HIST 389 Topics in Western History: Cultural Heritage of Ukraine

A Country That is Changing its History: Cultural Heritage of Ukraine

Why does Ukrainian identity scare Russian dictators so much? What secrets of Ukrainian history and culture can change the future of Europe? Why is history still a key to the safe in this part of the continent, where unexpected discoveries and eerie secrets lie? In this course, through popular discourse, we will talk about the peculiarities of Ukrainian history, literature, art, and cuisine. We will learn what the American aircraft designer Igor Sikorsky, Israeli Prime Minister Golda Meir, Midwestern bread growing, and the most famous Christmas carol have in common. Critical analysis of texts, films, and visual art will help students understand the peculiarities of Ukraine's past and present relations with Poland, Lithuania, Hungary, and Russia. This course is about how history still influences our future.