Contemporary Russian Literature

This course aims at proposing an approach to the Russian Culture and Literature from the Thaw to today. First some of the key novels of the early Soviet period will be presented. Then, some of the most significant novels by Vasilij Aksenov, Andrej Bitov, Venedikt Erofeev, Sergei Dovlatov, Viktor Pelevin and Vladimir Sorokin will be examined.

Knowledge and understanding: outline of the history of Soviet and Russian Literature from 1953 to today; main authors and literary movements of the period; evolution of the soviet and post-soviet novel. Applying knowledge and understanding: ability to read and contextualize the main works of the Soviet Literature from 1953 to today; ability to read and analyze 7 novels from the late Soviet and post-Soviet period; understanding of historic, cultural, and social implications of the novels; ability to place authors, movements and works in their context; ability to recognise and explain affinities and differences among the novels.