Dr. VeRa Zubarev

 

“Impact of Chess, Literature, and Film on Organizational Dynamics”

 

          DYNM 652

 

                                                                                     SYLLABUS

 

WEEK I.  Introduction to the course. The role of literature and chess in solving of organizational problems. Organizational dynamics in the game of chess. 

 

Styles and methods of decision making.

 

WEEK II.  Structure of values.

 

From chess to life: developing of positional and combinational styles. Screening and analyzing excerpts from Survivor - season one.

 

From chaos to order: the degree of uncertainty. Organizational problems in Genesis. God in the Torah as an organizer.

 

WEEK III.  God in the Torah as a decision maker.

 

Overcoming the uncertainty. Screening and discussion of The Hedgehog in The Fog.

 

 

WEEK IV.  Positional and combinational sacrifice. Reading: The Gifts of the Magi.

 

Mistakes and unexpected outcomes. Probability versus predispositioning. Mistakes and unexpected outcomes. Reading: The Last Leaf by O’Henry.

 

 

WEEK V.  Screening and discussion of The Hedgehog in The Fog (continuation).

 

 

WEEK VI.  Positional and combinational organization. Winners and losers. Reading: Dreiser, Financier and Titan.

 

WEEK VII. Outer influences and a predisposition: fate and chance. Interference of outer forces. Calculation of a predisposition in Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet. Magic forces versus the individual. Reading: Shakespeare, The Midsummer Night’s Dream. Subjectivity of evaluation in solving organizational tasks. Comparing two screen versions of Romeo and Juliet (1968 and 1996).

 

 WEEK VIII. Outer influences and a predisposition. Screening and discussion of Father Frost.

 

 

WEEK IX.  Message versus information: Pushkin, The Queen Of Spades.

 

Luck and predisposition. Reading: Solzhenitsyn, One Day of Ivan Denisovich.

 

 

WEEK X.  Discussion of the role of the outer forces in One Day of Ivan Denisovich and  Burnt by the Sun.

 

WEEK XI. Students’ presentations.

 

  READINGS:

I.  Literary Works:

 

Genesis, Chapters 1-3

O’Henry, The Gifts of the Magi, The Last Leaf

Pushkin, The Queen Of Spades

Shakespeare, Romeo and Juliet, The Midsummer Night’s Dream

Alexander Solzhenitsyn, One Day of Ivan Denisovich

Dreiser, Financier and Titan

 

II. Theoretical Works:

 

Aron Katsenelinboigen , The Concept Of Indeterminism and Its Applications

V. Ulea, A Concept of Dramatic Genre And The Comedy Of A New Type

 

                                                        SCREENINGS:

 

Survivor - season one

Romeo and Juliet (1968 and 1996)

Father Frost

Burnt by the Sun

Adaptation

8 ½