: presentations and work with sources (narratives, animated movies, posters)   

8.02. lecture  (2 h): Changing family culture: nuclear, extended, translocal, and transnational families   

11.02.seminar  (2 h): Transnational family-making: presentations and work with sources (narratives)  

15.02.lecture (2 h): Women’s Everyday Religion: beliefs, practices and materiality 

18.02. seminar (2 h): Orthodox materiality and family-making:  presentations and work with sources (narratives, prayers, icons)

29.02. lecture (2 h): Re-negotiation of home among Soviet-era Russian speakers in Estonia (Doctoral researcher Jaanika Kingumets)

3.03. lecture (2 h): Concluding lecture and discussions about the course

The course consists of attending lectures, reading, and presenting at seminars. Writing an essay will be the primary means of assessment (graded on a scale of 1 to 5). Students are expected to make a presentation at one of the seminars, and to write an essay on the basis of that presentation, incorporating the comments and discussions at the seminar.

The course consists of attending lectures, reading, and presenting at seminars. Writing an essay will be the primary means of assessment (graded on a scale of 1 to 5).

Students are expected to make a presentation at one of the seminars, and to write an essay on the basis of that presentation, incorporating the comments and discussions at the seminar.