Science and Literature in Russia

We often view science and literature as incompatible and even hostile fields. But are they actually as distinct as we think they are? Would it be possible to study science through literature and literature through science? What happens when artists think about science and technology in a country and age that reveres empirical knowledge? This course dives deep into these questions, interrogating how different scientific disciplines were represented in and enriched by Russian and Slavic culture. We will look at various fields of scientific knowledge, such as medicine, engineering, physics, and chemistry, in connection to great works of literature, asking what role Russian writers played in shaping them and, conversely, in what ways science affected these fictional pieces. Through science and Russian literature of the 19th to the 20th century, we will examine the profound impact of artistic production on different modes of knowledge production and circulation, and will trace its resonance in our perceptions of the physical world to this day.