Class Schedule 

Online discussion

UW Baltic Studies Program

Class Meeting times:MW 3:30-5:20 pm Smith Hall 107

This course gives a broad introduction to the cultures of the Estonians, Latvians, and Lithuanians.  Baltic literature, music, art and film will be studied in their historical context, exploring the relation between people and culture in the Baltic States.  

Course Objectives:

• To gain an appreciation and understanding of Estonian, Latvian and Lithuanian literature, art and music from the point of view of people in the Baltic
• To investigate the connections between history and culture, using the Baltic region as an example.   
• To introduce critical approaches to cultural analysis, and to improve skills for interpreting and writing about culture. 

Grades

25% Class discussions/quizzes
25% Final Examination
50% Four take-home essays

Required Readings

• Readings online or handouts, as listed in the lecture schedule. 
• Jānis Baltvilks, The Skylark Will Come (Blackberry Books, 2004)
• Friedebert Tuglas, The Poet and the Idiot (CEU Press, 2007)

Written Assignments

• Write four essays on topics related to the Baltic cultures.  These may be responses to the assigned readings, but they should also include sources other than the ones listed in the course syllabus. 
• Use MLA style to refer to published sources. 
• Post your essays on the Peer Review Website.  Papers must be posted by 5:00 pm on the due date (Friday). 
• Over the subsequent week, post a peer review of a fellow student's paper, as assigned in class. 

 Last Updated: 10/04/2007