Matthew Walker
Beginning Russian
RUSS 0103Beginning Russian This course is a continuation of the approach used in RUSS 0102, but with increased emphasis on reading.
0 reviewsS25Putinism & Russian Culture
RUSS 0241Putinism and Contemporary Russian Culture The 1991 collapse of the Soviet Union was hailed in the West as a triumph of democracy over totalitarianism; for some observers the event even signaled “the end of history.” Today however it seems history is “back,” with Russia under Putin once again assuming its former role as enemy and the “other” of the West. In this course we will seek a better understanding of this apparent reversal of vectors from within Russian culture, while situating it within larger illiberal trends in world politics, by analyzing literary works, popular cinema, political theory, journalism, social media, and other forms of cultural production.
3 reviewsS25Beginning Russian
RUSS 0102Beginning Russian This course is a continuation of RUSS 0101.
0 reviewsW25Beginning Russian
RUSS 0101Beginning Russian This course is an approach to the language using four skills (speaking, listening, reading, and writing). It provides a firm control of the sound system and the structure of Russian. Although much emphasis is put on the spoken colloquial language, reading, writing, and a conscious understanding of the fundamentals of grammar prepare a strong foundation for work in advanced courses or for reading in specialized fields.
0 reviewsF24Senior Seminar
RUSS 0704Senior Seminar (in Russian) This seminar topic changes every year. Recent seminar titles have included Research, Recast, Relay, The History of Russian Poetry, and Russian Drama. This course will provide students with the skills to identify and utilize Russian sources, provide professional quality written summaries and analyses, make oral presentations in Russian, and produce a substantial written assignment and project.
0 reviewsF24Beginning Russian
RUSS 0103Beginning Russian This course is a continuation of the approach used in RUSS 0102, but with increased emphasis on reading.
1 reviewS24The Russian Mind (in English)
RUSS 0122The Russian Mind (in English) In this course we will study the dominant themes of Russia's past and their role in shaping the present-day Russian mind. Topics will include: Slavic mythology; Russian Orthodoxy; Russian icons; the concept of autocracy; the legacy of Peter the Great and Catherine the Great; the Golden Age of Russian Literature (Pushkin, Gogol, Tolstoy and Dostoevsky); Russian composers, including the "Mighty Five"; Russian theater and ballet; the origins of Russian radicalism; the Russian Revolution; the legacy of Lenin and Stalin; and Russia from Khrushchev to Putin.
5 reviewsS24Beginning Russian
RUSS 0101Beginning Russian This course is an approach to the language using four skills (speaking, listening, reading, and writing). It provides a firm control of the sound system and the structure of Russian. Although much emphasis is put on the spoken colloquial language, reading, writing, and a conscious understanding of the fundamentals of grammar prepare a strong foundation for work in advanced courses or for reading in specialized fields.
2 reviewsF23Senior Seminar
RUSS 0704Senior Seminar (in Russian) This seminar topic changes every year. Recent seminar titles have included Research, Recast, Relay, The History of Russian Poetry, and Russian Drama. This course will provide students with the skills to identify and utilize Russian sources, provide professional quality written summaries and analyses, make oral presentations in Russian, and produce a substantial written assignment and project.
0 reviewsF23The Art of Nabokov
ENGL 0359The Art of Vladimir Nabokov (in English) A study of the "perverse" aesthetics of this Russian-American writer. We will expose the hidden plots under the surface of his fiction, follow and arbitrate the ongoing contest between the author and his fictional heroes, and search for the roots of Nabokov's poetics in Western and Russian literary traditions. An attempt will be made to show the continuity between the Russian and English works of this bilingual and bicultural writer.
2 reviewsS23The Russian Mind (in English)
RUSS 0122The Russian Mind (in English) In this course we will study the dominant themes of Russia's past and their role in shaping the present-day Russian mind. Topics will include: Slavic mythology; Russian Orthodoxy; Russian icons; the concept of autocracy; the legacy of Peter the Great and Catherine the Great; the Golden Age of Russian Literature (Pushkin, Gogol, Tolstoy and Dostoevsky); Russian composers, including the "Mighty Five"; Russian theater and ballet; the origins of Russian radicalism; the Russian Revolution; the legacy of Lenin and Stalin; and Russia from Khrushchev to Putin.
7 reviewsS23The Art Of Nabokov
RUSS 0359The Art of Vladimir Nabokov (in English) A study of the "perverse" aesthetics of this Russian-American writer. We will expose the hidden plots under the surface of his fiction, follow and arbitrate the ongoing contest between the author and his fictional heroes, and search for the roots of Nabokov's poetics in Western and Russian literary traditions. An attempt will be made to show the continuity between the Russian and English works of this bilingual and bicultural writer.
1 reviewS23Beginning Russian
RUSS 0102Beginning Russian This course is a continuation of RUSS 0101.
0 reviewsW23Intro to Russian Short Story
FYSE 1012Life is Short: Introduction to the Russian Short Story Russian literature may be best known in the West for producing big lumbering novels, novels thicker than bricks—think War & Peace, Brothers Karamazov, or Gulag Archipelago—but from the beginning of the nineteenth century on, many of its greatest prose masterpieces emerge from a seemingly lesser, though nimbler genre—the short story. In this course we will read classic short works by Pushkin, Gogol, Tolstoy, Chekhov, Nabokov and others, and learn to analyze them in a sophisticated way; we will also learn about Russian culture, and, more broadly, what makes literature what it is. All readings in English.
6 reviewsF22Putinism & Russian Culture
RUSS 0241Putinism and Contemporary Russian Culture The 1991 collapse of the Soviet Union was hailed in the West as a triumph of democracy over totalitarianism; for some observers the event even signaled “the end of history.” Today however it seems history is “back,” with Russia under Putin once again assuming its former role as enemy and the “other” of the West. In this course we will seek a better understanding of this apparent reversal of vectors from within Russian culture, while situating it within larger illiberal trends in world politics, by analyzing literary works, popular cinema, political theory, journalism, social media, and other forms of cultural production.
3 reviewsF22The Russian Mind (in English)
RUSS 0122The Russian Mind (in English) In this course we will study the dominant themes of Russia's past and their role in shaping the present-day Russian mind. Topics will include: Slavic mythology; Russian Orthodoxy; Russian icons; the concept of autocracy; the legacy of Peter the Great and Catherine the Great; the Golden Age of Russian Literature (Pushkin, Gogol, Tolstoy and Dostoevsky); Russian composers, including the "Mighty Five"; Russian theater and ballet; the origins of Russian radicalism; the Russian Revolution; the legacy of Lenin and Stalin; and Russia from Khrushchev to Putin.
1 reviewS21Russ Cult and Civ II
RUSS 0312Russian Culture and Civilization II This course is a continuation of RUSS 0311 but may be taken independently with the approval of the instructor. It offers a bilingual approach to the study of Russian culture. Works of literature, art, film, and music will be examined in their historical and political context. Particular attention will be devoted to the improvement of oral and written skills. As the course topics and emphasis change, depending on the levels of students enrolled, RUSS0312 may be taken a second time with instructor/chair approval.
0 reviewsS21Starting out, there was an insane amount of reading and films for homework but Professor Walker was extremely accommodating and quickly decreased the volume when he found out it was too much. He's friendly, fair, cares about his students being engaged in the subject, and his excitement for the topics help make the class interesting. He's very passionate and informed but can sometimes go off on tangents or cover seemingly irrelevant information. I think this class is great if you're interested in Putin and Russian Culture but imagine it would seem disorganized and boring if you weren't. There is quite a decent amount of readings and Russian movies (with subtitles) you have to watch but I found that it remained consistent and you could get into a rhythm with completing the work. There are take home quizzes and paper assignments with essay questions. He is an easy/fair grader and while I haven't gone to office hours, I imagine he would be excited to continue discussing content outside of class.
Starting out, there was an insane amount of reading and films for homework but Professor Walker was extremely accommodating and quickly decreased the volume when he found out it was too much. He's friendly, fair, cares about his students being engaged in the subject, and his excitement for the topics help make the class interesting. …Read more
Love this course! The weekly reading and screening load is quite high, so of course it is clear that not everyone is always keeping up with it, but the lectures are very interesting and this class is definitely worth taking. Professor Walker is a very engaging lecturer. The movies are usually interesting to watch and the readings are overall pretty enjoyable.
This course was a great First year Seminar. The work-load was very light, and each class was a simple discussion with engagement from assigned readings. Professor Walker is the man! He is a very chill, funny, nice guy.