Russian Literature and Art of the 20th Century

Course aim

This six week course looks at Russian literature and art starting during the Russian Revolution of 1917 and working through the first half of the 20th Century.

Do I need any particular skills or experience?

• You will need your own personal email address so that you’re able to login to the WEA’s digital learning platform: WEA Canvas. You will need to be able to understand how to follow URL links to pages on the internet. If you want to understand more about Canvas please visit: http://bit.ly/WEAonline
• You will need to be able to follow links to join our WEA live video learning platform: WEA Zoom. If you’d like to understand more about our video learning platform, Zoom please visit: http://bit.ly/WEAonline and http://bit.ly/ZoomSpec
• This course is for a group of around 15 students studying in a live video-learning platform conference and an online digital learning environment platform from the comfort of your own home.
• This course is suitable for beginners and improvers

By the end of the course I should be able to:

• Respond to literary texts in a critical way and share my findings with my fellow students.
• Understand the historico-political background to the Russian Revolution and subsequent events.
• Engage with key themes and ideas explored by Russian writers of the 20th century and locate them within those sociological and historical contexts.
• Explore and understand the work of a key Russian artist.
• Engage with a selection of poetry through close reading and critical analysis.

How will I be taught?

• The WEA’s digital learning platform, Canvas will be used to provide resources or to support lessons, enable assessment, provide learner feedback and for other activities for individuals away from the course. If you want to understand more about our digital learning platform please visit: http://bit.ly/WEAonline
• The WEA tutor will use a range of different teaching and learning methods and encourage you and the group to be actively involved in your learning
• You may be asked to undertake additional work in your own time to support your learning

What kind of feedback can I expect?

• You will have opportunities to discuss your progress with your tutor
• You will be encouraged to share your work with the group and discuss your learning

What else do I need to know?

• What you need: You will need an internet connection, speakers, a microphone and a webcam so that you can use our video learning platform, Zoom. If you’d like to understand more Zoom please visit: http://bit.ly/ZoomSpec
• You will also need access to the internet outside of your sessions. You could do this using a smart phone, tablet, laptop or a desktop computer (at home or through a library etc.).
• You will need a personal email address to join the WEA’s digital learning platform, Canvas so that you can receive resources, record your progress and achievement and to work with others and share ideas. If you want to understand more about our digital learning platform please visit: http://bit.ly/WEAonline

Pre-course work, reading and information sources

• 1. The Russian Revolution (No pre-reading) 2: Poetry (on Canvas) 3: Zamyatin, We 4: Chagall (on Canvas) 5: Bulgakov, The Master and Margarita 6: Pasternak, Doctor Zhivago,

What can I do next?

• Progress to another WEA course
• Progress to a course with another provider
• Become involved as a volunteer for a WEA partner or another organisation
• Access the WEA What Next? booklet here http://www.wea.org.uk/learn-wea/what-can-i-do-next