Fall 2024: October 24 – December 26
Subject: HR (Human Rights)
Course Level: 300
Number of Credits: 1 U.S. / 2 ECTS
Max Enrollment: 22
Schedule: 10 weeks (October 24 – December 26), Thursday 17:00 – 20:00 CET (Berlin) | 11:00 – 13:00 EDT (New York)
Language of Instruction: Russian
Course Prerequisites: Russian B2 / Equivalent or higher

By examining both modern Russian history and Soviet history focal points through Disability Studies optics the course will explore what shapes representation and perception of disability in autocratic Putin’s regime. Each session of the course is dedicated to a factor that has formed the social construct of disability. We will discuss activist practice, the Museum managers movement, the Sochi Olympics of 2014, rights violations and neglect in institutions for people with disabilities, a rise of the charity movement, etc. The class is based on workshops, discussions, and group work.

Guidelines for the Statement of Purpose:

Craft a reflective statement of purpose explaining your interest in the Smolny Beyond Borders online course. The file should be saved with your name and course title as the filename and uploaded accordingly. Your statement’s clarity and substance will significantly influence our selection. Convey your motivations and aspirations for this course succinctly but thoroughly. Kindly write your statement in the course’s Language of Instruction.

Application Portal Instructions:
1) Use the Latin alphabet for all entries on the portal, including your name. If the Language of Instruction is Russian, you may use Cyrillic only within the Statement of Purpose file, and the title of the file should still be in English.
2) Refrain from using email addresses associated with Russian or Belarusian educational institutions.
3) While completing the “Required Information” section, ensure you fill in the “Province” field for your address.
4) Provide an address outside Russia or Belarus in both the “Required Information” and “Geographic Location Confirmation” sections of the “Online Course Application”. This ensures we can send your transcript.
5) You must press the “Sign” button twice during the application.
6) If you hold a bachelor’s degree, select “4th+” in the “Academic Year (online)” section.
7) Applicants either unaffiliated or affiliated with educational institutions in Russia and Belarus should list ‘Smolny Beyond Borders’ as their educational institution.
8) In the student ID section, enter ‘SBB’.
9) Consider drafting your motivation letter ahead of time. Save it as a separate file with this format: LastName_FirstName_CourseTitle for a smoother application process.