Week 1 — Ukraine as a Vibrant Mosaic — Diversity & Geography

Class 1

Focus: Introduce Ukraine’s diversity in geography, culture, and identity.

Pre-class Reading: Political Map of Ukraine

Pre-class Video: Introduction to the People and Culture of Ukraine

Discussion Questions:

• What do this map tell us about Ukrainian identity?

• How does geography shape culture?

Language Practice: Greetings in Ukrainian: ‘Добрий день! Вітаю!’  — Good day! Hello!

Class 2

Focus: Explore Ukraine’s regions and the idea of a living mosaic.

Pre-class Reading: ‘Regional Identitity in Ukraine’ 

Pre-class Video: Ukrainian Culture Practices and More

Discussion Questions: 

• How does regional diversity enrich or complicate national narratives?

• What might people not see if they only hear about Ukraine through war coverage?

• Can regional differences be a source of unity?

Language Practice: Meeting someone

Week 2 – Origins: Where Rivers Meet and Kingdoms Rise

Class 1 

Focus: Introduce students to Ukraine’s pre-Christian worldview, mythological imagination, and symbolic archetypes. Transition into the rise of Kyivan Rus’ through geography, trade, and early political formations.

Pre-class Reading: Russian Primary Chronicle and Ukrainians Celebrate Midsummer Traditions with Songs

Pre-class Video: Queen Olga – The Sainted Shield of Kyiv

Discussion Questions:

• What archetypes appear in Slavic mythology?

• How does landscape (rivers, forests, sky) shape belief and identity?

• Why do trade routes matter in building cultural and political power?

Language Practice: Please and Thank you

Week 3 — Kyivan Rus and The Roots of Corruption

Class 1 

Focus: Explore the Christianization of Kyivan Rus’ under Volodymyr the Great and its cultural legacy.

Pre-class Reading: Rus and Byzantium – Ukraine: Connected Histories

Pre-class Video: The Kyivan Rus – Medieval Roots of Ukraine and Russia

Discussion Questions:

• Why was adopting Christianity a strategic as well as spiritual move?

• How did new religious symbols blend or replace older mythologies?

• What aspects of this era still influence Ukrainian identity today?

Language Practice: Feelings and Emotions

Class 2

Focus: The formation of law in Kyivan Rus’, from communal justice to Rus’ka Pravda, and how early practices shaped long-term cultural attitudes toward justice, power, and corruption.

Pre-class Reading: Law Codes

Pre-class Video: The Russkaya Pravda

Discussion Questions:

• What forms of justice existed in Slavic communities before written law?

• How did blood feud and fines shape attitudes toward fairness?

• What cultural patterns from early legal traditions might help explain Ukraine’s present-day corruption challenges?

• Do you think historical legacies can be broken, or do they continue to shape societies even centuries later?

Language Practice: Days of the Week

Week 4 — The Cossack — Warrior & Trickster 

Class 1

Focus: Origins and role of the Cossacks in defending and shaping Ukraine.

Pre-class Reading: Who Were the Cossacks?

Pre-class Video: Clip from ‘Taras Bulba’ (1962), A History of The Zaporozhian Cossacks

Discussion Questions:

• What values did the Cossacks represent?

• Why were they both warriors and tricksters?

Language Practice: Days of the Week

Class 2

Focus: Daily life and myths of the Cossacks (and about Cossacks.)

Pre-class Reading: Who Were The Ukrainian Cossacks?

Pre-class Video: Cossack’s dance Hopak, The Cossacks Compose a Letter for the Sultan (2009)

Discussion Questions:

• How do myths shape national identity?

• Which traits of the Cossacks survive in modern Ukraine?

Language Practice: Reading Cossack’s names

Week 5 — Education in the Hetmanate 

Class 1

Focus: The Hetmanate’s education system and early universities.

Class 2

Focus: The role of religion and printing in education.

Week 6 — Under the Empires — 18th–19th Century

Class 1

Focus: Ukraine under Russian and Austrian rule.

Class 2

Focus: Life under imperial bureaucracy.

Week 7— Cultural Revival — 19th Century

Class 1

Focus: Taras Shevchenko and the national awakening.

Class 2

Focus: Other cultural figures and their impact.

Week 8 — Urban Growth & Modernism 

Class 1

Focus: The growth of cities like Lviv and Odesa.

Class 2

Focus:  Modernism in Ukrainian culture.

Week 9 — Revolution and Independence Attempts — 1917–1921

*Dreams on Paper, Blood in the Streets*

Class 1

Focus: The Ukrainian People’s Republic and short-lived independence.

Class 2

Focus: Cultural and political leaders of the independence era.

Week 10 — Soviet Ukraine — 1920s–1930s

Week 11 — World War II and Ukraine

Week 12 — Postwar Soviet Ukraine — 1950s–1980s

Week 13 — Independence and State-Building — 1991

Week 14 — Thriving Moments and Missed Chances

Week 15 — Ukraine Today and the Road Ahead 

Weeks 16 – Project Ukraine: Final Presentations – Vision, Identity, and Renewal 

Overview:

The final assignment invites you to synthesize what you’ve learned about Ukrainian history, language, and culture by creating a forward-looking vision for Ukraine. Ground your ideas in course content—historical events, cultural patterns, archetypes, language use, and identity—and explore how Ukraine might thrive in the future.

You may approach this project through analytical writing or through a more creative, applied proposal format.

Written Paper (1,000–1,500 words):

Your paper should offer a clear, well-supported argument or vision. It should demonstrate your ability to connect cultural, historical, and symbolic frameworks in a meaningful and forward-thinking way.

Possible Topics Include:

• How cultural archetypes (e.g., warrior, guardian, seeker, Berehynia) shape Ukraine’s self-image today

• Ukraine’s revolutionary tradition as a force for democratic identity

• The long arc of resilience: historical trauma and healing

• Cultural diplomacy through literature, music, or the arts

• Peace-building and postwar reconstruction: a national proposal

• The Ukrainian language as a symbol of dignity and inclusion

• Project Ukraine: A multidimensional strategy for future development

You are encouraged—but not required—to integrate symbolic or archetypal frameworks discussed during the course.

Oral Presentation (5–7 minutes):

You will present your project to the class in a brief, engaging summary.

Your presentation should include:

• A clear introduction to your topic

• A summary of your main insights or proposals

• Visual aids (optional but recommended)—e.g., slides, images, charts, or maps

• A brief integration of Ukrainian language learned in class

Sample language to include:

• Вітаю! (Hello!)

• Мене звати… (My name is…)

• Тема мого дослідження… (The topic of my research is…)

• Дякую за увагу! (Thank you for your attention!)