Translated material
“This will no longer be a rollback to the scoop, but by returning to the caves.” Medievist Oleg Voskobobonikov - about a catastrophe in the humanities and manifestations of the Middle Ages in Russia
The Russian invasion of Ukraine caused a new wave of emigration of scientists. Among the departed - one of the most famous Russian medievists, a specialist in the culture and art of the medieval West, an ordinary professor of the Higher School of Economics, co -founder of the Stradarium project Oleg Voskobobonikov. He is sure that the gap with the Western education system will negatively affect the Russian humanitarian environment. Farida Kurbangaleeva talked with Voskoboinikov about the refusal of Russian universities from the Bologna system, the end of the era of liberalism, the problems of Russian scientists abroad and the manifestations of the Middle Ages in modern Russia.
" If the war is delayed for years, there will be nothing"
- Medipvysty is a rather apolitical part of the story in the modern context. Why did you leave Russia if you probably could stay?
- Yes, I could and I can stay. Like many, I am not yet ready to consider myself an emigrant. The program "Medieviki", which we opened in the tower of 2018, is far from politics and hot topics. But we built it so that it raises tolerance - the ability to see someone else's civilization without its own prejudices, this is its humanistic meaning. And the humanism in Russia inflicted a heavy blow in Russia.
Like many who left at the very beginning, it was an instinctive step, and not too thoughtful. And it was at the level of intellectual guts: I could not and could not live in the country that wages war.
Two days before the start of the war, my son at school played a quiz. The class was divided into three teams, and one of the teams called itself “Stalinata” - I don’t know who suggested that, but I was precipitated. Until February 24, I rarely swore, and now it has become normal. In this mood, I met on February 23, and then crashed. It became clear that something needs to be done with this.
But I still hope to return, despite the disappointing news. And if you have to stay outside the country, I hope that Russia will not be completely blocked from the outside and from the inside, and I will have an intellectual connection with it.
Although I handed over the leadership of the “mediastism” to an old friend, an excellent scientist, but the magistracy is my brainchild, I am responsible for each of the guys. In addition, I am a member of the scientific council of the tower and a number of commissions, therefore I feel responsibility for the entire university. Although we do not have irreplaceable, and at all levels. We know this from the story with Mau. But in any case, in the human plan I have something to lose.
- What do you think about the arrest of Vladimir Mau? Many considered it a sign that the system began to plant even loyalists, because he signed the letter of rector in support of the special operation.
- Of course, that's why there is so much noise. RANEPA is a great university, and Mau is a smartest person. I never talked with him, although we have many common friends, I know that at least they respect him. But as the [political scientist Kirill] Rogov put it, "do not play with a line in cards." Mau is a part of the very power that, if it has not yet eaten, then threatened him great. Yes, this is a very unpleasant signal to which many reacted a reasonable question: who is in line?
I would be glad if the tower-by some collective letter, for example-publicly stood up for it. But this does not happen. Although this happened: they stood up for both the European University and for Shaninka . For Zueva (Sergey Zuev, the rector of the Moscow Higher School of Social and Economic Sciences, accused of embezzlement of budget funds. - Republic ), however, there was nothing.
- The tower has not supported teachers with opposition views for a long time, many of them have not extended contracts. Have you felt repression at the faculty of humanities?
- This is a delicate question. For me, as a member of the academic council, to point a finger at the authorities with a rather strange gesture. But I can’t deny that I personally did not read with a dozen people close to me and interesting teachers before the war, when it was already smelling of a faded. For example, the Institute of Humanitarian Historical and Theoretical Research (Igity) lost many.
Specifically, at our faculty, I do not remember repression. There have never been to the leadership, there were no boaters and in general slander - I can definitely say that. But it must also be borne in mind that there is simply no ideal power.
Yes, the left was pulled out of the tower, but they also pulled out Oleg Matveychev, a philosopher who went to the State Duma.
In general, what is happening reminds me of the situation after the October Revolution and to the Second World War inclusive. When the Bolsheviks reformatted the country, disciplines were injured, which suggest socially significant thought - humanities, science about society, jurisprudence, economics. From them, society expects a political position, and in a free country we all have the right to express it.
In Russia, such illusions died long before the current events, and state institutions are obliged to consolidate the death of these illusions with specific actions. At the same time, I still play for the university outside of politics. Political propaganda in a university audience in any form - both right and left to the left.
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