Russian and Eurasian Studies

Overview

The diverse peoples and cultures of both Russia and the non-Russian states of the former Soviet Union will all play a determining role in the future economic and political development of both Eurasia and the world at large.

• a critical awareness of both Russia and Eurasia
• to provide the linguistic and intellectual tools necessary for sustained engagement with this area of the world.

The interdisciplinary Bachelor in Russian and Eurasian studies from Mount Holyoke College explores the historical, economic, political, and cultural interconnections among the peoples of the former Soviet Union, Eastern Europe, the Caucasus, and Central Asia.

The Department of Russian and Eurasian Studies is unique among MHC’s language departments in that its faculty includes both specialists in language, literature, and culture and specialists in history and politics. Variously trained in Russia, Europe, and the United States, we strive to bring a balance and a perspective to our subject area that is challenging, engaging, thoughtful—and never dull.

For students who do not choose to major, the experience of recent alumnae has shown that study in the field can be profitably combined with majors in history, economics, international relations, environmental studies, or the natural sciences.

Learning Outcomes

• Make introductions and get acquainted with others
• Talk about self, family, friends, university studies, and jobs by providing basic information and description
• Read simple authentic texts, such as announcements, schedules, greeting cards, phone texts, e-mails, personal letters, and short prose and poetry pieces for basic facts and information
• Acquire basic linguistic and cultural knowledge to engage in the following activities: shopping, ordering food, buying tickets, giving directions, giving advice, issuing invitations, filling out forms with basic biographical information
• Describe hobbies, interests, personal preferences, and routine activities in some detail
• Talk about past personal events and plans for the future
• Compare, contrast, and express opinions and feelings about things and people
• Ask and answer questions about familiar topics
• Write multi-paragraph compositions on familiar topics
• Acquire basic Russian grammar: nominal, pronominal and adjectival declension system (6 cases); past, present and future tenses; some verbs of motion; some verbal aspectual pairs; impersonal constructions