Tag: Russian literature

Defining Patriotism, Citizenship, and Betrayal: Excerpt from “Don’t Be a Stranger” and a personal introduction from Jason Galie

Defining Patriotism, Citizenship, and Betrayal: Excerpt from “Don’t Be a Stranger” and a personal introduction from Jason Galie

We are pleased to present here an excerpt of Don’t Be a Stranger: Russian Literature and the Perils of Not Fitting In, accompanied by a short personal introduction in which the author, Jason Galie, situates the volume’s analysis of the svoj/chuzhoj dichotomy in Russian society and literature within the larger context of the current war in Ukraine. Don’t Be a Stranger explores the consequences of being marked an outsider in the Russian-speaking world through a close study of several seminal works of Russian literature. The author combines the fields of literary studies, linguistics, and sociology to illuminate what prompted Christof Ruhl, an economist at the World Bank, to comment, about Russia, “On a very broad scale, it’s a country where people care about their family and friends. Their clan. But not their society.”

Thomas Seifrid on “Companions to Russian Literature”

Thomas Seifrid on “Companions to Russian Literature”

This series features volumes designed to enrich the reading of key works in the history of Russian literature by providing essential commentary on the author’s biography, intellectual engagements and influences, as well as the historical and political context in which the work arose. ASP Companions are accessible guides for general readers without knowledge of Russian or extensive familiarity with Russian literature and history, while also providing an au courant introduction to advanced study. Each volume is written by an individual scholar with recognized expertise on the work, or by a group of scholars who examine the writer or work from a variety of perspective.

An Interview with Galina Rylkova, Author of Breaking Free from Death: The Art of Being a Successful Russian Writer

An Interview with Galina Rylkova, Author of Breaking Free from Death: The Art of Being a Successful Russian Writer

“People are discussing developing courses about death and dying right now. Many students are coming to terms with the idea of their own mortality for the first time. They are scared. We have reached a turning point at which society is going to have to rethink its attitude to life and death. Death (in the form of the Coronavirus) has reminded about itself in a very stark way. I don’t believe we’re likely to quickly forget about it.” Galina Rylkova discusses her new book, Breaking Free from Death: The Art of Being a Successful Russian Writer.

Series Feature: Cultural Syllabus

Series Feature: Cultural Syllabus

This is a guest post from Mark Lipovetsky, editor of the Cultural Syllabus book series.

The series “Cultural Syllabus” comprises critical readers and anthologies of primary and secondary texts for a broad variety of undergraduate courses in Russian Studies, including literature, film, and cultural history.  Books in this series are typically edited by experienced college and university instructors, who convert their course materials into source books for colleagues and students. Additionally, these books serve as introductions to their given subjects for a general readership.