Master
2024/2025
Research Seminar "Critical Theory and Research Methods"
Type:
Compulsory course (Russian and Comparative Literature)
Area of studies:
Philology
Delivered by:
School of Philological Studies
Where:
Faculty of Humanities
When:
1 year, 3, 4 module
Mode of studies:
offline
Open to:
students of one campus
Instructors:
Швец Анна Валерьевна
Master’s programme:
Русская литература и компаративистика
Language:
English
ECTS credits:
3
Course Syllabus
Abstract
The course aims to introduce students to the main directions and trends in contemporary literary theory, literary anthropology, and the humanities, with a focus on current international scholarship and the research interests of graduate students. In the sessions, we will discuss the primary vectors of development in literary studies as a discipline within the interdisciplinary framework of the humanities. The course will help identify paradigms and concepts suitable for addressing the research problems that students place at the center of their academic work. The main format of the course is a seminar that revolves around:
• Discussion of the research question in the student's academic project.
• Examination of the theoretical and conceptual framework used to address the research problem.
• Debate on the assumptions, advantages, and limitations of the chosen methodological approach.
• Final presentation of the student’s research work in the context of the discussed ideas and concepts.
By the end of the course, students should be able to navigate contemporary theory and apply methods of critical text analysis in their work. Assessment will include the submission of the methodological section of the student’s research as an essay, active participation in seminars (both as a participant and as a discussion moderator) in English, and the presentation of the student’s research as an academic report.
Learning Objectives
- • To acquire the knowledge of some cutting-edge methodology used in the literary studies and in the humanities in the international English academic context, juxtaposing it with the classical approaches to the same texts and areas • To familiarize the students with the bibliographical and electronic resources needed for literary research, to develop their skills of the use of databases with the specific focus on HSE electronic resources • To develop the students’ research skills, to enhance their work on their research papers • To enhance the students’ academic English skills, such as academic writing and public presentation skills
Expected Learning Outcomes
- Be able to use the major theoretical concepts in their own research; to use the main electronic resources relevant to their research area
- • Students will be able to articulate the research question of their work, formulate key approaches to addressing it, and provide a summary and justification for the theoretical and methodological foundation of their research.
Course Contents
- Contemporary Literary Theory: A Constellation of Problems
- Contemporary Literary Theory: Vectors of Development
- Text as a Problem
- Author as a Problem
- Subject as a Problem
- Reader as a Problem
- Context as a Problem
