Course Description

The course offers an examination of major cultural, social, and political developments in modern  Ukraine viewed in their historical, social, and political context. The materials provided during the semester will help discuss the current events that play a major global role. The topics selested for  discussion provide insight into Ukrainian national identity and its place in Europe and the world   explored through literature, the arts, and media.

SBC: GLO, HUM. 3 Credits.

Course Delivery Mode and Structure

This is an online course, delivered both on Brightspace, Google Drive, and via synchronous Zoom  meetings during the times indicated on Solar. Students must be mindful of all course expectations,  deliverables, and due dates, especially because the online portion of the course requires significant  time management. I will be available via Zoom for office hours at the regularly scheduled time and by appointment via email.

We will use Brightspace for assignment submission and course announcements. We will also use the shared designated Google Folder for materials (links will point to the Google Folder from Brightspace).

How We Will Communicate

If you have a question, please email me directly. If you use the Brightspace email tool from the course site, it will automatically include your full name, course name, and section when you send me an email. Please allow 24-48 hours for an email reply. If your question concerns information that I deem useful for everyone in the class, I may respond through the Brightspace announcements system without mentioning your name. Your Stony Brook University email must be used for all University-related communications. You must have an active Stony Brook University email account and access to the Internet. All instructor correspondence will be sent to your SBU email account. Plan on checking your SBU email account regularly for course-related messages. To login to Stony Brook Google Mail, go to http://www.stonybrook.edu/mycloud and sign in with your NetID and password.

Course Learning Objectives

After a brief survey of the major historical events that defined and shaped Ukrainian society (from the Russian Empire to the Soviet Union), this course will examine the relationship between political subjectivity and cultural production in today’s Ukraine. We will analyze how Ukrainian society responded to the socio-political challenges of the transition period and how this process is represented in the cultural field. One of the markers of a liberal and democratic society is civic dissent and the right to protest. The ability to mobilize a community for protest and maintain a dialog between different branches ofpower, on the one hand, and society, on the other hand, are markers of democracy and civil society in action. You will learn about the significant Ukrainian protests known as the Revolution on Granite (1990), the Orange Revolution (2004 - 2005), and the Revolution of Dignity (2013 - 2014) and their impact on Ukrainian literature, art, and pop music. We will also talk about how Ukrainian society reacted and reflected on the events that followed the Revolution of Dignity, Russia’s occupation of Crimea and the Donbas, and the Russo-Ukrainian War.

By the end of the semester, you will know the main events of contemporary Ukrainian history and leading cultural and political players.

Upon completion of the course, students will be able to:

LO1   Demonstrate deeper knowledge and understanding of the modern Ukrainian society and culture;

LO2   Demonstrate knowledge and understanding of the interconnectedness of the world, past and present, specifically in terms ofUkraine’s relation to the countries of the Former Soviet Union,

Eastern and Western Europe.

LO3   Place the events in modern Ukraine into the context of historical facts of the Soviet Union and the Russian Empire;

LO4   Better understand the historical and social context for the current political events related to Ukraine, including the Russian invasions of 2014 and 2022.

LO5   Understand articles and texts presenting different political, social, and philosophical viewpoints. Recognize and analyze nuance and interdisciplinary complexity of meaning through critical reflection on text, and visual images.

LO6   Analyze the establishment ofUkrainian national identity and its place in Eastern Europe and the West;

LO7   Better understand cultural differences and similarities between societies ofWestern and Eastern Europe and the former Soviet Union;

LO8   Develop and apply the methodological and analytical skills needed for cultural analysis.

GLO: Demonstrate knowledge of the development of distinctive features of at least one civilization or culture (outside of the USA) in relation to other regions of the world.

Demonstrate knowledge of the interrelationships among civilizations and cultures within historical and/or contemporary contexts and their impact on well-being and sustainability.

HUM: Demonstrate knowledge of the conventions and methods of study in at least one of the humanities.

Recognize and analyze nuance and interdisciplinary complexity of meaning through critical reflection on text, visual images, or artifacts.

Required Materials

Serhii Plokhy. The Gates of Europe: A History of Ukraine. Basic Books, 2015.

Serhy Yekelchyk. Ukraine. What Everyone Needs to Know. Oxford University Press, 2015.

GRADING and Assi  nments

Grade Percentages: A 93-100, A- 89-92, B+ 86-88, B 83-85, B- 80-82, C+ 76-79, C 73-75, C- 70-72, D+ 67-69, D 63-65, F <60.

How to Succeed in this Course:

● Attend Zoom class meetings and participate in discussions;

● Complete all assigned readings in the course in a timely manner;

● Assignments must be submitted on time or with permission of the instructor.

● Assignments that are more than a week late will have a point (20%) deducted for each week.

● Be tolerant of the beliefs, opinions, and ideas of others.

●  Tests  will include  multiple choice questions on topics covered in class . Readings and lecture discussions will provide all the material necessary to answer the questions.