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Russian, East European, and Eurasian Center
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REEEC at Illinois

The Russian, East European, and Eurasian Center is home to a wide variety of programs for members of the university community and the general public designed to expand understanding of and promote knowledge about Russia, and the countries of Eastern and Central Europe, the Balkans, the Caucasus, and Central Asia. REEEC receives major support for programming  and FLAS fellowships through the U.S. Department of Education through its Title VI program, for which REEEC serves as a designated National Resource Center.

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Student Spotlight

REEEC Graduating Student Profile: Lisa Bobbitt (BA, Russian, East European, and Eurasian Studies)

Lisa Bobbitt completed her degree program this Fall 2021 semester, earning a B.A. in Russian, East European, and Eurasian Studies with a minor in sociology from the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign. During Lisa’s senior year at Illinois, she completed a research paper that explored the ideology of race and similarities and differences in how African Americans and Afro Russians experienced and experience racism in Tsarist Russia through the present. Lisa completed her degree while working full-time in the public relations industry. Following graduation, she plans to apply to graduate...
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Bulgarian Info

REES 296 - Intro to Bulgarian Culture

REES Special Topics This course introduces students to the rich and diverse cultural heritage of Bulgaria. Through discussions of history, art, folklore, film, and contemporary life, we will explore how Bulgarians express their identity within the context of the Balkans and Europe – at the cultural crossroads between East and West. Special attention will be given to values, behaviors, beliefs, and emotions. The course will include lectures, discussions, films, and interactive sessions. No knowledge of Bulgarian language is required.

Azerbaijan

REES 496 - The South Caucasus

Armenia, Azerbaijan, and Georgia, the countries of the South Caucasus, are perhaps best known historically as a geographical (and geological) fault zone “between East and West” that is set against stunning mountain backdrops, imposing stone architecture, and traditions of hospitality. Today, the region is attracting refugees, adventure tourists, and international energy corporations, even as each country continues to deal with periods of stagnation, conflict, and rapid change following the collapse of the U.S.S.R. This course will take an anthropological perspective on the South Caucasus, drawing on archaeological and ethnographic studies as well as interdisciplinary texts (geography, history, political science, sociology) and media (dance, film, artwork, song) to explore the foundational myths, historical landscapes, and cultures of the South Caucasus from the Paleolithic to the Roman period and the Medieval to the Post-Soviet present. Importantly, we will read and discuss authors and artists from the region and diaspora to critically engage with Western and Russian conceptions of the South Caucasus. Together as a class we will explore the intersection of history, politics, religion, and the arts with identity, ethnicity, and subjectivity.
REES 496

REES 496 - Contemporary Autocracy in Theory, Law, and Practice

Based on case studies from Russia, Eastern Europe, and Eurasia, this class explores contemporary legal, media, and political practices used by autocratic actors to assert their power. The course analyzes the impact of these practices on the rule of law, human rights and freedoms, sustainable development, and democracy in general, both in the region and globally. It provides a historical overview of the development of autocratic practices, an introduction to its scholarly analysis using concepts from law, philosophy, and politics, and an investigation of specific contemporary examples. The course will be delivered in a seminar format. There are no prerequisites, although familiarity with political context in the region is helpful.
Gold ceiling

HIST 560 - Privilege, Obligation, and Empire in Russia 1762-1934

How do privilege and obligation work in every day life? By what means are some people empowered to act freely, while others are subordinated to perform specific roles? This history seminar will explore these questions on the basis of experiences drawn from the history of Russian empire. Chronologically, the course will consider several waves of emancipation and subordination across Eurasia and several state formations, from absolutism to early socialism. Substantively, the course will combine innovative, comparative theoretical readings on privilege and obligation with in-depth consideration of primary sources drawn from literature, politics, music, the history of communication, revolution, and repression. Our focus will be on understanding the full range of factors that go into the making of freedom and unfreedom in society, as well as the cultural forms through which they are imagined and expressed.
Polish Art

POL 115 - Intro into Polish Culture

Introduction to Polish culture and literature from a broad historical perspective. Drawing on novels and plays, film, the visual arts, and works of historical research, the course provides students with the basic concepts, methodologies and theories of literary and cultural interpretation, with an emphasis on modern Polish culture (1800-2010) within a broader European context.
Russian and East European Film

SLAV 419 - Russian And East European Film

Study and analysis of major film makers, genres, trends, and theories, including the 1920's Soviet avant garde and the Polish and Czech "New Wave" since 1953; lectures, discussions, screenings, term paper. No reading knowledge of Russian required, except for majors in Slavic Languages and Literatures.