RUSN 332 Russian Science Fiction Reading Section
Many of Russia's greatest writers used the genre of science fiction and fantasy to make bold political and philosophical statements while at the same time creating some of the most memorable texts of the twentieth century. This course will explore the works of the best of these writers: Yevgeny Zamyatin, Mikhail Bulgakov, Abram Tertz, the Strugatsky Brothers, and contemporary writer Victor Pelevin, using original Russian texts to examine the use of language in the creation of science fiction and fantasy texts. Additionally, film adaptations will be shown, including the avant garde film Aelita the Queen of Mars and Andrei Tarkovsky's masterpiece, Stalker. The course only introduce students to modern Russian literature while at the same time examine how Russian writers used science fiction to criticize society and government.