General provisions

The course is part of the MA in Russian and Eurasian Studies.

Entry requirements

A Bachelor's degree in Russian.

Learning outcomes

The course develops students' linguistic competences and flexibility, as well as their ability to perceive and master differences in informal and formal language in oral and written form. Students learn about the present Russian media landscape and official media discourse. Students practice writing shorter argumentative texts in Russian, as well as analytical reports in Swedish or English. Upon completing the course, students are expected to demonstrate skills corresponding to B2 as formulated in the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages: Learning, Teaching, Assessment (CEFR) of Council of Europe. Teaching is in Russian.

Upon completing the course, students will

• be able to understand longer speeches and argumentative presentations, mostly in news and multimedia reports in Russian
• be able to read and understand articles and reports on current social issues and international topics written in advanced standard Russian
• be able to summarize, in Swedish or English, reports on Russian conditions based on authentic Russian sources within given issues
• be able to account for Swedish-Russian relations from a historical perspective
• be familiar with the image of Sweden in media reports and official rhetoric in Russia
• be able to apply a critical approach to information and sources

Content

The course comprises two compulsory course components:

Component 1. The Russian language in today's media, 7,5 hp

The component focusses on listening comprehension, since authentic audiovisual materials (such as films, television productions, video blogs etc.) are increasingly used. Students analyse Russian multimedia materials related to the social sciences and international affairs, in current contexts of identity and memory politics. Students practice writing shorter argumentative texts in Russian and develop their analytical skills by examining linguistic and semantic aspects of official and unofficial Russian discourse. Examination is done in the form of continuous assessment, compulsory oral and written presentations, and a final seminar.

Upon completing the component, students will be able to

• independently retrieve, understand, and analyse the content of Russian multimedia sources
• orient themselves in the present Russian media landscape
• summarize, in Swedish or English, longer texts or audiovisual materials related to the social-sciences and international affairs
• write shorter argumentative texts, summaries, and reviews in Russian
• apply a critical approach to information and sources

Component 2. The power of words - the words of power. Language and rhetoric in Russia, 7,5 hp

The aim of this component is to provide basic insights into instrumental language use in a Russian context. The component sheds light on areas such as language and ideology, the characteristic features and development of the Soviet language, language policy and language correction, the post-Soviet mass media public, and the rhetorical landscape of consumption society as part of identity-formation. Examination is done in the form of assignments and a final essay.

Upon completing the component, students will be able to

• critically examine different types of discourse
• identify different rhetorical strategies
• utilise basic rhetorical strategies orally and in writing

Instruction

Compulsory seminars, group instruction, and self-study.

Assessment

Examination in the various components is done by oral presentations, written assignments, and written final examinations. Grades used are either Fail, Pass, or Pass with Distinction. To receive a grade of Pass with Distinction for the whole course, students must have achieved the grade of Pass with Distinction in components worth a total of at least 20 credits

If there are special reasons for doing so, an examiner may make an exception from the method of assessment indicated and allow a student to be assessed by another method. An example of special reasons might be a certificate regarding special pedagogical support from the University's disability coordinator.

Other directives

This course is part of a joint section with the equivalent course within the Master Programme in the Russian Language in International Relations, Department of Modern Languages.