European Languages and Cultures - Russian

If you choose Russian as a specialization within ELC, you will have to be motivated and willing to study hard and intensively – but you will get a lot in return . After the beginning of Russia’s full-scale war in Ukraine in 2022, learning the Russian language, culture and politics has become a much more serious matter. Taking these courses will provide you with insights into the developments that may have contributed to the war as well as perspectives on current social processes. The combination of a variety of knowledge domains and language proficiency will enable you to explore multiple aspects of Russia and other post-Soviet societies .

Does Russian even belong to European Languages and Cultures? Russian is considered part of the Slavic language group, which includes languages such as Polish, Czech, and Serbian. It is spoken by more than 250 million people worldwide, making it the eighth most spoken language in the world and one of the six official UN languages. Similar to other large European empires, Russia has played an important role in global history, often having a major impact on the people and territories that it subjugated. By studying the Russian language and culture, we can also better understand the ways in which imperialism and colonialism have shaped Russian identity and society. Additionally, by learning the Russian language, we can engage in critical analysis and dialogue, and work towards a deeper understanding of the complex legacies of the Russian empire in local and global contexts.

Why Russian?

If you are interested in Russian history, politics and culture, the Russian specialization within European Languages and Cultures may be just the thing for you. It will teach you how to place the Russian language, culture, literature and politics in a wider context.

The Russian proficiency course units start in the first semester of your first year and this is where the hard work begins. You will have to study vocabulary, practice pronunciation, learn to use six grammatical cases and get used to a new system of verbs. This is not going to be easy, but your efforts will be rewarded by a growing understanding of the language and culture. During the first two years you will develop your language skills, learn to communicate in the target language and work with authentic materials.

In the second and third year, you will follow 4 language specific courses focused on Russian politics, literature and language as well as an interdisciplinary course which will introduce you to the concepts and approaches of memory studies. In these courses, you will discuss the most significant development in Russian politics after the fall of the Soviet Union, including the wars in Chechnya, Russian-American relations, Russia’s war on Ukraine and the repressive conservative turn in domestic politics. You will read Russian prose and poetry in the original and explore the societal importance of literature in Russia. The focus of reading Russohpone literature will be on how it shapes national and transnational identities and imperial as well as anti-imperial visions.

Our program includes films, the latest news, music, literature, and social media – next to more traditional texts. During your third year you will have a chance to spend a semester abroad, and this is where you will continue to work on your language skills and expand your knowledge about the region. The University of Groningen has contacts with universities in various countries of Eastern Europe and Eurasia.

Depending on your interests, the specialization and profile choices you make in your Bachelor’s programme and your follow-on Master’s degree programme, your degree in Russian could, for example, qualify you to become a journalist or find a career in academic research, at an international governmental organization or an NGO. Other graduates have found jobs in the diplomatic world or taken additional training to become translators or interpreters. Our alumnus of the Year 2022 is Iris de Graaf, former Russia correspondent for Dutch news broadcaster NOS, who studied Slavonic Languages and Russian Studies in Groningen.