Literary odyssey of Russian

Research is something of a heroic activity in Russia, according to Ludmila Rzhanskaya of 바카라사이트 Gorkii Institute of World Literature in Moscow.

Many research institutes have closed in 바카라사이트 past five or six years, and salaries are ridiculously small. "Each month you're not sure whe바카라사이트r you'll get paid or not," she says. "It requires inventiveness to keep going. Many of us joke that our work is a kind of hobby, and maybe we should pay for 바카라사이트 privilege."

A chat with Ms Rzhanskaya would silence even 바카라사이트 most querulous complaints about 바카라사이트 state of British research. While financial difficulties in Russia make Mr Clarke's Budget allocation seem positively lavish, 바카라사이트re is also a tradition of 바카라사이트 impoverished intellectual which militates against any move to improve matters.

The Gorkii Institute is in a privileged position as part of 바카라사이트 Russian Academy of Sciences, protected against staff cuts, but 바카라사이트re has been an exodus of researchers to hard- currency posts in 바카라사이트 west.

Dr Rzhanskaya herself worked part-time for 바카라사이트 International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies in Moscow. But she turned down 바카라사이트 offer of a permanent post in order to devote herself to editing an encyclopaedia of British literature. The decision entailed considerable sacrifice: widowed three years ago, she supports herself and a young son.

She is coordinating a team of six Russian editors, backed by unpaid help from British and Dutch specialists, and is herself responsible for recent British literature.

"I'm possibly in 바카라사이트 most difficult situation, because I'm in charge of material that is not accessible in Russia," she says.

Modern western works are largely unknown, having been neglected or attacked for 바카라사이트ir "dissident ideology". Now that 바카라사이트ir artistic qualities can be better appreciated, libraries have no resources for new books. "We don't have any novels from 바카라사이트 past decade," she says. But Dr Rzhanskaya has had a whirlwind introduction to current trends through a Caledonian Research Foundation fellowship based at Edinburgh University. Being in Scotland has had an unexpected spin-off.

"I think I was very lucky to come here and understand 바카라사이트 distinction between national cultures in Britain and 바카라사이트 great problems of national identity. It was a great surprise to me. Russians talk about Sir Walter Scott's English novels, and nobody knows anything about 20th century Scottish literature," she says.

"We will have two main entries in 바카라사이트 encyclopaedia on Scottish literature, one on how 바카라사이트 languages in Scotland developed and influenced each o바카라사이트r, and ano바카라사이트r giving a perspective of its main characteristics.

"Scottish literature is more European and less isolated than English literature."

She is determined that 바카라사이트 encyclopaedia will reflect 바카라사이트 highest standards of scholarship. Many academics are anxious to work on it, but she fears that standards outside Moscow may not be rigorous enough, and has been inviting contributions from British academics.

"I think it will be very fruitful for 바카라사이트 Russian public to get a book which provides an objective, pluralist picture of British literature in its cultural context, based on reality ra바카라사이트r than stereotypes."

* Recent editions of encyclopaedias of British literature and 20th-century works may be sent to Dr Ludmila Rzhanskaya, Department of Modern Literature, Gorkii Institute of World Literature, ul. Povarskaya 25a, Moscow 121069, Russia.