Introduction to Russian History and Culture

Recommended Prerequisites

NA

Teaching Methods

Theoretical and practical lessons. Seminars with discussions on the main features of Russian civilization in each of the periods under study. Analysis and commentary of written documents and audiovisual materials.

Learning Outcomes

- To acquire essential notions and to critically reflecton the historical and cultural stages of Russian civilization from its early years to the present day;

- To help the students broaden their professional competence in the field of Russian history and culture;

- To be familiarized and know how to use the reference bibliography and online literature as a research tool in order to obtain historical and cultural information about Russia.

Work Placement(s)

No

Syllabus

1. Ancient Russia – 6^th to 15^th cent.: origin and development of Russian society; Russia before and after Christianity; State formation; the Tatar-Mongol period; formation of the Great Russian Nation; the evolution of Russian culture.

2. The State and Culture – 16^th & 17^th cent.: policies of Ivan IV; the “Time of Troubles”; the Romanov dynasty.

3. The State and Culture – 18^th cent.: the reforms of Peter I; modernization of the economy; development of science & education.

4. The State and Culture – 19^th cent.: the 1812 patriotic rise; Caucasian and Crimean wars; abolition of serfdom and capitalist evolution; great discoveries by Russian scientists; artistic culture.

5. The State and Culture – 20^th cent.: WWI and the Russian revolutions; establishment of the USSR and cultural revolution; WWII and the Great Patriotic War; main cultural events of the Soviet period; the USSR in the period of Stalin; years of “stagnation” and “Perestroika”; the sociocultural space of Russia since 1991.

Assessment Methods

Assessment
Periodic evaluation: 100.0%

Bibliography

Carrere d'Encausse, Helene - Le malheur russe: essai sur le meurtre politique. Paris: Fayard, c1988.

Outro material didáctico destinado ao trabalho a realizar nas aulas será fornecido pelo docente.

Other educational material will be provided by the teacher.

Robin Milner-Gulland e Nikolai Dejevsky - Rússia dos Czares aos Sovietes. (Lisboa): Círculo de Leitores de 1992.

Carvalho, Rómulo de – Relações entre Portugal e a Rússia no século XVIII. Lisboa: Ed. Sá da Costa, 1979

Grunwald, Constantin de – Sociedade e civilização russas no século XIX. (trad. do Francês). Lisboa: Ed. Aster, 1976

Medvedev, Roy – A URSS em mudança. (trad. do Russo). Lisboa: Ed. Don Quixote, 1988.

Ministério dos Negócios Estrangeiros/Instituto Diplomático – Relações entre Portugal e a Rússia: séculos XVIII a XX. Lisboa: Ed. M.N.E./I.A.N./T.T, D.L., 1999.

Portugal. Ministério dos Negócios Estrangeiros/Instituto Diplomático – Relações diplomáticas Luso-Russas: colectânea documental conjunta (1722–1815), volume I.  Lisboa: Ed. Instituto Diplomático, 2004.