about
teaching
I currently teach on the topics of violence, new healing modalities, and racism as an adjunct professor in the University of Virginia Bachelor of Interdisciplinary Studies Program in the School for Continuing and Professional Studies.
I have taught for 25 years in higher education and other settings on a variety of topics, starting in the early 80s and 90s with Russian language, literature, folklore, and culture. When I returned to the University of Virginia after a 5-year hiatus working at James Madison University, I started teaching a course called “Story and Healing” in 1999. In 2000, I teamed up with colleague and friend, John Alexander, whose area of expertise is in African American literature. Combining my research interests in trauma with his interest in underground rap, over the next 8 years, we developed what had been a more traditional Slavic folklore course into an innovative curriculum using the topics of story and healing to explore the problems of racism. For course descriptions, and a description of my methods and teaching philosophy, click here to see my Teaching Portfolio.
Click here to see a syllabus for the course Gandhi and the Native American Peacekeepers: Gandhi Fall 2010 Syllabus.
Click here for one of my favorite and lesser known texts by Russian writer, Leo Tolstoy, The Kingdom of God is Within You.