John A Dunn, MA, DPhil, Head of Department
John Dunn teaches courses in Modern Russian Language, the History of the Russian Language, the Russian Language in the Twentieth Century, Comparative Slavonic Philology, The Russian Mass Media and (occasionally) Polish Language.
His research interests lie in the fields of the history of the Russian Language (especially the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries, as well as the post-Soviet period), Slavonic Linguistics, but also the Russian broadcast media.
In recent years he has presented seminar papers on topics in all these areas and published articles in journals such as The Slavonic and East European Review, Papers in Slavonic Linguistics and Rusistika. He has recently completed a study of a manuscript Russian-Chinese-Manchu dictionary housed in Glasgow University Library and is at present writing a book on the Russian language in the post-Soviet period. In addition he was co-organiser of an international symposium on the Post-Soviet Media in Transition, which took place in Stirling in February 1996 and is the British representative on the International Committee of Slavists.
Research Interests
Russian language in the post-Soviet period
He is at present writing a book on this topic, examining the de-Sovietisation and westernisation of Russian, as reflected in changes to its vocabulary, stylistics and socio-linguistic practices; specific concerns include the relationship between Russian and English and the development of 'political correctness' in Russian. Arising out of this study is an interest in the creation of 'post-literary' languages, especially, but not exclusively among the Slavs.
Developments in Russian television
His particular interests include: the ownership, financing and control over the contents of the Russian broadcast media; how Russian television handles parliamentary and presidential elections; satire and humour on Russian television. It is hoped to expand collaborative research into the Russian media, involving several Scottish Universities.
History of the Russian language, with particular reference to the 17th and 18th centuries
He is especially interested in the processes which led to the creation by the early nineteenth century of a standardised Russian language. He is also interested in the historical grammar of Russian, especially syntax, and in the study of the early eighteenth-century Russian manuscripts housed in Glasgow University Library.
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Last Updated: 10 December 2001