aaus-list @ ukrainianstudies.org -- [aaus-list] Slavic - no? Eurasian - yes? (fwd)

[M T Znayenko <znayenko@andromeda.rutgers.edu>]

Dear Colleagues. This is for your information.  Larissa Onyshkevych 
attended the AAASS Presidential Plenary session and sent me the report
below. If you feel that AAUS should respond formally to this issue, we 
can draft a letter to AAASS based on this report. Of course, if you 
yourself have any ideas how to address this issue even more effectively, 
please let us know. M-slava 
-------------------------
During the recent AAASS Convention in Salt Lake City there was a 
Presidential Plenary Session in the form of a round table.   It was held 
on Nov. 3 at 8:30PM.   Since it was at such a relatively late hour, not 
too many people were present (between 27-32).  I was the only AAUS member 
there.

     The title of the round table was:
     "What's in a Name?  Does 'AAASS' Say What We Really Are?".

The issue raised was that perhaps the name "AAASS" does not  represent the
academic interests of its members.
If this point of view is supported by the majority of members,  it could
lead to a change in the AAASS name (as was stated in the Convention
program, p. 11).

There were 6  panelists; most were in political science, economics, and
history, primarily of non-Slavic countries,  i.e., they were not just
"Slavists".  Most panelists suggested either to:
       1. change the name completely and replace "Slavic Studies"  with
          "EURASIAN"
             OR
       2. keep "SLAVIC STUDIES" and add the term "EURASIAN."

One panelist claimed that "Slavic Studies" was some sort of cold-war
construct.   However, no one discussed the history of the term "Eurasia"
or its political implications whether over a 100 years ago or now (since its
recent revival in Russia).

When the issue was brought up that by taking away "Slavic Studies"  from
the name "AAASS," Slavic specialists might be excluded, a comment was
made that "they will still have AATSEEL"!

At the end of the session, a vote was taken whether the name "AAASS"
should be changed at a later date, and to include "Eurasian" in it.
About 26 people were for the change, only 2 were against.

I was informed recently, that in the March issue of AAASS Newsnet there
will be a discussion of the possible name change, to be followed by a
vote.

I believe, that AAUS members should be aware of this proposal for the
following reasons:

     1. If "Slavic Studies" is eliminated from the name and is substituted
     by the term "Eurasian,"  then the focus will be primarily on "Eurasia",
     i. e.,  Russia and  Central Asia.

     2. This in turn, may limit the future place/role of Ukrainian Studies
       and the participation of AAUS in AAASS.

     3. It appears, that international political considerations are now
affecting scholarly approaches and even linguistic assignations.  Now, one
may even find Ukrainian language listed under the heading  "Eurasian
Languages" (see list of recent Fulbright-Hays grant recipients).
Such political classifications are not exactly scholarly.  In practice,
the above proposal ("Slavic" - no, "Eurasia" - yes) would divide the
Slavic world into two, as if putting a barrier between Ukraine and the West
and South Slavic world.  In effect, this would "contain"  Ukraine, and 
thus Ukrainian studies, within the ghetto of Russian-speaking countries 
and cultures.
This  would break up Slavic Studies per se.

  Since AAUS is an affiliate member of AAASS,  I believe that AAUS members
  should be aware of this situation. For decades,  Slavic Studies have had a
  respectable scholarly tradition within AAASS.  And now?

  Larissa Onyshkevych


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