Research Seminar "Russian-British Relations: Five Centuries of Fascinating History"

2024/2025

Учебный год

ENG

Обучение ведется на английском языке

3

Кредиты

Кто читает:

Школа иностранных языков

Статус:

Курс по выбору

Когда читается:

1-й курс, 3, 4 модуль

Преподаватель

Колыхалова Ольга Алексеевна

Course Syllabus

Abstract

The course “Russian-British Relations: Five Centuries of Fascinating History (with an emphasis on the 20th and 21st centuries)” introduces students to current aspects of Russian-British relations, which have a rich history of cooperation and alliance, rivalry and confrontation, two countries' convergence and impossible alliances. For all the differences between the two countries, they have experienced similar processes, implying the collapse of empires, the decline of their role and weight in world politics, and the search for their proper place in the modern world. Russian-British history has never been limited to political, economic ties, imperial conflicts, but there has always been a certain mystical thread between two peoples so different and not always friendly towards each other. The roots of these sympathies are deep and diverse, which led at certain periods of history not only to the spread of Anglomania but also to Anglophilia. The course is designed for undergraduate students who are interested in the development of Russian-British relationships in all their diversity and complexity. The course features lectures and seminars, which enable students to analyse plentiful information through involvement in discussions of different sources covering various standpoints on history, culture, economy and politics along with presentations, quizzes, etc. Designed to emphasize independent thought, it also envisages various research projects conducted in small groups on a wide range of topics related to its subject matter.

Learning Objectives

• • have a systematic understanding of the history of Russian-British relations (in the twentieth and twenty-first centuries), considering the geopolitical context, major stages of development, background of Russian xenophobia and British Russophobia, Anglomania and Anglophilism, current situation, and major trends in the countries’ development;
• • engage with, reflect on, and respond to critical historical, political, economic, diplomatic, and cultural topics (significant events, data and statistics of the given period; power and influence of specific political leaders, etc.) as well as discuss their significance for both countries;
• • develop analytical and critical thinking skills, as well as reading and writing skills; work with both primary and secondary sources of information; provide one’s own opinion, and take part in arguments on a variety of topics (individually or in small groups).

Expected Learning Outcomes

• identify the key features of the development of Russian-British relations, the factors that contributed to their formation, their current state and the main trends in their development
• be able to search and analyse statistical data, academic, reference, and historical literature on cultural, political and social life of Russia and the UK
• train skills of academic presentation and co-operation
• be able to critically evaluate information and produce clear, informed, independent opinions and judgements on Russian and English sources
• design and present a research project

Course Contents

• Exciting History
• Wars and Coalition.
• Russian Emigration in England
• Diaghilev's Ballets Russes
• England through the Eyes of the Russians
• The First Translations of Russian Fiction
• Russia Through the Eyes of the English
• English Literature Translators

Assessment Elements

• Seminar attendance & participation grade
• Creative activities
  Creative activities include making presentations and current news reports throughout the course as a way for students to demonstrate understanding and mastery in their own unique way. Each student must take part in such activities at least once in two modules. If a student has taken up a report but has to miss the class, they must find a replacement (another student who will agree to do the report in their place). Otherwise, the student will get a zero regardless of any excuses.
• Self-study activities
  Students can get points by reading additional materials, watching videos, writing essays, working with documents (recommended by the professor and using extra resources) on the subject of the seminar with further discussions and round-table talks during A-Level extra classes. (See: Assessment Criteria for Oral Answers) Students can get points by submitting assignments. The assignments can be given during the term. The student must explore the problem in depth using the supplementary materials (articles, videos, etc. posted on Smart LMS) and provide an essay AND a MIDTERM / module essay (500 - 750 words), or a written answer summarizing the key points and their feedback. The purpose of the MIDTERM essay (2 A4 pages long) is to carefully examine topics discussed during seminars 1-7 and to present an argument about it. The list of topics and guidelines will be given via Smart LMS two weeks before the deadline. Each student must choose a topic from the list provided and write their essay during hours of self-guided work. Plagiarism will not be tolerated. For each plagiarized sentence, the student loses one point (for example, 8 → 7). If there are more than three plagiarized sentences in one’s work, the grade for the essay is a zero. If one’s essay is late, it is not accepted or assessed – the grade is a zero.
• The final project
  The final project includes two parts:  submitting a research paper (50%)  making a presentation (50%) As part of their assessment, students are to do projects on Russian-British economy, politics, culture and arts. They can focus on any aspect of Russo-British relations. A project is an in-depth study of an issue in the chosen area. The project includes a research paper and an oral presentation. In reporting on the project, students should show that they can: identify a significant issue relevant to Russian-British studies; collect relevant up-to-date information about the issue; analyse, interpret and discuss the information; draw conclusions; and write and present a paper in accordance with academic standards at the undergraduate level. Students must prepare and present their project together as a team. Group projects can contribute to student learning, retention, and overall academic success. Properly structured, group projects can reinforce skills that are relevant to both group and individual work, including the ability to:  break complex tasks into parts and steps;  plan and manage time;  refine understanding through discussion and explanation;  develop stronger communication skills. Group projects can also help students develop skills specific to collaborative efforts, allowing students to:  tackle more complex problems;  delegate roles and responsibilities;  pool knowledge and skills;  establish a shared identity with other group members.
• Quizzes (in Smart LMS)
  During seminars, ongoing quizzes will evaluate students’ understanding of required topics, content of required reading and/or videos. It is up to the instructor to decide whether to give a quiz; students may not be warned about it in advance. The grade depends on the percentage points a student gets for the quiz (see below). Quizzes are compulsory and final and cannot be retaken. If the absence is excused, the grade for the quiz is not taken into account. The grade for quizzes is the average grade of all the quizzes and tests taken by the student during the course.

Interim Assessment

• 2024/2025 4th module
  0.1 * Creative activities + 0.1 * Creative activities + 0.2 * Quizzes (in Smart LMS) + 0.1 * Quizzes (in Smart LMS) + 0.1 * Self-study activities + 0.1 * Self-study activities + 0.1 * Seminar attendance & participation grade + 0.1 * Seminar attendance & participation grade + 0.1 * The final project

Bibliography

Recommended Core Bibliography

• Базанова, Е. М. Insight into the UK: language and culture : учебное пособие / Е. М. Базанова, Т. С. Путиловская. — 2-е изд., стер. — Москва : ФЛИНТА, 2019. — 432 с. — ISBN 978-5-9765-3873-3. — Текст : электронный // Лань : электронно-библиотечная система. — URL: https://e.lanbook.com/book/119038 (дата обращения: 00.00.0000). — Режим доступа: для авториз. пользователей.

Recommended Additional Bibliography

• Chakrabarti, P. N. (2018). History of International Relations. [N.p.]: New Central Book Agency. Retrieved from http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&site=eds-live&db=edsebk&AN=2239647
• Sloan, G. R. (2017). Geopolitics, Geography and Strategic History. Milton Park, Abingdon, Oxon: Routledge. Retrieved from http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&site=eds-live&db=edsebk&AN=1470129
• Хомяков, А. С. Письма об Англии / А. С. Хомяков. — Санкт-Петербург : Лань, 2013. — 14 с. — ISBN 978-5-507-10745-2. — Текст : электронный // Лань : электронно-библиотечная система. — URL: https://e.lanbook.com/book/6519 (дата обращения: 00.00.0000). — Режим доступа: для авториз. пользователей.

Authors

• Kolykhalova Olga Alekseevna
• Bogolepova Svetlana Viktorovna