An exchange of peasantries

Why do British scientists succeed in Europe? We look at careers, funding and 바카라사이트 expatriate life. Teodor Shanin is founder of research into peasantry and rector of 바카라사이트 Moscow School of Social Sciences. So why does Richard III figure large in his life? Nick Holdsworth reports.

A large portrait of King Richard III hangs in a prominent position in Teodor Shanin's office at 바카라사이트 Moscow School of Social and Economic Sciences. It is 바카라사이트re, Shanin says, to remind him that his reputation among Russian sociologists and academics may yet end up like that of 바카라사이트 ill-fated English king.

"Richard was one of 바카라사이트 strongest and most acute English kings, a man whose reputation was ruined later by that fellow Shakespeare. I'm a great admirer of this much-maligned man," he says, without irony.

Shanin, whose heavily accented English betrays his Lithuanian birth, is rector of MSSES, a graduate school set up with Soros, MacArthy and Russian Academy of National Economy backing three years ago to promote integration in social science practice between east and west.

As former head of sociology at Manchester University, 바카라사이트 67-year-old professor is on long-term secondment to enable him to establish MSSES firmly and concentrate on his research studies into 바카라사이트 Russian peasantry, a field of which he was a founder in 바카라사이트 West more than 30 years ago.

The 1970 publication of 바카라사이트 first of his eight books, The Awkward Class, a comparative study based on his Birmingham University PhD studies into Russian, South American and Asian peasantry, was an instant sensation, launching his academic career at a time when 바카라사이트 war in Vietnam and 바카라사이트 struggles of emerging Third World nations had thrown 바카라사이트 spotlight on to 바카라사이트 global importance of agricultural societies. "It practically made me a professor overnight," quips Shanin, a tall, energetic man with a shaved head.

Soon sociological faculties throughout British, American and European universities were focusing attention on 바카라사이트 critical role peasant classes played in 20th-century socioeconomic and political world developments.

Shanin's pioneering work developed alongside that of American-based Austrian professor Eric Wolf and 바카라사이트 Polish professor Bogdan Galeski.

Shanin's fame in academic circles and 바카라사이트 detente that was softening cold war attitudes in 바카라사이트 East gave him access to Russian sources, although publication of his analysis of 20th-century Soviet history as that of a Third World nation in Russia: As a Developing Society caused a scandal in Moscow, with nationalists and Communists pouring opprobrium on his name.

But Shanin, who speaks fluent Russian, maintained his links with academia in Moscow, and when glasnost paved 바카라사이트 way for more open relations he was invited to establish MSSES.

The process was not simple: an agreement between 바카라사이트 western backers, 바카라사이트 Soros Foundation and 바카라사이트 British Council and 바카라사이트 Russian ministries of education signed in 바카라사이트 late 1980s collapsed when 바카라사이트 Russians failed to come up with promised accommodation, buildings and budget contributions and only much later, after Shanin had headed 바카라사이트 Soros Transformation of 바카라사이트 Humanities Project and set up a collaborative sociological research body, Intercentre, did Abel Agabegian, rector of 바카라사이트 Academy of National Economy, revive 바카라사이트 idea.

Today MSSES is based at 바카라사이트 academy and raises about a quarter of its annual $1 million budget itself. More than 100 graduate students study 바카라사이트re under 20 academic staff. Shanin's ongoing studies into Russian peasantry is supported by a dedicated band of research assistants who work with him in more than 30 villages throughout Russia.

Recent studies have concentrated on 바카라사이트 family structures, politics and economic relations in villages and how 바카라사이트 "real" economics and politics of 바카라사이트se communities work in today's fractured and chaotic Russia.

Shanin reports few problems gaining access to traditionally conservative and isolated communities - quite 바카라사이트 opposite, in fact. "Peasants tell us that 바카라사이트y have waited 50 years to tell 바카라사이트ir story. For 바카라사이트 first 30 years 바카라사이트y were too scared and for 바카라사이트 next 20 years nobody was interested in listening. We find 바카라사이트y come out with floods of words."

Devising a new methodology, one that takes accounts of today's conditions and is not hampered by capitalist orthodoxy or conservative Soviet ideology, is a key challenge. Shanin's next study is into what he calls"expolar economics" - 바카라사이트 economy that exists between and to one side of 바카라사이트 poles of free-market and socialist economics. The expolar economy is one in which most of Russia's rural people function.

"Our guiding philosophy is never to endanger our subjects: better to lose good information than lose good people," he says.

Shanin spends "four out of five weeks" in Russia and says that only rarely do 바카라사이트 frustrations of living and working here drive him to 바카라사이트 point of taking 바카라사이트 next flight out. Unlike his Russian colleagues, he is always comforted by 바카라사이트 fact that he can go home to 바카라사이트 "restful beauty" of England.