Term Paper Topics, Russ 275

I will be adding to the list here on a daily basis.

Any major historical  or cultural figure (see the study guide for examples)

Any major literary figure of any period

Any major artist, painter, composer; Kaplan mentions at least one artist in every country he visits.

Any major literary work or collection of works

Any major work of art, architecture, or musical composition

Any movement: artistic, intellectual, political

Any major problem in the Balkans

            Some aspect of the Macedonian question

            Ethnic conflict in ______; e.g., Albanians in Kosova, in Macedonia; Gypsies in ___

            The current situation in, e.g., Bosnia, or Kosova

Your topic will determine to some degree your approach. First pick something of interest: it does not have to relate in any obvious way to current problems in the Balkans. However, when you are done with your paper, you should have a good understanding of at least one aspect of one culture of the Balkans.

Possibilities

Serbian and Montenegrin literature: writers (possibilities)

Karadzic

Njegos

Zmaj

Sremac

Kocic

Andric  (Bosnian)

Copic

Popa

Bulatovic

Djilas

The periods are called Transition, Romanticism, Realism, Moderna, Interwar, and Contemporary

Croatian literature: writers (possibilities)

Obradovic (his fables)

Croatian Renaissance--Marulic, Drzic, Gundulic

Gaj

Mazuranic

Kranjcevic

Matos

Nazor

Krleza

Kovacic

Croatian Periods: Illyrian, Realism, Moderna, Interim, Contemporary

Slovenian literature: writers (possibilities)

Kopitar

Preseren

Canka

Zidar

Bek

Zupancic

Periods: Religious-didactic 1550-1768; national consciousness, secular poetry (1768-1830); realism 1830-1941; post-WWII

Macedonian literature: writers (possibilities)

Racin

Janevski

Koneski

Casule

Cingo

Periods not so clearly marked; includes Old Church Slavic literature (Ohrid school); literature of Turkish occupation period;  Birth of Macedonian contemporary literature (1918-45); contemporary Macedonian literature  (Macedonian literary language recognized in 1945)

Greek literature: writers

Seferis

Elytis

Polydouri

Kazantzakis

http://www.bartleby.com/65/gr/Greeklit-m.html

(Use web references to identify writers you may want to write about)

Bulgarian literature: writers 
http://www.pages.drexel.edu/~ves23/writers.html

Romanian literature: writers

http://www.bartleby.com/65/ro/Romnilit.html

Several well-known émigrés could also be paper topics: Mirceea Eliade, Eugene Ionesco, Emil Cioran

Also: Octavian Goga and Transylvania; Vlad the Impaler (the real Dracula); topics like the Latinization movement (19th century), social protest literature (late 19th century)

Albanian literature: writers

http://www.geocities.com/albaland/literature.html

Folk literature can be found in all countries in all periods. Karadzic (Serbian) and Iorga (Romania) are good subjects here.

A book report is also fine for your paper. You may choose any book on the Balkans; it could be a biography of cultural or historical figure, or a monograph on cultural movement or historical event.

Films are also possible topics. For example, any film by the Serbian director Emir Kusturica is fine for a topic. Just be sure to check it with me first.