Important Notes:

• This syllabus is subject to change at the instructor’s discretion.
• Students are responsible for checking the course website regularly for announcements and updates.
• We meet every Thursday at 4.30 pm at Goldwin Smith Hall, room 156.

Week 1: Introduction to Contemporary Ukraine. 

Materials to study:

1. A Brief History of Ukraine
2. Ukrainian Lessons Podcasts 1-01
3. Ukraine: The Latest

Topics for discussion:

• Introduction to the course and syllabus
• Overview of Ukraine’s geography, history, and culture
• Historical background: From Kievan Rus’ to the Soviet era
• Welcome to the Cyrillic alphabet! Strangers, the real and the false friends
• Basic greetings and their contextual variations

Week 2: From Perestroika to Independence

Materials to study:

1. How Chernobyl Brought the USSR to its Knees|1986|
2. Ukraine. The birth of a Nation. Independence (22.19 – 38.36)
3. Ukrainian Lessons Podcasts 1-02
4. Letters and Sounds
5. Environmental Resources and Constraints in the Former Soviet Republics: Ukraine (OPTIONAL)

Topics for discussion:

• The Chernobyl disaster and its lasting impact
• The late Soviet era: Perestroika and Glasnost in Ukraine
• Collapse of the Soviet Union
• Ukraine’s declaration of independence and early challenges
• Letters and sounds. Reading the first words.

Week 3: Building a New Nation

Materials to study:

1. Ukraine. The birth of a Nation. Independence (from 38.36)
2. The Economy of Ukraine: Before and After (from 2.50) 
3. Ukraine after the Fall of the Soviet Union
4. How Ukraine Fell into a Trap of Endless Reforms
5. Ukrainian Lessons Podcasts 1-03

Topics for discussion:

• The rise of national self-determination and the Kuchma era
• Economic challenges and transition to a market economy
• Corruption and political instability
• The Orange Revolution and its aftermath
• Role of culture in national identity
• Cultural significance of the Ukrainian language

Week 4: Euromaidan and the Revolution of Dignity

Materials to study:

1. War in Ukraine, Part I (Annexation)
2. History of the Ukrainian Euromaidan Revolution
3. Who Does Crimea Really Belong To?
4. Talking about where you live

Topics for discussion:

• The Yanukovych government and growing discontent
• The Euromaidan protests and the fall of Yanukovych
• The cultural and historical legacy of Crimea
• Annexation of Crimea and the war in eastern Ukraine

Week 5: The War in Donbas and its Consequences

Materials to study:

1. The long pursuit of justice for victims of MH17
2. Klondike (recommended)
3. War in Ukraine, Part 13 (MH17)
4. On the Frontlines Of Ukraine’s Proxy War

Topics for discussion:

• The origins and escalation of the conflict in eastern Ukraine
• Economic Consequences for Ukraine and the Region
• Humanitarian crisis and human rights violations
• The impact of the war on Ukrainian society and politics
• Analyze perspectives on conflict through documentary and film

Week 6: The Role of Media and Information in Contemporary Ukraine

Materials to study:

1. Dying for Truth: Why Journalism is a Dangerous Profession in Ukraine
2. Freedom of Speech as Homefront: Journalists at War
3. Fighting Soviet Myths: The Ukrainian Experience
4. Ukrainian Exclamations

Topics for discussion:

• Freedom of speech and press freedom
• Disinformation and propaganda
• The impact of social media on political discourse, activism, and reform movements
• Compare exclamations in Ukrainian to those in their native language or other languages you know. Share the interesting cultural insights for a deeper understanding of both languages.

Week 7: Economy and Society

Materials to study:

1. The road to recovery: Ukraine’s Economic Challenges and Opportunities
2. “It’s Time to Stop Being Naive – Putin Will Not Give Up While He’s Alive”
3. Numbers in Ukrainian

Topics for discussion:

• Economic transition and challenges
• Social reforms and the fight against poverty
• Demographic trends and migration

Week 8: Culture and Identity

Materials to study:

1. The Role of Religion in Russia’s War
2. Ukraine’s Music, Cinema and Literature Have Been Transformed

Topics for discussion:

• Ukrainian education, language and literature
• Religion and the role of the Orthodox Church
• Music, art, and cinema
• National identity and cultural diversity

Week 9: Foreign Relations and Security

Materials to study:

1. Ex-Ukraine Ambassador Offers Gloomy View, Silver of Hope
2. Research relevant materials and prepare questions for guest speaker Bill Taylor

Topics for discussion:

• Relations with the West
• Guest speaker Bill Taylor on the Russia-Ukraine war
• NATO membership and security concerns
• Ukraine’s role in the international community

Week 10: Understanding the Roots of the Current Conflict: A Historical and Geopolitical Perspective

Materials to study:

1. 10 Popular Misconceptions about Ukrainian History
2. How Ukraine Became Part of USSR
3. Stepan Bandera
4. Svoboda and the History of Ukrainian Nationalist
5. Talking about Family ULP 1-06

Topics for discussion:

• Based on Ambassador Taylor’s insights, what role should the international community, particularly organizations like NATO and the EU, play in this conflict going forward?
• The historical ties between Russia and Ukraine, including the formation of Kyivan Rus’ and the incorporation of Ukraine into the Soviet Union.
• The rise of Ukrainian nationalism: “How have historical events, like Cossack movement, Ukrainian People’s Republic (1917 – 1921), Soviet Era and Holodomor shaped the development of Ukrainian nationalism?”, “In what ways did the Orange Revolution and Euromaidan influence the transformation of Ukrainian nationalism?”, “How did the full-scale invasion contribute to the rise or evolution of Ukrainian nationalism?”

Week 11: War, Crisis, and Reform (2014-2019)

Materials to study:

1. History of Donbass Region
2. A Brief History of Corruption in Ukraine
3. Family and Possessive Pronouns
4. Ukraine’s Poroshenko

Topics for discussion:

• The internal conflict in eastern Ukraine and its consequences
• Political and economic reforms under Poroshenko
• Social and cultural dynamics in wartime Ukraine

Week 12: Zelensky’s Presidency and Beyond (2019-Present)

Materials to study:

1. Serving the People: Will Ukraine’s Political Culture Change?
2. Signed by Volodymyr Zelenkyy: Which Reforms Did the President Support
3. Jobs and Professions in Ukrainian

Topics for discussion:

• The election of Volodymyr Zelensky and his reform agenda
• Continued challenges: corruption, oligarchs, and war
• Ukraine and the West: NATO aspirations and EU integration
• Cultural Policies amid Conflict

Week 13: Beyond Borders: The Ukrainian Crisis from Economic Impact to Artistic Resistance

Materials to study:

1. Writing the War in Ukraine
2. Ukrainian Art as Protest and Resilience 
3. Ukrainian Refugee Crisis
4. Ukraine: What’s the Global Economic Impact of Russia’s Invasion? 
5. About me in Ukrainian

Topics for discussion:

• The displacement of millions of Ukrainians and the refugee crisis in Europe.
• The destruction of infrastructure and the long-term economic impact of the war.
• Ukrainian art during the war.
• The potential for the conflict to escalate and draw in other countries.

Week 14, 15: The Road Ahead for Ukraine, The Final Projects and Presentations

Topics for discussion:

• Prospects for peace in Ukraine
• Ukraine’s future in a changing world order

Research Paper: Write a concise research paper (1,000-1,500 words) on a topic relevant to the course content. Possible topics include:

• The influence of historical events on modern Ukrainian national identity.
• Cultural responses to the Chernobyl disaster.
• Comparing the cultural impacts of the Orange Revolution and the Euromaidan Revolution.
• The significance of contemporary Ukrainian art and literature post-Euromaidan.
• Effects of the ongoing conflict with Russia on Ukrainian society.

Oral Presentation: Alongside the paper, prepare a brief (5-7 minute) presentation to summarize their research findings to the class. This should include:

• A succinct overview of the topic.
• Discussion of the main conclusions or insights.
• Recommended: appropriate visual aids to support key points (e.g., slides, charts)

Language Use: Integrate Ukrainian language by using specific terms and phrases related to the topic in both the paper and the presentation, demonstrating effective use of the course’s language component.