10 июня - 19 июля, Талинн, Эстония
Понять Россию умом!
Авторская Летняя Школа
Игоря Немировского
по русскому языку и культуре в эпоху перемен
Fedor Tiutchev, the renowned nineteenth-century Russian poet, defined his relationship to Russia as follows: “Russia cannot be reasoned from the mind / nor measured on a common scale.” Unfortunately, the realities of our time precludes us from the luxury of “not reasoning Russia from the mind.” We must strive towards this goal, and such is the objective of our summer school on Russian language and culture which will take place in the delightful atmosphere of Russophone Tallinn from June 10-July 19, 2024.
The core of our program is comprised of a Russian language course totaling 120 hours throughout the program. It will offer instruction for learners of all levels, from beginners to advanced students. All our students will undergo testing to determine the levels. The lessons will take place within small groups. If students desire, the program could be facilitated in such a way as to count for credit in their respective universities.
Our lecture program includes an array of courses taught in English and Russian, intended for those interested in Russian culture on the undergraduate level. The program is geared not only towards students majoring in Russian or Slavic studies, but for all who wish to “reason Russia from the mind.” The lectures will be of great interest to students studying history, political science, comparative literature, and anyone with an interest in Russian culture. In addition, we offer a diverse range of lectures conducted in English, which will be given by leading scholars of Russian culture including Kevin M. F. Platt (University of Pennsylvania), Alexander Etkind (CEU), Ilya Kalinin (Humboldt University), and others.
For graduate students, we offer strong lecture pohram and individual language courses. PhD students, in addition to language courses and lectures on intelelctual hisotry and culture, will be offered dissertation consultations.
Moreover, Academic Studies Press will be organizing online talks with our authors, among whom are the leading specialists in Slavic studies and adjacent fields.
Come explore Tallinn with us! Tallinn is a wonderful and friendly place that offers its visitors the unique experience of a medieval European capital imbued with the rich culture of a borderland nation between Europe and Russia. Besides its historical sites and the awe-inspiring nature of the Baltic shore, it offers an opportunity to get acquainted with the extensive Russian-speaking community in Estonia. The School’s program includes various excursions in Tallinn, visits to the Russian Theatre, and one-day trips to Riga (by bus) and Helsinki (by ferry).
Daily schedule
09:00 - Russian / grammar / reading / listening / speaking /
10:30 - Russian / grammar / reading / listening / speaking /
12:00 - Lunch
13:00 - Elective course
15:00 - Elective course (optional)
17:00 - Excursion / free time
During the School, students will be accommodated in hostels; if desired, language immersion living opportunities in Russian-speaking host families will also be available. Breakfasts and lunches are included during the weekdays. If you would like to stay in a hotel, please, contact us before May 1st, so we will be able to arrange it with extra costs.
All attendees will receive a course completion certificate.
We invite prospective students to our information session – 12 p.m. (EST) on January 22, 2024. You will meet the academic director, lecturers, and school coordinator. Register for the session
The session will be recorded, Q&A will be available via this website later.
Total cost: $5,200 USD
Early bird registration (before March 1st, 2024): $4,450 USD
Registration deadline: May 1st, 2024
NB: We welcome groups from universities and are ready to work with them to customize the program. US citizens do not need a visa, and you will have a coordinator on site.
I hope to see you in Tallinn!
Sincerely,
Igor Nemirovsky,
Director of Academic Studies Press
The core of our program is comprised of a Russian language course totaling 120 hours throughout the program. It will offer instruction for learners of all levels, from beginners to advanced students. All our students will undergo testing to determine the levels. The lessons will take place within small groups. If students desire, the program could be facilitated in such a way as to count for credit in their respective universities.
Our lecture program includes an array of courses taught in English and Russian, intended for those interested in Russian culture on the undergraduate level. The program is geared not only towards students majoring in Russian or Slavic studies, but for all who wish to “reason Russia from the mind.” The lectures will be of great interest to students studying history, political science, comparative literature, and anyone with an interest in Russian culture. In addition, we offer a diverse range of lectures conducted in English, which will be given by leading scholars of Russian culture including Kevin M. F. Platt (University of Pennsylvania), Alexander Etkind (CEU), Ilya Kalinin (Humboldt University), and others.
For graduate students, we offer strong lecture pohram and individual language courses. PhD students, in addition to language courses and lectures on intelelctual hisotry and culture, will be offered dissertation consultations.
Moreover, Academic Studies Press will be organizing online talks with our authors, among whom are the leading specialists in Slavic studies and adjacent fields.
Come explore Tallinn with us! Tallinn is a wonderful and friendly place that offers its visitors the unique experience of a medieval European capital imbued with the rich culture of a borderland nation between Europe and Russia. Besides its historical sites and the awe-inspiring nature of the Baltic shore, it offers an opportunity to get acquainted with the extensive Russian-speaking community in Estonia. The School’s program includes various excursions in Tallinn, visits to the Russian Theatre, and one-day trips to Riga (by bus) and Helsinki (by ferry).
Daily schedule
09:00 - Russian / grammar / reading / listening / speaking /
10:30 - Russian / grammar / reading / listening / speaking /
12:00 - Lunch
13:00 - Elective course
15:00 - Elective course (optional)
17:00 - Excursion / free time
During the School, students will be accommodated in hostels; if desired, language immersion living opportunities in Russian-speaking host families will also be available. Breakfasts and lunches are included during the weekdays. If you would like to stay in a hotel, please, contact us before May 1st, so we will be able to arrange it with extra costs.
All attendees will receive a course completion certificate.
We invite prospective students to our information session – 12 p.m. (EST) on January 22, 2024. You will meet the academic director, lecturers, and school coordinator. Register for the session
The session will be recorded, Q&A will be available via this website later.
Total cost: $5,200 USD
Early bird registration (before March 1st, 2024): $4,450 USD
Registration deadline: May 1st, 2024
NB: We welcome groups from universities and are ready to work with them to customize the program. US citizens do not need a visa, and you will have a coordinator on site.
I hope to see you in Tallinn!
Sincerely,
Igor Nemirovsky,
Director of Academic Studies Press
Place
Tallinn, Estonia
When
June 10 - July 19, 2024
Regisatrtion deadline: May 1st, 2024
Fee
Total cost: $5,200 USD
Early bird registration (before March 1st, 2024): $4,450 USD
Tallinn, Estonia
When
June 10 - July 19, 2024
Regisatrtion deadline: May 1st, 2024
Fee
Total cost: $5,200 USD
Early bird registration (before March 1st, 2024): $4,450 USD
О Летней школе
- $5,200Стоимость программы
- 12 специалистовTo deliver lectures, presentations, and masterclasses
- 3-4 человекаAverage number of people in a language group
- 30 днейOf intensive learning
Russian Language Course
Lead instructor: Olga Roginskaya
- 120 hours6 weeks (20 hours per week / 5 days, 2 disciplines per day (4 hours)
- TestingThere will be a placement test conducted prior to the program, so that students receive the instruction they need
- ContentThe course is an introduction to the contemporary Russian language, addressing five core areas: reading, vocabulary, listening, grammar, and speaking
- MethodAside from traditional language learning, students will have the chance to work on a range of creative projects outside of class, which they will present to their peers every week
- EvaluationAt the end of a program, there will be an exam on each of the five core areas that will comprise the final grade
- Russian language in small groups (120 hours)
- Culture program, Tallinn by day and night, curator on site
- Russian language in small groups (120 hours)
- Area studies lectures in Russian and English
- Individual Russian language program (120 hours)
- Area studies lectures in Russian and English
- Dissertation consultations from prominent scholars
День открых дверей для студентов
12.00 (EST) / 19.00 (СПб), 22 января, 2024
Meet academic director, lecturers, and organisers to ask your questions
Meet academic director, lecturers, and organisers to ask your questions
In the 1980-90s, Soviet and Russian society underwent catastrophic turmoil, simultaneously experiencing a democratic revolution, the dissolution of an empire, and societal collapse. The end of the communist project in Russia did not lead to a standard normalizing “transition” to a liberal democracy, but produced instead a dramatic chain of events. An attempt at neoliberal economic reform coincided with a deep economic crisis, a reclamation of power by former communist officials, and a tendency toward a social anomie. The result, politically, was a gradual construction of an authoritarian regime and the formation of a political culture that is obsessed with a “geo-political” competition with “West” and sharply polarized between the conservative and liberal sensibilities.
Why did the Soviet Union collapse? Why did the democratic revolution fail? Why has the most “left-wing” country in the world become one of the most “right-wing” countries in the world? Why have nationalism and imperialism reemerged in a time of globalization? Why does contemporary authoritarianism use elections, courts, and sociological surveys as its indispensable instruments of governance? The course will explore these and other questions in relying on the readings in political science, history, sociology, and cultural studies, also using film and literary fiction.
5 lectures
Language: English
Why did the Soviet Union collapse? Why did the democratic revolution fail? Why has the most “left-wing” country in the world become one of the most “right-wing” countries in the world? Why have nationalism and imperialism reemerged in a time of globalization? Why does contemporary authoritarianism use elections, courts, and sociological surveys as its indispensable instruments of governance? The course will explore these and other questions in relying on the readings in political science, history, sociology, and cultural studies, also using film and literary fiction.
5 lectures
Language: English
A series of three lectures dedicated to the transformation of literary life since 1991 in Russia and Eastern Europe (with particular focus on case studies in Latvia). Topics to be covered include: the emergence of experimental writing, especially poetry, from the deterritorialized Soviet underground to occupy center stage in Russian cultural life; literature, transnational integration, and translation; the nationalization of cultural space in Russia and Eastern Europe; the depoliticization of Russian and Russophone literary life, followed by its repoliticization; the emergence of cross-border conflict between Russia and neighboring states and its traces in literary life; border zones, hybridity, and dual domination in Russophone writing in Eastern Europe; the transformation of border zone into border line.
3 lectures
Language: English
3 lectures
Language: English
Putin's war is a “special operation” against modernity. The invasion has been directed against Ukraine, but the war has a broader target: the modern world of climate awareness, energy transition and digital labor. By trading oil and gas, promoting Trump and Brexit, spreading corruption, boosting inequality and homophobia, subsidizing far-right movements and destroying Ukraine, Putin's clique aims at suppressing the ongoing transformation of modern societies.
The conceptual frame of the short course distinguishes between Russia's pompous, weaponized paleo-modernity, on the one hand, and the lean, decentralized gaia-modernity of the Anthropocene, on the other. Putin's clique has used various strategies – from climate denialism and electoral interference to war and genocide – to resist and subvert modernity. Working on political, cultural and even demographic levels, social mechanisms convert the vicious energy of the oil curse into all-out aggression. Dissecting these mechanisms, the lectures propose brief but rigorous analyses of social structuration, cultural dynamics and family models reveal the agency that drives the Russian war against modernity. This short, sharp critique of the Russian regime combines political economy, social history and demography to predict the decolonizing and defederating of Russia.
2 lectures
Language: English
The conceptual frame of the short course distinguishes between Russia's pompous, weaponized paleo-modernity, on the one hand, and the lean, decentralized gaia-modernity of the Anthropocene, on the other. Putin's clique has used various strategies – from climate denialism and electoral interference to war and genocide – to resist and subvert modernity. Working on political, cultural and even demographic levels, social mechanisms convert the vicious energy of the oil curse into all-out aggression. Dissecting these mechanisms, the lectures propose brief but rigorous analyses of social structuration, cultural dynamics and family models reveal the agency that drives the Russian war against modernity. This short, sharp critique of the Russian regime combines political economy, social history and demography to predict the decolonizing and defederating of Russia.
2 lectures
Language: English
The series of lectures aims to describe the mechanisms and practices of the mutual intersection of culture and politics in Russia in recent decades. In a situation of shifting economic, social, and ideological coordinates, the absence of a clear image of the future and a modernization strategy, culture (understood as a common national heritage, historical memory, and tradition) began to function as a value horizon that substantiates both the domestic and foreign policy of Putin’s Russia. In a certain way, the codified and normalized Russian culture began to be instrumentally used as the basis for the political identification of society and the legitimization of the existing political regime. Moreover, the elements of cultural identity that link the independent states of the post-Soviet space with the Russian Federation began to be used as a justification for territorial claims and changes in political borders. This course will focus on the cultural wars and cultural alliances that permeate the political fabric of modern Russia and its relations with other states. An analysis of the logic and rhetoric of political arguments referring to the specially constructed concepts of “Russian culture,” “Russian World”, “historical Russia,” “national past” will allow a better understanding of the specifics of Russian politics, the trajectory of the conservative turn and the nature of the patriotic consensus that led to the military invasion of Ukraine.
5 lectures
Language: English
5 lectures
Language: English
This course is an exploration of the first publications, circulation, and reception of clandestine manuscripts from behind the Iron Curtain first published abroad during the Cold War. Although our main historical framework will be 1956-1991, we will start with earlier examples of “tamizdat” in the nineteenth- and early twentieth centuries (Alexander Herzen, Evgeny Zamyatin) and finish with a discussion of the present geopolitical situation, when censorship in Russia is back and many writers, artists, and journalists are forced to publish abroad and/or emigrate. Placed at the intersection of literary studies, history, political science, geography, media studies, and other disciplines, the course will consist of five lectures and seminars each devoted to a work of literature written at home but first published abroad, with or without the author’s knowledge or consent (e.g., Lydia Chukovskaya’s Sofia Petrovna, Varlam Shalamov’s Kolyma Stories, Andrei Sinyavsky’s “Pkhentz”). Exterritorial publications of contraband Russian literature will not only be situated in the context of other East European “tamizdats” (e.g., Czech, Polish, Ukrainian), but also juxtaposed to those by such Western authors as George Orwell, whose writings were likewise banned on the inner side of the Iron Curtain. The course will offer students an opportunity to join the Tamizdat Project, a public scholarship initiative for the study of banned books from the USSR and the Eastern Bloc, as interns or volunteers: depending on their interests and qualifications, students will be invited to work with archives and émigré periodicals, transcribe and translate documents for publication, conduct oral history, compile bibliographies, and more.
4 lectures
Language: English
4 lectures
Language: English
The course delves into various facets of linguistic diversity concealed behind the seemingly monolingual façade of Russian culture. What may appear as homogeneous and monolithic from afar is, in reality, a rich tapestry interwoven with diverse norms, traditions, words, and meanings. Examined through the prism of language usage and power dynamics, Russian literary works are unveiled in an unexpected light, transforming history from a singular authoritarian narrative into a polyphony of voices—some resounding, others scarcely audible. Offering a concise overview of multilingualism and the dynamic between different languages and the state within the former Russian Empire, the Soviet Union, and the present-day Russian Federation, the course centers on the state’s endeavors to regulate languages and their speakers to fulfill specific political and ideological agendas. Concurrently, it explores grassroots opposition to such governmental policies. Beyond official regulations and language-related initiatives, the discussions encompass political discourse, language and power dynamics, geographical, ethnic, and social disparities, ideologies and propaganda, as well as colonization and decolonization. Moreover, the course scrutinizes the profound influence of literature, art, and societal shifts on the Russian language, fostering a comprehension of how linguistic diversity interlaces with the broader cultural panorama of Russia. Engaging discussions and explorations pave the way for participants to glean insights into the dynamic interplay between language and culture within the expansive realm of Russian heritage, enabling them to reinterpret familiar texts through the lens of linguistic and cultural diversity. The inaugural lecture will explore Russia's linguistic expansion during the colonization of Siberia, the Caucasus, and Central Asia, tracing its transformation into an empire. Subsequently, the second lecture will concentrate on Russia’s linguistic dynamics in relation to the West, encompassing its internal policies toward western provinces, including their impact on the contemporary socio-political landscape and the Russian Federation's invasion of Ukraine. Finally, the third lecture will delve deeper into sociolinguistic variations within the Russian language and their reflection, alongside societal multilingualism, in globally renowned Russian literary masterpieces.
3 lectures
Language: English
3 lectures
Language: English
I will trace down the heroic and traumatic story of the genre – from the oppressed Soviet “styliagi” of the Fifties to enthusiastic beatlemaniacs of the Sixties and further on. The birth of Russian-language rock in the Seventies, followed by the explosive underground rock scene of the early Eighties and the Soviet authorities’ desperate (and hopeless) attempts to ban the movement. Triumph of the formerly oppressed rock scene in the Glasnost years and its failed attempt to impress the western audience. Tragic deaths of some key figures of Russian rock and the wholly new, non-political post-modernist rock scene of the Nineties; the birth of Russian music business and rock media. In the new century, some novelties: feminist narratives in previously male-dominated Russian rock; rock/rap/electronica crossovers; the rise of mediocre provincial artists and commercial performers. In the 2010s: despite obvious stagnation, some attempts to vibe up the scene by both artistic and political means; participation of rockers in the protest movement of 2010-2012. Nowadays: in 2022, following the Russian invasion of Ukraine, the whole rock life has split up drastically. The most honest rock artists, including the gurus of the 70/80s, have fled the country; the leftovers either support Putin’s regime or try hard to keep silent and neutral. The “outer Russia” scene is vibrant and driven by anti-war protest, while inside the country everything is back to the gloomy Soviet standards – censorship, black lists and the new underground.
The lectures will be largely based on first-hand account material and generously illustrated by audio tracks and videos.
3 lectures
Language: English
The lectures will be largely based on first-hand account material and generously illustrated by audio tracks and videos.
3 lectures
Language: English
Arriving in Russia during the mid-18th century, alongside other facets of European life, the art of opera initially symbolized the cosmopolitan aspirations of the empire, positioning itself alongside Italy on the opera map of Europe. However, by the late 18th century and throughout the 19th century, as opera evolved into a more mass-oriented and democratic art form, the Russian opera stage began to embrace works that reflected the formation of national idea and eventually played a crucial role in constructing a nationalistic mythology.
Unlike other European operatic traditions, Russian opera developed in constant interdependence, dialogue, and polemics with literature. Consequently, it has served and continues to serve as a sometimes deceptive mirror in which literature reflects in the mass consciousness.
Throughout the five lectures of this course, we will explore:
Language: Russian
Unlike other European operatic traditions, Russian opera developed in constant interdependence, dialogue, and polemics with literature. Consequently, it has served and continues to serve as a sometimes deceptive mirror in which literature reflects in the mass consciousness.
Throughout the five lectures of this course, we will explore:
- The Russian opera environment in the 18th century, along with the tributes paid to the 18th century by Russian composers in the 19th (Tchaikovsky's "The Queen of Spades") and 20th centuries (Stravinsky's "The Rake's Progress"). (Russian opera in the 18th century -- 18th century in Russian opera)
- The journey of Pushkin's texts on the opera stage, focusing on Glinka's "Ruslan," Tchaikovsky's "Eugene Onegin," and Stravinsky's "Mavra." (Operation Pushkin)
- The historical and mythological struggles within the creative minds of the composers of the Mighty Five. (A Shadow Play: Between History and Myth)
- The baggage of literary and political history that Prokofiev, Shostakovich, and Weinberg brought to the opera stage. (Passengers with Baggage)
- Russian opera theater and the new operas of the last two decades. (What and How: 21st century)
Language: Russian
Искусство Натальи Гончаровой, Ольги Розановой, Надеждой Удальцовой, Любови Поповой, Варвары Степановой, Александры Экстер и других художниц первой трети ХХ века хронологически, концептуально и художественно является неотъемлемой частью такого многогранного и сложного явления, как русский авангард (1907-1932). Вклад женщин в формирование нового художественного языка и укрепление позиций локального модернизма исследуется с 1970-х годов. Об этом свидетельствуют коллективные и монографические выставки, публикации ведущих специалистов в области авангарда. Помимо экспериментов художниц в области изобразительных искусств, следует обращаться и к невидимым аспектам их творческой деятельности, которые во многом поддерживали идею устремленности авангарда в будущее. Так теоретические и аналитические тексты “амазонок авангарда” следует изучать с тем же вниманием, что и тексты их современников-мужчин: Михаила Ларионова, Александра Родченко, Казимира Малевича и других. Кроме того, важно уделять внимание участию женщин в апробации новых подходов в художественном образовании (например, во ВХУТЕМАСе) и в реализации идеи музеев живописной (художественной) культуры. Предлагаемые несколько главных тем в рамках курса позволят слушателям параллельно с заявленной темой проследить и общий путь стремительного развития авангарда, “остановленного на бегу”.
5 lectures
Language: Russian
5 lectures
Language: Russian
Description TBA
5 lectures
Language: Russian
5 lectures
Language: Russian
Description TBA
5 lectures
Language: Russian
5 lectures
Language: Russian
Преподаватели
- Артемий МагунPhilosopher
Institute of Global Reconstitution - Кевин М. Ф. ПлаттProfessor of Russian and East European Studies
University of Pennsylvania - Александр ЭткиндProfessor in Department of International Relations
CEU - Илья КалининProfessor in Slavic Studies Department
Humboldt University - Яша Клоц
Assistant Professor of Russian
Hunter College, City University of New York
- Капитолина ФедороваProfessor of Russian Studies
Tallinn University, School of Humanities - Артемий ТроицкийAuthor of international bestseller
Back in the USSR – The true story of Rock in Russia - Ольга РогинскаяRussian language curator
- Кира НемировскаяAcademic Studies Press
musicologist, music critic, and opera lover - Ксения РемезоваArt historian, researcher of Russian avant-garde,
and exhibition curator - Игорь НемировскийAcademic Studies Press
- Григорий УтгофAssociate Professor of Russian Literature and Literary Theory
$4,450 USD
Ранняя регистрация - до 1 марта, 2024
Обычная цена - $5,200 долларов США
Обычная цена - $5,200 долларов США
Контакты школы
- Илья КалининHumboldt UniversityАкадемический директор
- Игорь НемировскийASPДиректор
- Ася ХодыреваASPКоординаторка
