Courses taught in English (no prerequisites! Open to all)

CL CV 4550: Ancient Mythology and Religion: Augustine, Confessions

Instructor: John Wynne (john.wynne@utah.edu) 

Augustine’s Confessions are a spiritual exercise, a literary landmark, an entertaining autobiography, and a philosophical theory about life, the universe, and everything. Augustine leads us on an expedition through the wild religious world of the late Roman empire: Christians who argue fiercely (or brawl in the streets); the ‘Pagan Resistance’; Manichaeanism, a forgotten world religion; encounters with mighty bishops like Ambrose and Faustus, with the emperor and, most terrifying of all, with Augustine’s mother. But he builds all this into a rigorous argument, that “my heart is restless until it rests in” God. We will read all of the Confessions, very slowly, in English translation, paying close attention to the artistry of Augustine’s text and to its philosophical achievements. We will also read modern scholarly articles interpreting the Confessions, and supplementary readings illustrating the world in which Augustine lived. There will be a voluntary screening of the Terrence Malick’s film The Tree of Life.

The Confessions will also be the text for Latin 3610/4610 this Fall. Students can register for both classes.

CLCS 6900: Travel Writing: Past, Present and Future

Instructor: Karin Baumgartner (karin.baumgartner@utah.edu)

Travel is back! Travel writing is one of the most popular, excitingand marketable genres of nonfiction. This course will introduce students to a broad range of travel and exploration literature from the eighteenth to the twenty-first century. Moving chronologically through time, the historical scope of these travel accounts will allow us to learn not only about the experiences and writing strategies of individual travelers, but about the progressive integration of ‘discovered’ lands into global economic, political, and knowledge systems. The course balances the literatureof travel with the theory of the travel genre with the goal of allowing students to explore the genre from various vantage points (post-colonial studies, disability studies, tourism studies etc.). In addition to the readings, students will compose their own piece of travel writing (blog post), give an oral presentation about a theoretical concept, and write a review of a contemporary travel narrative. The final research project may span either a period, a topic, a place, or an author and may be presented via formal paper, teaching unit, travel guide etc. Open to undergraduates with permission of the instructor. Please contact the instructor, Prof. Baumgartner, for questions: Karin.baumgartner@utah.edu

Authors considered are: Claude Lévi-Strauss, Paul Theroux, Elizabeth Gilbert (yes, eat, pray love), Ann Radcliff, Mary Shelley, Lord Byron, Goethe, Henry Morton Stanley, Freya Starke, Jamaica Kincaid, Hans Magnus Enzensberger, Paul Fussel, Jan Morris, W.G. Sebald, Annemarie Schwarzenbach, Judith Schlanasky and others.

JAPAN 4900-001: Premodern Japanese Literature

Instructor: Ashton Lazarus (ashton.lazarus@utah.edu) 

This course surveyspremodern Japanese literature by way ofclose readings of four canonical texts: The Tale of Genji, An Account of My Hut, Essays in Idleness, and Hakkenden. These readingswill takeus throughthree of the major periods of Japanese literary history—classical, medieval, and early modern—and expose us to a varietyof different topics, including nature and seasonality; gender; the oscillation between tradition and innovation; the lasting influence of Buddhism and Confucianism;the material, visual, and performative dimensions of literature; and the construction of communal identity and memory. Students will come away with a firm grasp oftheprimary genresof the premodern literary canon—tale literature, wakapoetry, essays and miscellanies, and martial epics—in addition tothe social, linguistic, thematic, and narrative (dis)continuities that hold this canontogether. Class conducted in English and all readings in English.

JAPAN 4900-005: Traditional Asian Medicine

Instructor: M. A. Mujeeb Khan (mujeeb.khan@utah.edu) 

Traditional Asian Medicine explores the history and practice of the premodern rational medical traditions of China, India, and the Islamicate world, and their place in the modern world. The class will not be a practicum in medicine but rather a study of the traditions consisting in their history, dynamism, and place in the modern world. Various case studies will be employed to situate these traditions. We will also consider the relationship of each tradition with gender, religion, law, conventional biomedicine, and other issues. Students will have the option to select topics for electives. Japan will be incorporated at different points in the discussion such as studies of Buddhism, Chinese medicine in practice, and Chinese medicine abroad. Students in the Japan section will be asked to use Japanese sources and will write short reflection papers in Japanese. Guidance will be provided for all language sections. 

Prerequisites: There are no prerequisites for this course although it is recommended that students have taken an introductory writing course and culture course.

RUSS 3450 / CLCS 3900: Russian Fairy Tales

Instructor: Natalya Kuznetsova (natalya.kuznetsova@utah.edu)

 

Folk beliefs are a rich and enduring component of Russian culture. This course introduces the student to a wide selection of Russian fairy tales, and examines the aesthetic, social, and psychological values that they reflect. Students will develop or enhance their understanding of the continuing cultural influence of fairy tales and folk beliefs in various cultural products, such as literature, music, opera, and ballet, in painting, posters, and folk art, and in film. The course also provides a general introduction to the study of folklore and fairy tales, presenting a broad spectrum of approaches to the interpretation of fairy tales, including psychoanalysis (Bettelheim, Freud, Jung), socio-political approach (Zipes, Lüthi), structuralism (Jakobson, Propp), and feminism (Warner, Lieberman). We will be also cross-mentioning other approaches as they contribute to our discussion and understanding of Russian Fairy Tales. For both contextual and critical reasons, the course introduces and analyzes Russian fairy tales against a background of and in comparison with the Western fairy tale tradition (the Grimms, Perrault, Disney, etc.).

 

In particular, students will be able to:

1. Interpret the symbolic meaning of Russian pagan and Christian customs and rituals, applying this meaning to fairy tale images and motifs;
2. Identify Russian fairy tale narratives according to thematic cycles;
3. Identify the main structural components of Russian fairy tale narratives;
4. Explain the function of fairy tales in a child's psychologicaldevelopment and the means by which this function is fulfilled;
5. Analyze the treatment of traditional gender roles in fairy tale narratives and judge the extent to which these narratives may reflect or influence the acculturation of men and women;
6. Analyze the role of fairy tale texts in economic, social, and political contexts;
7. Predict and illustrate the means by which fairy tale and folk motifs are transferred to other artistic media, such as the visual arts and music;
8. Describe and evaluate similarities and differences between Russian and Western fairy tale texts;
9. Communicate effectively both orally and in writing.

Reading assignments are a principal source of information for this course. In order to derive full benefit from class meetings (and also to perform well on unannounced quizzes and examinations), it is important to complete assignments by the indicated days. You will be reading both theoretical and cultural texts (Russian folk tales, literary texts, and video texts). The lecture/discussion format of this course reflects the notion that education should involve "active learning," in which students do more than just memorize and restate what their instructors or textbooks tell them. We have group discussions.

 

In addition to readings, you will have an opportunity to watch Russian films and animations based on the texts we discuss in class or elaborate your knowledge about the Russian culture. The videos are provided with English subtitles. You should watch those as the preparation for the class. You are also responsible for any material presented in class. Lectures will involve the introduction of new information, analysis of assigned readings, and the presentation of visual and audio materials (slides, video clips, and audio recordings).

 

Workload: class discussions, class quizzes based on home readings, 2 tests (mid-term and final), “adaptation” paper andits presentation: a thoughtful examination of any fairy tales feature adopted by 2 contemporary cultural products (film, animation, book), not necessarily Russian; “an original fairy tale” (any modality) and its analysis –a fairy tale reflecting the issues of our times, or any period in human life, and how to cope with those adopting the principles of fairy tale genre and theories discussed in the course.

 

 

 

 

FRENCH COURSES

 

FRNCH 4560: Topics in French Cultural Studies: Ghosts and Hauntings in French and Francophone Cultural Memory

Instructor: Vanessa Brutsche (vanessa.brutsche@utah.edu)  

What does it mean for a text or an image to be “haunted” –by the dead, by past traumas, or by hidden memories? What can ghostly occurrences in literature and cinema tell us aboutthe conceptions ofsuch categories as history, memory, power, or identity in the cultures that produced them? How do works of art grapple with violent histories, including empire, war, and genocide? In this course, we will encounter spectral apparitions from a variety of time periods, genres, and cultures within the modern Francophone world, ranging from 19th-century France to 20th-century Algeria and 21st-century Cambodia. We will examine novels, short stories, and films that tell of characters haunted by the dead, as well as of nations haunted by violent pasts.

 

FRNCH 4900/6900: Remembering the Algerian War

Instructor: Vanessa Brutsche (vanessa.brutsche@utah.edu) 

This course will focus on literature and cinema from both during and after the Algerian War of Independence (1954-1962). In terms of workload, this is a graduate seminar cross-listed for motivated, advanced undergraduates. The only technical prerequisite for 4900 is FRNCH 3040 or 3060 but students who haven't at least taken 4600 are not encouraged to register. Hopefully all the MA students in French will be taking this course!

 

 

GERMAN COURSES

German 3040: Grammar and Culture

Instructor: Karin Baumgartner (karin.baumgartner@utah.edu) 

This course is designed to improve your interpretive, interpersonal, and presentational communication skills through practice in speaking, listening, reading, writing, and cultural awareness activities. You will learn about topics relating to the history of Germany and contemporary life in Germany. The beginning level of this course is Intermediate Lowand the goal is to get you to Intermediate Midon the ACTFL scale. The required book is Neue Blickwinkel (2nd edition), the learning website is optional. The course is taught in German. Please contact the instructor, Prof. Baumgartner, for questions: Karin.baumgartner@utah.edu 

 

 

 

JAPANESE COURSES

JAPAN 4900-002: Japanese Visual Culture

Instructor: M. A. Mujeeb Khan (mujeeb.khan@utah.edu) 

The aim of this course is to introduce students to different aspects of Japanese visual culture from early Japan to the contemporary period. The medium of instruction and discussion will be Japanese. Students are expected to have taken JAPAN 3040 or 3060. As a course conducted in Japanese about Japan, there are three specific goals: A broad exploration of different forms of visual culture throughout history (from pictures scrolls to manga and anime) Increased natural language processing ability of students through an immersion format class, wherein students use Japanese for all linguistic tasks Exposure to different forms of the language, both in its different modern registers as well as in its pre-modern forms (with guidance from the instructor) In this visual culture course, we will explore different forms of visual expression in Japanese culture. From analyzing early picture scrolls to representations of early and medieval Japan in modern culture, it will introduce us to both the modern and pre-modern. As the modern will be most familiar for most students, one aspect will be an examination of the expressive power of different contemporary media. We will, individually and as a group, comparatively analyze media like manga, anime, and live-action expression. The course will also include one or two in-class workshops for cursive Japanese to instill in us an appreciation for writing as a form of visual culture in pre-modern Japan.  Course materials will be provided electronically and, in the case of published texts, links will be provided for those who might want physical copies. English-language scholarship will be used to help situate discussions. Japanese-language materials include pictures, manga, anime, live-action dramas, and other relevant visual items. The class will be conducted in Japanese, but depending on language abilities, part of the discussion will incorporate regular review of how to communicate in Japanese. Feel free to contact Prof. Khan if you have any questions: mujeeb.khan@utah.edu  Prerequisites: Students should have completed JAPAN 3040 or its equivalent. Contact the instructor directly for exceptions.

 

JAPAN 4900-004: Readings in Japanese Literature: Myth, Folktales, Dystopias

Instructor: Ashton Lazarus (ashton.lazarus@utah.edu) 

 

In this course we will read, closely and carefully, modern fiction and drama in the original Japanese. We will focus on grammar and vocabulary, style, rhetoric, and translation strategies, which will enable students to strengthen their reading proficiency and deepen their knowledge of Japanese literature. Readings range from 1910 to 2014, and across the three topics of myth, folktales, and dystopias, allowing us to explore a variety of themes including communal memory, otherness, and imagination. See below for a sample list of texts. Class conducted in English; all readings in Japanese.

 

Prerequisites: Students should have completed JAPAN 3040 or the equivalent.

 

Yanagita Kunio, Tōno monogatari (exceprts) 柳田國男『遠野物語』

Akutagawa Ryūnosuke, Saru kani gassen 芥川龍之介「猿蟹合戦」

Edogawa Ranpō, Kagami jigoku 江戸川乱歩「鏡地獄」

Hoshi Shin’ichi, Kata no ue no hisho 星新一「肩の上の秘書」

Mishima Yukio, Aoi no ue 三島由紀夫「葵の上」

Kirino Natsuo, Joshinki (excerpts) 桐野夏生『女神記』

Tawada Yōko, Kentōshi (excerpts) 多和田葉子『献灯使』

 

 

RUSSIAN COURSES

 

RUSS 3060: Advanced Grammar

Instructor: Natalya Kuznetsova (natalya.kuznetsova@utah.edu)

 

RUSS 3060 is the first course in a two-semester sequence of third-year Russian which addresses the linguistic needs of two profiles of students, those who lived in a Russian-speaking country for more than a year, and heritage speakers of Russian. These are the students who usually have advanced listening and speaking skills but need to work on systematizing and strengthening the knowledge of the language structure and developing literacy skills.

 

In this course we will tap into your existing linguistic knowledge and work on solidifying your knowledge of Russian grammar, on deepening and broadening your vocabulary to facilitate your ability to communicate accurately in Russian. We go over essential orthographic and phonetic rules, case system, verb system, verbs of motion (unprefixed and prefixed), agreement rules (case and subject verb agreement).

 

This semester, we particularly focus on reading and writing. And next semester, Spring 2021, on speaking and listening.

 

We discuss the following topics: My Name and my Family, Personality and Appearance, Childhood, University and Education System in the US and Russia. In addition, this course will introduce you to various aspects of Russian culture, both the everyday customs, folklore, and the high culture represented by the great Russian writers. We will screen and discuss a cinematic version of a traditional Russian fairy tale, and a documentary film relevant to our topics, 7 Up: Born in the USSR.

 

We also read and discuss a few famous literature pieces during the semester.

 

The workload is: HW, Vocabulary quizzes, 3 Unit tests, and 3 essays

 

 

RUSS 4610: Russian Cinema

Instructor: Natalya Kuznetsova (natalya.kuznetsova@utah.edu)

 

The focus is on listening and speaking.

 

During the course, you will learn more about Russian history and culture through examining cinematic masterpieces of various film genres from the Soviet, turbulent 90s and post–Soviet times.

 

In Fall 2021 we’ll be discussing Soviet films and Soviet history and culture. While discussing comedies, war films, literary adaptations and fairy tales, we’ll strive to critically analyze Russian history, ideology and society of the particular time period, its place in the life of the whole country, and the development of cinema itself. Most likely this Fall we will discuss Circus (1936), Ivan Vasilyevich Changes Professions (1973), Cinderella (1947), Dog’s Heart (1987), Burnt By The Sun (1995), The Cranes Are Flying (1957), and Moscow Does Not Believe In Tears (1979). These films have won national and international acclaim and awards, and each of them presents a unique perspective on Soviet/Russian history and culture. Films will be watched at home, class work and discussion will be conducted in Russian. We are going to focus on films that have open public access.

 

The workload includes: HWs based on film vocabulary and/or themes driven by the film plot (describe characters, describe a film episode, translation, reading etc.), vocabulary quizzes, writing film reviews, thematic tests, and presentations.

 

 

 

 

 

 

SPANISH COURSES

 

SPAN 3070-001: Intro to Textual Analysis: Contemporary Issues

Instructor: Isabel Dulfano (id2@utah.edu)

Conversation, student driven class on topics selected by the class. Every week, a group of students guide the discussion, with articles from Spanish news sources honing an appreciation of the subject from the European and Latin American/Mexican perspective versus US new sources. Weekly assignments (short canvas assignments), lots of speaking practice.

 

SPAN 4720-002: Hispanic Narrative

Instructor: Isabel Dulfano (id2@utah.edu)

Basically short stories from Latin America and Spain. Daily class assignments handed in before class with questions to guide discussion. About 10 pages per reading; discussion for in-class with elements of literary analysis integrated to reinforce the critical analysis and the evolution of the short story. Canonical, women writers, indigenous writers, black Caribbean authors to give a panoramic view of the genre.

 

SPAN 4900: Modern Madrid through Literature and Film

Instructor: Jacqueline Sheean (j.sheean@utah.edu)

This advanced course will use Madrid as a case study for examining the cultural, historical, and political developments of 20th and 21st century Spain. As Spain’s capital city and center of government, Madrid embodies multiple contradictory significations. It is at once an oppressive symbol of the state’s centralization of power, a historical site of political resistance, and the celebrated epicenter of la Movida, which reveled in Spain’s new democratic possibilities. In this course we turn to the city to better understand Spain’s tumultuous 20th century as we piece together a story told through landmarks and monuments, boulevards and back alleys. Over the course of the semester, students will study how Spain’s capital has been constructed in the modern cultural imaginary and how it has played an active role in historical events. Students will explore the rich archive of the city’s cultural movements such as the Generación del 98, the Generación del 27, the Transition to democracy, and 15-M to understand how these writers and artists shaped and engaged with key events and epochs such as the Second Republic, the Franco Dictatorship, or the Transition to Democracy.

Grading and Course Requirements:
In-Class Work: 15%
Discussion questions: 10%
Collaborative Mapping: 15%
Quizzes: 20%
Short Paper (3-4 pages): 15%
Final Paper (6-8 pages): 25%