Taras Shevchenko National University of Kyiv recently hosted the Fourth International Conference “Shevchenko’s Spring.” The history session featured a presentation of books from The Day’s Library Series. Attended by 185 young historians from all parts of Ukraine and neighboring Moldova, Belarus, and Russia, the conference was designed as an exchange of experience, opinions, and ideas.
It was especially gratifying to note that Ukrainian was the working language of the conference, and the foreign guests had no difficulty understanding their Ukrainian colleagues. The conference, dedicated to the 15th anniversary of Ukraine’s independence, was a forum for discussing historical problems and contradictions. The young historians were familiar with The Day’s history projects, and the presentation turned out to be a continuation of The Day’s ongoing discussion with its readers. After all, as Larysa Ivshyna declared, history is much more important than politics.
Is there enough demand for young Ukrainian historians today? Do they have a fundamental grasp of their field? During the conference it became clear that students are suffocating in their lecture halls, given the shortage of new books, outdated curricula, and no real priorities in the teaching of history, aside from those inherited from the Soviet period. According to the editor of The Day, history needs lobbying support.
“The lack of knowledge of our national history is a national threat. Today we are witnessing individual manifestations of this threat, which leads one to conclude that Ukrainian society lives apart from historians in their lecture halls. Lately it has become obvious that historical studies are being influenced by new trends, but they are still not as strong as we need them to be,” Ivshyna said. Numerous problems, including cutbacks in historical studies at Ukrainian universities, mean that young historians’ demands for knowledge are not being satisfied. The audience’s agreement was palpable. “It is time to air out the house,” the editor said, concluding her speech to the applauding audience.
Most of the historians attending the conference came not just to present their papers, but to share the problems that they are facing in their study of history. They deplored the lack of new sources and difficulties connected to revisiting old ones. Students at many Ukrainian universities are told little about the demand for their future profession. On the contrary, older colleagues claim there is a surplus of historians in Ukraine. This is the wrong approach, as it may deter young specialists from pursuing knowledge and professional advancement in their sphere.
It is clear that young historians need such gatherings, where they can engage in networking and discussions.
Iryna POTSILUIKO, 5th-year history student, Ivan Franko National University of Lviv:
“In my view, only a certain community of people is engaged in history today, but they do it only for themselves. Today the field of history lacks events that would popularize it and institutions that would bring the study of history to the general public. As far as I know, only The Day is doing this, and its series of history books have become my permanent research aids. Communicating with different people, I have become convinced that today people do not love history and have no interest in it. Our number-one task is to get the general public interested. This year’s conference is unquestionably an exchange of what has been accomplished in historical studies to this day.”
Natalia REVA, Bohdan Khmelnytsky National University of Cherkasy:
“Unfortunately, I did not attend any of the past “Shevchenko’s Spring” conferences. This conference impressed me with its high level of organization, the attitude of the organizers, and the interesting subjects that were raised during the plenary and specialized sessions. This conference is proof that the community of young Ukrainian historical researchers has a considerable interest in the problems of history and scholarship in general, the problems of modern society’s development, Ukrainians as a nation, and global problems.
The conference participants, who came from every Ukrainian region and other countries, and especially their numbers, attest to the fact that scholars from abroad are interested in developing new ties, pursuing cultural cooperation, and maintaining existing contacts.
I was pleasantly surprised that such a specialized event attracted the mass media, especially a newspaper of such a caliber as The Day. I have always had an interest in this newspaper because of its view of history, the way that it presents it colorfully, and its popularizing mission. I hope that the tradition started by Kyiv’s Shevchenko National University will be continued every year with an ever increasing number of participants.”
Maryna HRYHORYEVA, Vasyl Karazin National University of Kharkiv:
“A truly serious scholarly has taken place, which enabled me to meet interesting people and establish contacts with people from other universities, especially Kyiv’s National University. I would like such events to take place regularly. In this way we can raise the level of historical education in Ukraine.
In my view, student research and student government are very well developed in Ukraine. The success of the Fourth International Conference is further proof of this. Together with the head of the scholarly association of students and post-graduate students of the Faculty of History at Kyiv’s National University, we plan to create a single scholarly association of Ukrainian history students. This will bring us closer together.
I would like to stress The Day’s significant contribution to Ukrainian historical studies. Today, when most citizens have a rather primitive view of their past, they can use The Day’s books to learn the basics of our history and familiarize themselves with its correct and independent interpretation. As a regular reader of this newspaper, I would like to say that its history columns are a tremendous contribution to the formation of a conscious historical worldview. I am amazed that the chief editor and the journalists of this publication find the time to publish such wonderful, high-quality books on top of their daily issues.”
The Day supports the students’ initiative to create a single scholarly association of Ukrainian history students. We invite all the conference participants to join the historical discussions featured in our columns “Ukraina Incognita” and “History and I.”
Call the editorial office: (044) 414 98 20 or
e-mail: master@day.kiev.ua.
Our history editor is Ihor Siundiukov.
