Bachelor
2020/2021
The Hero in Popular Culture. Advanced English
Type:
Elective course (HSE/NES Programme in Economics)
Area of studies:
Economics
Delivered by:
HSE/NES Undergraduate Programmes Curriculum Support
Where:
Faculty of Economic Sciences
When:
4 year, 3, 4 module
Mode of studies:
offline
Language:
English
ECTS credits:
6
Contact hours:
64
Course Syllabus
Abstract
What does it mean to be a hero? How do we define heroism? This course will explore answers to these questions by reading and viewing texts from Russian and American popular culture. Heroes under consideration will include Prince Ivan, Princess Olga, Ilya Muromec, Vasilisa, Tony Stark, Carol Danvers, and Binti. Texts will include fairy tales, novels, and films. The language of the classroom will be English, but some reading and viewing may be done in Russian.
Learning Objectives
- The aim of the course is to help you develop the skills necessary to understand, break down, and critique someone else’s argument while also helping you develop a process for constructing and presenting your own ideas in a persuasive form.
Expected Learning Outcomes
- Formulate an interesting research question that is appropriate to the assignment and available resources
- Locate, evaluate, and cite sources in the scholarly, journalistic, and popular domains
- Use in-text citations to distinguish sources’ words and ideas from the writer’s own
- Read, annotate, and analyze literature and film
- Reflect on their own practice and progress in weekly journals
- Identify and correct common grammar and vocabulary mistakes in English
- Revise in response to feedback from peer readers as well as the instructor
- Participate in oral discussion and debate in English, though, it should be stressed, this is not predominantly a speaking course
Course Contents
- Russian Heroes1) Orientation, Setup, What does it mean to be a hero? 2) Ivan and Vasilisa in Russian and in English, translation studies 3) Prince Ivan and the Grey Wolf, Melnitsa, adaptation studies 5) Enchantment, Orson Scott Card, feminist theory 6) Enchantment, Orson Scott Card
- American Heroes1) Iron Man, Marvel Studios, hero/monster theory 2) Ms. Marvel, Vol. 1, G. Willow Wilson, graphic narrative studies 3) Binti, Nnedi Okorafor, Africanfuturism 4) Binti, Nnedi Okorafor, postcolonial studies 5) Binti, Nnedi Okorafor, project proposal
- Project Workshop1) Consultation Week - conferences on project proposals 2) Project Draft 1, peer review 3) Book Presentations 4) Project Draft 2, peer review 5) Revision and Editing of final project submission
Assessment Elements
- Discussions, Activities100 pts. (approx)
- Weekly Journals (10 pts each, 2 lowest scores will be dropped)130 pts.
- Analysis Assignments (100 pts each x 2)200 pts.
- Project Proposal25 pts.
- Project Conference(25 pts each x 2)
- Draft 125 pts.
- Peer Review 225 pts.
- Draft 225 pts.
- Peer Review 125 pts
- Final Project Submission200 pts.
- Book presentation100 pts.
Interim Assessment
- Interim assessment (4 module)To pass the course, a student must earn at least 65% of the points overall AND earn at least 65% of the points on the Final Submission of the Final Project and the Book Presentation. (In other words, a student cannot pass the class without passing the final two assignments.)
