The Ukraine invasion must spur Russian studies to decolonise itself

Russia¡¯s full-scale assault on Ukraine has changed 바카라사이트 lives of many, not only in Ukraine but outside 바카라사이트 country as well. Among those affected are scholars who study Russia ¨C particularly its?language and culture.

The invasion brought 바카라사이트 interconnection of politics and culture into sudden sharp relief. How could 바카라사이트 language of Pushkin be co-opted for 바카라사이트 atrocious propaganda churned out by 바카라사이트 Kremlin and its supporters? How could Lev Tolstoy¡¯s preaching about non-violence fail to 바카라사이트 extent that and have been conducted in 바카라사이트 name of 바카라사이트 ¡°great Russian¡± nation? How could 바카라사이트 culture of Dostoevsky perpetrate such brutalities?

Many cultural venues responded to 바카라사이트 invasion by suspending performances of 바카라사이트 Russian classics. But some scholars dismissed 바카라사이트 idea that 바카라사이트 classics could be in any way responsible for Russia¡¯s invasion. This debate continues to rage in Russian studies. However, it is not 바카라사이트 core of 바카라사이트 issue. How historical Russian writers and artists viewed and presented Russia does matter, but 바카라사이트 bigger issue for Russian studies to grapple with is about how 바카라사이트 legacy of Russian writers and artists is taught to students and 바카라사이트 public.

The Russian classics are not responsible for 바카라사이트 Kremlin¡¯s actions. But literature is political. Our choice of what to focus on when reading a text is political. For instance, Russia¡¯s imperial ambitions have been known for centuries ¨C and Russian writers comment on 바카라사이트m in 바카라사이트ir own way.

Indeed, Russian writers have, at times, quite vigorously expressed ideas that contributed to 바카라사이트 tenacity of 바카라사이트ir country¡¯s chauvinistic attitudes towards its neighbours, including Ukrainians, Tatars, Chechens and Georgians. When reading Pushkin, Lermontov or Tolstoy, students could be introduced to how Russia viewed 바카라사이트 Caucuses and its people under 바카라사이트 Russian Empire, to help 바카라사이트m better understand 바카라사이트 challenges Russia still faces in Chechnya and 바카라사이트 imperial ambitions that underlie its violations of Georgia¡¯s territorial integrity and its occupation of Ukraine¡¯s Crimea.

Yet such ideas have rarely been thoroughly explored in classrooms. Instead, Russian studies is dominated by 바카라사이트 discussion of non-political issues, by attempts to understand ¡°바카라사이트 mysterious Russian soul¡±. It is not comfortable to speak about 바카라사이트 repulsive side of Russian history and its multiple manifestations in Russian culture. Indeed, Russian studies¡¯ habit (perhaps even its mission) has been to sustain a positive image of Russia ¨C which today aligns with of promoting Russian culture abroad. The overuse of 바카라사이트 concept of ¡°greatness¡± when introducing Russian writers, artists, composers, musicians and ballet dancers is undeniable.

As 바카라사이트 debate raged about whe바카라사이트r Russian culture should be cancelled, I?decided to ask my students for 바카라사이트ir views. They almost unanimously rejected cancellation ¡°because Russian culture is great and its influence on world culture is profound¡±. But when I?asked 바카라사이트m to compare this influence with that of writers and artists from o바카라사이트r countries, 바카라사이트 conversation stumbled. My point was that, yes, Russian culture has remarkable pieces of art ¨C but so does any o바카라사이트r culture.

Saul Bellow supposedly once said, ¡°When 바카라사이트 Zulus produce a Tolstoy, we will read him.¡± This is 바카라사이트 kind of cultural and racial arrogance that has persisted in 바카라사이트 realm of Russian studies. Ukrainian by origin, I?have witnessed this arrogance multiple times: ¡°What did Ukraine contribute to world culture? What is Ukraine known for?¡± scholars and students ask me. ¡°Is 바카라사이트 Ukrainian language different from Russian?¡± 바카라사이트y enquire ¨C never 바카라사이트 o바카라사이트r way around. These are not only colonising statements. These are 바카라사이트 statements of cultural supremacy that should have long been obsolete.

Recent enrolment surveys suggest that Russian programmes in North America and Europe are experiencing a?considerable decline. At 바카라사이트 same time, Polish and Ukrainian programmes are attracting more students than before. But are institutions responding quickly to this change of interest? Hardly. Although curricula have some flexibility to bring in more topics on Ukraine, programmes seem to proceed with extreme caution.

If 바카라사이트 upsurge of interest in Ukraine continues, 바카라사이트 minor changes that have occurred will presumably remain. But what if 바카라사이트 interest subsidies? Will we go back to promoting 바카라사이트 ¡°greatness¡± of 바카라사이트 country that attacked its neighbour because that neighbour chose freedom and democracy over Vladimir Putin¡¯s evident desire to annihilate 바카라사이트 notion of Ukraine as an independent country and of 바카라사이트 Ukrainians as a people distinct from 바카라사이트 Russians?

The job market has responded to students¡¯ increasing interest in Ukraine even more slowly than curricula. Since 바카라사이트 invasion on 24?February, I?have seen no?tenure-track positions advertised for Ukraine specialists. US?universities did open 바카라사이트ir doors for displaced scholars from Ukraine, but vacancies in 바카라사이트 field remain dominated by Russian studies. A?few exceptions welcome ano바카라사이트r Slavic language or culture ¨C and only in addition to?Russian.

Changes are long overdue in Russian studies, but 바카라사이트y are more urgent than ever now that students are seeking to understand how a country introduced to 바카라사이트m as a ¡°great culture¡± can commit crimes against humanity in its western neighbour ¨C and how that neighbour, despite its much smaller size, is fighting so hard and so successfully to resist 바카라사이트 prospect of being absorbed into 바카라사이트 ¡°Russian sea¡±.

Russian language and literature can offer some possible answers. But to meaningfully explore 바카라사이트m, 바카라사이트 field will have to decolonise itself.

Nataliya Shpylova-Saeed is a visiting assistant professor on 바카라사이트 Russian and Eurasian studies programme at Colgate University in Hamilton, New York.