Below is a list of new or revised courses being offered in spring 2023 which may be of interest to students in REECAS.
For a full list of REECAS courses, please click on the links to the right.
LITTRANS 207 - Slavic Science Fiction
Instructor: David Danaher
(3 credits)
TR 2:30 – 3:45
Explore the rich tradition of Slavic contributions to science fiction. Survey early and contemporary works in the Czech, Polish, and Russian contexts, most of which are little known in the US but are nonetheless fundamental to science fiction as a world genre. Alongside reading these works, discuss and analyze film adaptations that have, in some cases, become more famous than written texts themselves.
ART HIST 310 - Icons, Religion, and Empire: Early Christian and Byzantine Art
Instructor: Thomas A. Dale
(3 credits)
TR 4:00 – 5:15
Why did early Christians consider art necessary, if potentially dangerous? How did they adapt and compete with Roman and Jewish traditions? How were the visual propaganda and monumental architecture of the Roman Empire transformed during a millennium of Byzantine rule? These are key questions addressed as we explore the role of architecture and images in religion and imperial politics of the Mediterranean basin between the 3rd and 15th centuries. Other broader topics include the cult of the saints, theories and functions of icons and iconoclasm in Orthodox Christianity, text and image in illuminated manuscripts, multi-sensory aspects of sacred space and ritual, and Byzantium’s role in global cultural exchange.
POLISCI 401 - LGBTQ+ World Politics
Instructor: Shaan N. Amin
(3 credits)
TR 2:30 – 3:45
Although it takes an international approach, this course especially focuses on LGBTQ+ politics in Poland and Hungary.
SOC 496 - Unpacking Russia's War in Ukraine: States, Histories, and International Politics
Instructor: Natalia Savelyeva
(3 credits)
MW 4:00 pm – 5:15 pm
On February 24, 2022, Russia launched a military invasion of Ukraine, but the conflict dates from 2014, following Russia’s annexation of the Crimean peninsula. How did we get to this point? Is there a way out? This course investigates the origins and dynamics of the war, contextualizing it in the history of post-Soviet conflicts, the evolution of the Russian political regime, and international politics.
LITTRANS 220 - Chekhov: The Drama of Modern Life
Instructor: Maksim Hanukai
(3 credits)
TR 11:00 – 12:15
Literature has always played a central role in Russian culture and in the nation’s self-definitions, but Chekhov’s enduring popularity around the globe is evidence of his universal appeal and relevance.
SLAVIC 755 - Intensive Ukrainian
Instructor: Oksana Stoychuk
(3 credits)
MWF 12:05 – 12:55
Learn a year of Ukrainian in one semester by enrolling in SLAVIC 755: Intensive Ukrainian.
SLAVIC 253 - Russia: An Interdisciplinary Survey
Instructor: Irina Shevelenko
(4 credits)
TR 2:30 – 3:45
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. It 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.