The SRAS Newsletter
A Resource for Students, Educators, and Anyone Curious about Russia Welcome from SRAS!
This month's newsletter focuses on summer releases. We offer a selection of movies, books, and even news on the release of new beverages (Coke's new kvas!) that will interest those with a passion for Russia. All picks have been released within the last year, most only within the last few months. Some are highly educational and pertinent, like a book examining the role of Russia's Constitutional Court on the eve of judicial reform in Russia. Others, like Get Smart and Indiana Jones, are not so highly educational, but will offer their audience a chance to hear a bit of spoken Russian and be entertained for an hour or so. It's summer, right? We're supposed to be relaxing!
If you have views or material you would like to contribute to the newsletter, please contact us. To subscribe to this free newsletter, send an email with "Subscribe SRAS" in the subject field to jwilson@sras.org. News and Announcements Starting June 1, 2008, the processing period for Canadians applying for all types of Russian visas has been extended to 15 working days. This affects only citizens of Canada and was announced on the website of the Russian Embassy in Canada. Birobidzhan International Summer Yiddish Program is intended both for university students as well as anyone else interested in the subject. It will consist of 70 academic hours and a host of cultural events. "Name of Russia" is an ongoing web-poll to name the top "heroes" of Russia. Unfortunately, it's not done scientifically and many people are voting many times each, but the results, which currently have Nicholas II in top place and Stalin and Lenin just below him, are still interesting. GulagHistory.org has launched a new website with photos, video, and more resources about the Gulag system of the USSR. Russia! Magazine has published its irreverent summer edition online. Budget Cuts Kill RFE/RL. For outsiders interested in the ex-communist world, the English-language material produced by the research department of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty is invaluable. But it will not be available much longer. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ | Обзоры: Learn About Russia and Eurasia through the News | These news reviews strive to paint an accurate and balanced picture of life in Russia and to deliver information on important events affecting Eurasia that do not receive heavy coverage in the Western news. | | |
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ - Books -
A look at the short history of Russia's Constitutional Court on the eve of judicial reform. |
Judging Russia
As Russia begins what is promised to be a major overhaul of its judicial system, this book looks at the role Russia's Constitutional Court has played under Yeltsin and Putin. Investigating The Russian Mafia
Also of interest to anyone looking into Russia's developing legal system, this book bills itself as an "exercise in critical thinking about one of the major developments in international crime over the past two decades." Investment and Capitalism in Russia
This is a brief overview of several Russian markets, companies, and persons of interest. Those interested in the Russian economy, whether students or investors, will be excited by this book. The Storks' Nest
Dive into the true story of an American woman who moved to a tiny Russian village to help save an endangered species and fell in love with her work - and her boss. The Whisperers
Orlando Figes, one of the truely gifted historians of our time, tells the story of private life under Stalin. The Secret History of Moscow
This urban fantasy is set in Moscow and follows the adventures of a translator searching for her lost sister in a world submersed in Russian folklore. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ - Movies -
Get Smart is being marketed in Russia as "Напряги извилины" - "Bend the Contour" which can also be understood as "Warp the Brain." |
Mongol
Sergei Bodrov, now twice nominated for an Academy Award, created this surprisingly sympathetic portrait of the rise to power of one of Russia's great oppressors, Genghis Khan. The film has since enjoyed a fairly wide release in America. A DVD with subtitles is not yet available, but there are few copies without subtitles on Amazon.com if you can't find the film playing locally. Master and Margarita
This TV miniseries adaptation of Bulgakov's classic novel was a smash hit in Russia in 2005. It has more recently been been released on DVD with English subtitles. Wanted
Timur Bekmambetov was invited to Hollywood to direct this Angelina Jolie action flick after he gained international attention for directing the epic fantasies Night Watch and Day Watch. The "Watch" films are now available with subtitles - and you'll be sure to recognize Bekmambetov's distinctive style in all three movies. Get Smart
Agent Maxwell Smart is sent to Russia to thwart enemies people thought had passed on with the Cold War. While of course not an accurate depiction of Russian culture, the movie does feature a smattering of colorful Russian dialog and a glimpse at what Red Square and the Kremlin look like today. Indiana Jones IV
The latest installment in this series features a Soviet bad-guy and a smattering of Ukrainian-accented Russian. Perhaps most interesting about this film, though, is how it was received in Russia. While the members of the Communist Party lobbied to ban the movie for spreading "lies," the public responded by placing the film at the top of Russia's box office charts. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Scholarships and Grants
An updated list of current Russia-related scholarship cycles.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ - Language Resources - Жажда лета - the Thirst of Summer
For July, our Image of the Month looks at Coke's newest product: the traditional Russian drink, kvas. Мумий Тролль - AMBA
For those that enjoy Mumiy Troll, the popular Russian music group, you'll be pleased to find that their last album was released for free online by the group! Скороговорки - Russian Tongue Twisters
A small collection of popular tounge twisters. | 
