Meets 2nd 8 weeks only

What is the Kremlin?  What do Russian churches look like?  What kind
of nightlife does Moscow have?  How do residents of the city spend
their time?

In this class, we will explore Russia by traveling through the streets
and observing the activities of Moscow.  As the country's capital, the
heart of its business, government and arts communities, Moscow offers
a unique window into life in contemporary Russia.  Described as a
"state within a state" the city is in many ways different from the
rest of the country, but, like New York, London or Paris, it is also
the place where all of Russia's diversity meets.

Our focus will be on everyday life in Moscow, and on the ways people
create communities within the city, make a living and give their lives
meaning.  Some of the issues we will explore are:  Who are Muscovites?
How do they support themselves, and what do they do for fun?  How has
life changed since the collaspe of the Soviet Union?  What do people
value?  What does life in Moscow reveal about Russia as a whole.

Texts:

Caldwell, Melissa  2004  Not by Bread Alone:Social Support in the
New Russia. Berkeley: University of California Press

Goluboff, Sascha  2003  Jewish Russians: Upheavals in a Moscow
Synagogue.  Philadelphia: University of Pennsylvania Press.