RUSS 427 / JEW ST 427
Russian Jewish Experience:
Culture, Memory, Identity
University of Washington, Seattle
This course offers an examination of the experience of Russian Jews from the end of the 19th century to the present, focusing on the late Imperial, the Soviet, and the post-Soviet periods. We will study the cultural artifacts dealing with the challenges of co-existence of Jews and their neighbors in the Russian Empire; we will also consider experiences of and reflections on the Bolshevik Revolution, Stalinism, the Holocaust, the post-Stalin period; the place of Jews as individuals and members of a minority group within Russian and Soviet society, ideology, and culture; migration and emigration; everyday life in Russia, the Soviet Union, and among immigrant communities in America and elsewhere at the beginning of the 21st century. We will study fiction, films, diaries, memoirs, political propaganda, music, essays, contemporary scholarship, and graphic novels. All readings in English / English translation.
(Pictured above: Russian American Jewish writer Gary Shteyngart, whose satirical work we study at the end of the quarter).
Approved for the general education credits: VLPA; I&S; DIV
What students have said about this course and the professor in anonymous evaluations at the end of the course:
"This class was probably the most intellectually stimulating class I've taken. I wasn't used to the way of thinking that Prof. Senderovich presented, and I stretched my thinking to much more deeply analyze texts." (Autumn 2018 student, UW)
"This course taught me about writing in a more in-depth way." (Autumn 2018 student, UW)
"Promotion of critical thinking. Expansion of knowledge about Russian and Jewish experience. Prof. S. is extremely concerned that students learn and does a great job guiding class discussions and encouraging students to take advantage of his office hours." (Autumn 2018 student, UW)
"I hadn't analyzed literature in the way I did in this class before. It made me think deeper about what I was reading, not taking things at face value, which will be useful in the future." (Autumn 2018 student, UW)
"The in-class discussions were undoubtedly beneficial in helping me learn. Since the readings -- primarily comprised of short stories -- and the films were both enjoyable as well as educational in that they provided significant insight into the Russian Jewish experience, the in-class discussions were productive as well." (Autumn 2018 student, UW)
"This class definitely stimulated my critical thinking. One way it did this was through the requirements for the essays. Although the professor emphasizes that these essays were not entirely different from the typical college essays students write, I treated them as more professional and analytical assignments." (Autumn 2018 student, UW)
"This class taught me that attention to the smaller details can give more insight than looking at the big picture. In order to understand the overall idea or concept, you have to truly understand the little details and bits that contribute to that broader meaning. That means that close reading and trying to figure out how this piece or that fits in the story or why someone would say a certain phrase can give more insight than trying to find a vague and broad message from all of the text." (Autumn 2018 student, UW)
"This class taught me to begin to think much more deeply about and analyze more effectively not only the symbolism in the text, but also the textual and external context that occurs much in literature. In addition to analyzing literature, these help with writing anything, from a job application to a thesis to a book." (Autumn 2018 student, UW)
"The instructor was extremely knowledgeable on the subject and very helpful in helping his students understand the material. Class was interesting and fun." (Spring 2014 student, CU Boulder)
"I like how we were encouraged to examine smaller issues in order to extract larger thematic concepts from texts and films. I feel as though it made me a more precise and attentive writer." (Spring 2014 student, CU Boulder)
"In enjoyed this perspective on Jewish culture. I also liked that this class really helped me improve my writing skills." (Spring 2014 student, CU Boulder)
"Thanks for this amazing course! You are a great teacher and the passion you have for the Russian/Jewish context definitely shows! I was able to connect to the material in a personal way that I thought would be impossible because of the different cultures, thanks!" (Spring 2014 student, CU Boulder)
"Instructor was fair. Very intelligent. Appreciated how he didn't encourage just memorizing and regurgitating facts. Excellent process in analysis." (Spring 2014 student)
"I loved the course material. Thanks!" (Spring 2014 student, CU Boulder)
(Pictured above: Russian American Jewish writer Gary Shteyngart, whose satirical work we study at the end of the quarter).
Approved for the general education credits: VLPA; I&S; DIV
- Autumn 2018 syllabus can be seen here; Winter 2020 syllabus might change somewhat but is likely to remain quite similar.
- In Winter 2020 the course will be offered on MW 1:30-3:20 pm schedule
- This course includes extra credit opportunities, for example attending public lectures, theater performances, and film screenings both at the University of Washington and in the broader Seattle community.
- Download the course flyer here!
What students have said about this course and the professor in anonymous evaluations at the end of the course:
"This class was probably the most intellectually stimulating class I've taken. I wasn't used to the way of thinking that Prof. Senderovich presented, and I stretched my thinking to much more deeply analyze texts." (Autumn 2018 student, UW)
"This course taught me about writing in a more in-depth way." (Autumn 2018 student, UW)
"Promotion of critical thinking. Expansion of knowledge about Russian and Jewish experience. Prof. S. is extremely concerned that students learn and does a great job guiding class discussions and encouraging students to take advantage of his office hours." (Autumn 2018 student, UW)
"I hadn't analyzed literature in the way I did in this class before. It made me think deeper about what I was reading, not taking things at face value, which will be useful in the future." (Autumn 2018 student, UW)
"The in-class discussions were undoubtedly beneficial in helping me learn. Since the readings -- primarily comprised of short stories -- and the films were both enjoyable as well as educational in that they provided significant insight into the Russian Jewish experience, the in-class discussions were productive as well." (Autumn 2018 student, UW)
"This class definitely stimulated my critical thinking. One way it did this was through the requirements for the essays. Although the professor emphasizes that these essays were not entirely different from the typical college essays students write, I treated them as more professional and analytical assignments." (Autumn 2018 student, UW)
"This class taught me that attention to the smaller details can give more insight than looking at the big picture. In order to understand the overall idea or concept, you have to truly understand the little details and bits that contribute to that broader meaning. That means that close reading and trying to figure out how this piece or that fits in the story or why someone would say a certain phrase can give more insight than trying to find a vague and broad message from all of the text." (Autumn 2018 student, UW)
"This class taught me to begin to think much more deeply about and analyze more effectively not only the symbolism in the text, but also the textual and external context that occurs much in literature. In addition to analyzing literature, these help with writing anything, from a job application to a thesis to a book." (Autumn 2018 student, UW)
"The instructor was extremely knowledgeable on the subject and very helpful in helping his students understand the material. Class was interesting and fun." (Spring 2014 student, CU Boulder)
"I like how we were encouraged to examine smaller issues in order to extract larger thematic concepts from texts and films. I feel as though it made me a more precise and attentive writer." (Spring 2014 student, CU Boulder)
"In enjoyed this perspective on Jewish culture. I also liked that this class really helped me improve my writing skills." (Spring 2014 student, CU Boulder)
"Thanks for this amazing course! You are a great teacher and the passion you have for the Russian/Jewish context definitely shows! I was able to connect to the material in a personal way that I thought would be impossible because of the different cultures, thanks!" (Spring 2014 student, CU Boulder)
"Instructor was fair. Very intelligent. Appreciated how he didn't encourage just memorizing and regurgitating facts. Excellent process in analysis." (Spring 2014 student)
"I loved the course material. Thanks!" (Spring 2014 student, CU Boulder)
