Russian 322 (Russia Today) – ULWR (1 Position at .50)

Course Description: Russian 322: This course is intended to introduce aspects of Russia today to a general student audience, with especial emphasis on contemporary Russia as a “multi-national” country. Various features of modern Russia will be examined through such diverse materials as the literature, cinema, and political history of recent years. Among the many issues which this course intends to raise are:

  • the complexities and contradictions of Russia as a multi-ethnic country (or, as most Russian-speakers would put it, a country of many different “nationalities”);
  • the attempt to recover the past in Russian culture today;
  • the ways we look at the Russians through our own media;
  • the economic and political transformations of Russia, as reflected in culture and everyday life.

Particular attention will be paid to the conflicts in the North Caucasus, their meaning for Russia, and their representation in Russian culture, and to other “hot spots” of ethnic and national conflict that have emerged in recent years.

GSI duties will include, but are not limited to:

  • The GSI will lead discussions based on week’s reading and film assignments in three discussion sections per week.
  • The GSI will grade two papers and three writing assignments from each student, and will read for pass/fail grading students’ journals.
  • Holding regular office hours to assist students throughout the course.
  • GSI will also be available over email and help students in case they have any questions pertaining to the course.
  • Meeting regularly with the course instructor.
  • Attendance at lectures.

Selection Criteria:

  • relevant academic preparation for teaching the course material;
  • (preferably) prior GSI experience/with favorable student evaluations;
  • overall academic performance and progress toward the degree;
  • relevance to graduate training;
  • specific needs of the program and its students;
  • ability to work with diverse student body and with very diverse assignments (fiction, popular travel tales, historical analysis, current news in various media, feature films, and so on);
  • willingness to develop innovative approaches in the class room;
  • scheduling constraints.

Selection Process:

The instructor will make the selection based on the above criteria.

Please send a cover letter, résumé and relevant information to: 

 

Department of Slavic Languages & Literatures
3040 Modern Languages Building
812 E. Washington Street
Ann Arbor, MI 48109

Or email materials to Jennifer White at [email protected] 

Ph: 734-764-5355

 

Application Deadline: 8/30/11

Decision Making Date: 9/2/11 or earlier

Late Process: Applications will be accepted until the position is filled.

 

*All GSI appointments are subject to administrative approval. The department reserves the right to cancel the appointment due to low enrollment figures.

The University will not discriminate against any applicant for employment because of race, creed, color, religion, national origin, ancestry, marital status, familial status, parental status or pregnancy status, sex, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, age, height, weight, disability, citizenship status, veteran status, HIV antibody status, political belief, membership in any social or political organization, participation in a grievance or complaint whether formal or informal, or any other factor where the item in question will not interfere with job performance and where the employee is otherwise qualified. The University of Michigan agrees to abide by the protections afforded employees with disabilities as outlined in the rules and regulations which implement Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 and the Americans with Disabilities Act. 

The Office of Institutional Equity can be reached at (734) 763-0235 or [email protected]. The Office of the Ombuds can be reached (734) 763-3545 or [email protected].

Unsuccessful applications will be retained for consideration in the event that there are last minute openings for available positions. Upon request, any applicant denied employment will receive, within fourteen (14) calendar days, a written explanation of the reasons for denial of employment, and/or an in-person interview with the hiring agent(s) to be scheduled at a mutually agreed upon time.In the event that an Employee does not receive his or her preferred assignment, he or she can request a written explanation or an in-person interview with the hiring agent(s) to be scheduled at a mutually agreed upon time.

This position, as posted, is subject to a collective bargaining agreement between the Regents of the University of Michigan and the Graduate Employees’ Organization, American Federation of Teachers, AFL-CIO 3550.