- to introduce students to major works of literature written 
by modern East Central European writers, with special emphasis 
on the relevance of these works to the contemporary world;
- to outline the social, historical, and cultural events that 
have led to the formation of the various traditions of the 
region; 
- to situate the literary works within regional and global 
contexts; 
- to improve students' critical skills through the analysis of
individual works of literature; 
- to develop students' communication skills through oral
presentations and expository writing assignments. 

Students' performances will be assessed through presentations,
tests, papers, and a final examination.

The sequence of readings provides the structure of the course, with the topics
covered being generated by the specific works under analysis.  The works selected
vary with the individual instructor.  The following is a sample syllabus of a 
single semester's readings:

Rilke.  The Notebooks of Malte Laurids Brigge
Kafka.  The Complete Stories
Canetti.  The Tongue Set Free
Adorno.  Minima Moralia
Cioran.  All Gall is Divided
Gombrowicz.  Diary
Herbert.  Elegy for the Departure
Krleza.  The Return of Philip Latinowicz
von Rezzori.  Memoirs of an Anti-Semite
Hrabal/Menzel.  Closely Watched Trains
Wajda.  The Maids of Wilko
Brodsky.  On Grief and Reason
Tarkovsky.  Nostalgia

Students are required to abide by the University of Georgia academic honesty policy.