You are expected to attend lecture. Lectures will contain material not included in your reading. I also expect you to avoid distracting others, so turn your cell phones off and, if you use a computer to take notes, do not use it for other things during class.
You are also expected to attend discussion section.
Material from lecture, your reading, and discussion sections will appear on the exams. I will post lecture notes after class on the course website. However, these notes are not a replacement for attending lecture. No notes will be provided for audio and visual materials presented in class.
Lecture:
Midterm – 16% of course grade
Final exam – 35% of course grade
Discussion Section
oral work (participation in discussions) – 25% of course grade
written work (three essay assignments) – 24% of course grade
Reading assignments will be listed on the syllabus. The first day an assignment is listed is the day that you are to begin that reading. Where chapter numbers or article titles are not given, you are to read the entire book.
Tues Aug 28 – Introduction to course
Reading: TBD
Thurs Aug 30 – Folk belief and incantations
Reading: TBD
Tues Sept 4 – Folk belief: spirits
Reading: TBD
Thurs Sept 6 – Folk belief: spirits (continued)
Reading: TBD
Tues Sept 11 – Folk belief: spirits (continued) and "dual belief"
Reading: TBD
Thurs Sept 13 – Traditional Russian and Ukrainian daily life
Reading: TBD
Tues Sept 18 – Traditional Russian and Ukrainian daily life (continued)
Reading: TBD
Thurs Sept 20 – Traditional Russian and Ukrainian daily life (continued)
Reading: TBD
Tues Sept 25 – Folk belief: other spirits and supernatural beings
Reading: TBD
Thurs Sept 27 – Folk belief: other spirits and supernatural beings (continued)
Reading: TBD
Tues Oct 2 – Folk belief: witches and sorcerers
Reading: TBD
Thurs Oct 4 – Folk belief: witches and sorcerers (continued)
Reading: TBD
Thurs Oct 11 – Midterm exam
Tues Oct 16 – Food as folklore
Reading: TBD
Thurs Oct 18 – The agricultural calendar and introduction to calendary ritual
Reading: TBD
Tues Oct 23 – The agricultural calendar and introduction to calendary ritual (continued)
Reading: TBD
Thurs Oct 25 – Calendary ritual: spring holidays
Reading: TBD
Tues Oct 30 – Calendary ritual: spring holidays (continued)
Reading: TBD
Thurs Nov 1 - Calendary ritual: spring holidays (continued)
Reading: TBD
Tues Nov 6 – Calendary ritual: late spring and summer holidays
Reading: TBD
Thurs Nov 8 – Calendary ritual: late spring and summer holidays (continued)
Reading: TBD
Tues Nov 13 – Calendary ritual: fall holidays
Reading: TBD
Thurs Nov 15 – Calendary ritual: fall holidays (continued)
Reading: TBD
Tues Nov 20 – Calendary ritual: winter holidays
Reading: TBD
Tues Nov 27 – Calendary ritual: winter holidays (continued)
Reading: TBD
Thurs Nov 29 – Calendary ritual in the Soviet and post-Soviet periods
Reading: TBD
Tues Dec 4 – Calendary ritual in the Soviet and post-Soviet periods
Reading: TBD
Thurs Dec 6 – Calendary ritual in the Soviet and post-Soviet periods (continued)
Reading: TBD
Final Exam: Friday, December 14, 2:00-5:00 pm