aaus-list @ ukrainianstudies.org -- [aaus-list] "Eurasia" (fwd)

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

---------- Forwarded message ----------
Date: Fri, 16 Dec 2005 11:09:14 -0500
From: "Verdery, Katherine" <KVerdery@gc.cuny.edu>
To: znayenko@andromeda.rutgers.edu
Subject: "Eurasia"

Dear Dr Znayenko,

I would appreciate your posting this reply to the AAUS list.  In it I respond to a couple of the statements in your and Laryssa Onyschkevych's reports on the "name change" issue at the AAASS plenary.

First, I welcome the opportunity to discuss these matters.  It's been too long since our members have seriously considered the name of the organization -- a name that many of us have considered problematic for a long time. (I, for instance, work in Romania, so "Slavic Studies" does not describe what I do.  Many people commented to me that it was odd to have a Romanian specialist as president of AAASS.)

Second, the Presidential Plenary has always been on Thursday evening; precisely because of the poor attendance not only this year but for a number of prior meetings, we have decided to move it to the noon hour for subsequent conventions.

Third, it is UNTRUE that those present voted in favor of a name change that would include "Eurasia".  The large majority of those present voted to change the name; there was NO VOTE on what the name should be, or whether Eurasia should be in it.  I purposely did not try to make any decision about what the name should be, because there were too few people in attendance and the issue has to be more widely discussed.  Your contributions to this discussion are just what we need.

Fourth, it is also not true that most of the 6 panelists were in political science, economics, and
history, primarily of non-Slavic countries.  There were six people representing all 6 disciplines (Literature, pol. sci, anthropology, sociology, economics, and history (represented by a political scientist who had just published a well regarded history book); only one of those people had never worked in any "Slavic" country.

Fifth, after 1991, a large number of organizations and institutes decided to change their names to reflect the new realities.  In these changes, the term "Eurasia" was widely adopted.  For example, the National Council for Soviet and East European Studies became the National Council for Eurasian and East European Studies; a number of university Title VI centers made the same move, as did the State Department's Title VI program.  Thus, the idea that AAASS might follow suit has some precedent.  In none of these changes has there been any thought whatever that this term will exclude Ukraine.

Again, I appreciate your participation in this discussion, and getting the facts straight will facilitate that.

Regards,
Katherine Verdery

Fifth