Critical Pedagogy and Teaching Russian Folklore

Abstract

This article describes rationales and methods for critical pedagogical approaches to teaching Russian folklore. Critical pedagogy and folklore are interrelated in their grassroots orientations, which critically counternarrate the top-down dominant and high cultural themes that are commonly taught in humanities survey courses on Russian literature and culture in postsecondary institutions. This article argues that critical approaches have the potential to more effectively affirm culturally, linguistically, and socioeconomically diverse identities for liberation, rather than indoctrination. The article discusses decolonization, excavating the field’s past to interrogate historical and ideological influences on the study of Russia and the Soviet Union in the United States. For practical application, the article provides examples of teaching commonly taught topics in Russian folklore classes in the United States. The author describes methods for teaching Russian laments [prichitanija], epics [byliny], and for teaching spiritual, verbal, and material culture pertaining to apiculture in Russian folklore, or “bee”lief.