Svitlana Melnyk

Introduction to Ukrainian Culture

Spring 2024  |  SLAV-U 223

This course aims to provide students with a captivating exploration of Ukrainian culture, spanning from the historical era of Kyivan Rus to the modern day. A significant component of this course involves a collaborative project between Indiana University students and their counterparts from the Institute of Philology at the Taras Shevchenko National University of Kyiv. The primary objective of this project is to enhance the international cultural experiences and competencies of American students through meaningful communication with their Ukrainian peers within the context of global learning. An integral aspect of the project is to acquaint American students with the devastating impact of Russia's war against Ukraine, particularly the impact on Ukrainian culture and daily life. By delving into this critical aspect, IU students will gain a deeper understanding not only of the challenges faced by Ukraine, its culture, and its people, but also how they are working to overcome this deliberate and targeted destruction of their whole existence.

Bio:

Svitlana Melnyk is a Senior Lecturer in the Department of Slavic and East European Languages and Cultures. She received her PhD-equivalent degree from the Department of Philology at Kyiv Taras Shevchenko National University. At IU, she teaches Ukrainian, Introduction to Ukrainian Culture and Russian courses. Svitlana specializes in sociolinguistics and bilingualism. She has co-authored the book Linguistic and Ethnic Diversity of Ukraine (2010, in Ukrainian) as well as a number of articles examining language policy in Ukraine. Her research also includes language pedagogy as well as the issue of the war's impact on the Ukrainian language and language communication. Her international teaching experience includes teaching the Ukrainian language in Ukraine, Hungary, Canada, and US.