Undergraduate Course: The Russian Language Society from Proper use to Propaganda (ELCR10018)
Course Outline
| School | School of Literatures, Languages and Cultures |
College | College of Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences |
| Credit level (Normal year taken) | SCQF Level 10 (Year 4 Undergraduate) |
Availability | Available to all students |
| SCQF Credits | 20 |
ECTS Credits | 10 |
| Summary | The aim of the course is to provide final year students of Russian Studies with knowledge and understanding of social contexts in which Russian language functions. The course will deal with theoretical and practical questions of language change, the so called ?linguistic liberalization= and experimentation in contemporary Russian culture as well as issues of language attitudes and policies arising from social transformation. In addition, the course will discuss fundamental questions of the role of language and discourse in construction of identity and ideology and introduce students to relevant theories, such as social and communication theories of identity, Critical Discourse Analysis and others. Students will see how nationalist, xenophobic or liberal ideologies have been expressed through the Russian language and will be equipped to critique the Russian theories of »The Language Picture of the World« and the purist theory of »deep and shallow meanings«. They will explore the narrative about the Great and Mighty Russian Language as a cultural myth and finally see how competing versions of post-Soviet Russian identity are being constructed. |
| Course description |
The course explores the socio-cultural role of Russian language in Russia and other Russian speaking societies. The course deals with the social and cultural contexts in which Russian functions and examines how historical social upheavals such as the Bolshevik Revolution and the collapse of the Soviet Union impacted on Russian linguistic culture. The topics include the language attitudes, policies and ideologies, construction of identity, literary experimentation, political propaganda and the emerging notion of Global Russian. The course addresses among others, the following questions: What are the connections between the nationalist ideologies and purist language attitudes? What cultural myths about the Russian language are perpetuated in contemporary Russian society? What competing versions of post-Soviet Russian identity are being constructed in Russian public discourse? How is Russian used in various locations in the world? Students are introduced to relevant theories, and to some methods of Discourse Analysis.
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Entry Requirements (not applicable to Visiting Students)
| Pre-requisites |
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Co-requisites | |
| Prohibited Combinations | |
Other requirements | Entry to Russian Hons |
Information for Visiting Students
| Pre-requisites | In order to be eligible to take 4th Year Options, Visiting Students should have the equivalent of at least two years of study at University level of the appropriate language(s) and culture(s). |
| High Demand Course? |
Yes |
Course Delivery Information
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| Academic year 2021/22, Available to all students (SV1)
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Quota: None |
| Course Start |
Semester 2 |
Timetable |
Timetable |
| Learning and Teaching activities (Further Info) |
Total Hours:
200
(
Programme Level Learning and Teaching Hours 4,
Directed Learning and Independent Learning Hours
196 )
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| Assessment (Further Info) |
Written Exam
0 %,
Coursework
100 %,
Practical Exam
0 %
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| Additional Information (Assessment) |
100% Coursework
Summative:
60% Research Report
30% Individual Presentation PPT Notes
10% Producing three logs on Wiki
Formative:
Participation in ALG discussion (tutor feedback will be provided) |
| Feedback |
Not entered |
| No Exam Information |
Learning Outcomes
On completion of this course, the student will be able to:
- critically assess and explain key theoretical concepts of socio-linguistics in relation to Russian (including language policy, linguistic culture, discourse, language ideology and others
- demonstrate awareness of the social underpinning of the linguistic phenomena studied in the course
- analyse examples of language used in a variety of social contexts
- conduct research and produce clear, complex essay projects which develop their arguments both critically and systematically
- demonstrate finely honed communication and interaction skills in presentations and discussions
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Additional Information
| Graduate Attributes and Skills |
Not entered |
| Keywords | DELC Russian Language Society,Russian language,society,sociolinguistics,linguistic culture |
Contacts
| Course organiser | Prof Lara Ryazanova-Clarke
Tel: (0131 6)50 3668
Email: Lara.Ryazanova-Clarke@ed.ac.uk |
Course secretary | Mr Craig Adams
Tel: (0131 6)50 3646
Email: craig.adams@ed.ac.uk |
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