The goal of this course is to develop students’ familiarity with vocabulary and discourse specific to the area of public, political and sociological situation in contemporary Russia. The events of the end of 2011 and the beginning of 2012 are of particular interest to Russia watchers because of the broad civic discontent displayed in Russian public life during the period after the parliamentary elections and before the presidential elections. Students will read, translate and discuss sociological studies and journalistic accounts reporting Russian domestic politics, presidential candidates’ platforms, electoral forecasts and results. Students will make presentations reflecting political platforms of different presidential candidates, watch TV programs and follow media discourse related to the pre-electoral and post-electoral developments in Russia.