Course Description
The representation of non-human and children’s lives in Russian and East European literatures. Articulation of the human through comparison with lives considered less than human. Philosophy and ethics of non-human subjectivity. Survey of a wide range of sources, including literature, visual art, music, film, philosophical treatises. All readings in English.
Athena Title
Kind of Human
Grading System
A - F (Traditional)
Course Objectives
This course examines a wide variety of works from Russian and East European literature and art that deal with representations of lives that are either non-human (animals, robots, clones) or oftentimes considered to be less human than others (children). The aim of the course is twofold: on the one hand we will consider historical and contemporary notions of what it means to be human by looking at the portrayal of what is typically considered to be its polar opposite, i.e., non-human subjects. On the other hand, we will be pushed to consider our coexistence with those who might fall outside of the bounds of humanity. Our focus will be on those works of art that question and problematize our notions of the human by forcing us to contemplate how much humanity we are willing to give to and accept from non-human subjects. We will ground our investigation in historical and legal documents as well as philosophical treatises. Students will be evaluated on the basis of written assignments, such as compositions and short reflective papers, attendance and participation in class discussions, quizzes, and exams.
Topical Outline
The following is a representative outline. The course will be broken into three parts, each corresponding to the sub-topic in question. Final texts and other material illustrating the various topics will be chosen at the discretion of the instructor. 1. Animals. a). Losing humanity: Kafka’s “Metamorphosis” b). Point of view: Lev Tolstoy’s “Kholstomer” c). Animal order: Karel Chapek’s "War with the Newts" d). Animal Disorder: Kornél Mundruczó’s "White God" and Samuel Fuller’s "White Dog" e). More than human: Vladislav Khodasevich “The Monkey,” Wis³awa Szymborska “Breugel’s Two Monkeys” 2. Robots a). Above the human: Andrey Tarkovsky’s "Solaris" b). Help or harm: Karel Chapek’s "RUR" c). Literature as a robot: Vladimir Sorokin’s "Blue Lard" d). Artificial intelligence: Stanis³aw Lem’s "The Cyberiad" 3. Children. a). Children’s sexuality: Ivan Bunin’s “Gentle Breathing” b). Point of view: Emil Ajar’s "The Life Before Us" c). A different, innocent world: Leonid Dobychin’s "The Town of N" d). Adults vs. children: Witold Gombrowicz’s "Ferdydurke"
General Education Core
CORE IV: Humanities and the Arts