Islamic threat? Noble savage? The true Russia? Since the beginning of her history, Russia has been confronting the East in a variety of ways. The East has been a source of danger, a target of imperial ambitions, an exotic dreamland, a place of refuge for rebels and outcasts, a window to the past, and a crucial touchstone for questions of national destiny, morality, and identity. It has also been an essential theme of Russian literature, central to such writers as Pushkin, Lermontov, and Tolstoy. Finally, it is a topic of immense contemporary relevance, as Russia continues to fight a war in the Caucasus and struggles to define its role vis-a-vis the Middle East and Central Asia. This course will examine the ways in which the East has been represented in Russian culture, paying special attention to the wider historical and cultural context. Our texts will range from medieval epics to Romantic travelogues, from lyric verse to contemporary films, and from literary stars to the justly and unjustly forgotten. Discussion and primary readings will be in Russian, with additional readings available in English. Format: seminar. Evaluation will be based on class participation, several short position papers, a class presentation, and a longer research project. Prerequisites: Russian 202 or permission of instructor. No enrollment limit (expected: 3-5).

Hour: HOPE