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Opening Doors in the Decade Ahead: A Report on the Russian Studies Symposium

Stephen Hanson, Director, Herbert J. Ellison Center for Russian, East European, and Central Asian Studies, University of Washington, and former Title VIII-Supported Research Scholar, Kennan Institute; Blair A. Ruble, Director, Kennan Institute

Date & Time

Monday
Mar. 21, 2005
10:00am – 11:00am ET

Overview

At a recent Kennan Institute talk, Stephen Hanson, Director, Herbert J. Ellison Center for Russian, East European, and Central Asian Studies, University of Washington, and former Title VIII-Supported Research Scholar, Kennan Institute; and Blair A. Ruble, Director, Kennan Institute, discussed their report Indispensable Knowledge: Rebuilding Russian Studies for the 21st Century. The report summarizes the results of a November 2004 symposium at the University of Washington in Seattle that brought together people from academia, government, business, and the non-profit sector to discuss the challenges that face the field of Russian studies.

Hanson argued that Russian studies field is heading for a serious crisis. As the last generation of specialists trained and hired in the Soviet era reach retirement age, universities are not hiring new Russia specialists to replace them. While some readjustment of priorities after the Cold War was to be expected, he said, if Russian studies continues down this path, American understanding of a vital region of the world will be severely undermined. According to Hanson, three separate developments since 1991 have combined to create this crisis in Russian studies: the shift of U.S. political priorities away from Russia and toward threats arising from the Islamic world; the decline in academic respectability of area studies in general, and widespread popular stereotypes of Russia as a weak and unstable country.

The decline of Russian studies constitutes a national problem, Hanson argued, rather than simply a natural shift of priorities, because Russia is still a very important country for many reasons, including: its geopolitical position; its stockpiles of weapons of mass destruction; its crucial role in world energy markets; the global threats posed by drugs, human trafficking, and infectious diseases in Russia; the global opportunity to benefit from the contributions of Russia's educated population; and the potential Russian contribution to understanding of the human condition.

Ruble noted that it appears strange that Americans have stopped caring about Russia in spite of all the evidence of its importance. He argued that the primary reason for this indifference is simple fatigue. After half a century of being preoccupied with Russia, academics and policymakers in the U.S. were eager to call the Russia problem solved and move on to other things. Russia does not fit into any of the neat boxes we try to fit it in, he said, making it a difficult place to study. To become a Russia specialist requires years of training in language, culture, and history, which universities and government agencies are becoming less willing to support.

Ruble concluded with suggestions on how the field of Russian studies can survive in the post-Cold War era. First, he explained, educators and funders should encourage the teaching of Russian language and culture at as early a stage as possible. Today, most students learn Russian as part of their undergraduate or graduate education, but starting Russian language training in elementary or high school would bring new interest to the field and free up graduate students for a more intensive study of an academic discipline. Second, he continued, Russian studies should conceive of itself as extending beyond the bounds of U.S. universities and reach out to American and Russian academics, businesspeople, and citizens. Russian studies programs should focus less on granting Ph.D.s and more on Master's Degree programs that will prepare students for careers in government and business. Finally, Ruble argued, graduate and professional training in Russian studies should foster the development of a single community that incorporates specialists from around the world, from diverse professional and disciplinary groups, and at all educational levels.

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Kennan Institute

The Kennan Institute is the premier US center for advanced research on Russia and Eurasia and the oldest and largest regional program at the Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars. The Kennan Institute is committed to improving American understanding of Russia, Ukraine, Central Asia, the Caucasus, and the surrounding region though research and exchange.  Read more

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