April 18, 2023

De-Russianization of UK Institutions


De-Russianization of UK Institutions
Entrance to the Pushkin House, London. Pushkin House Rafy, Wikimedia Commons.

Since the start of Putin's war, many in the West have been given cause to rethink their perspective on Russian literature and culture. This debate is reflected, as The Moscow Times reports, in pressure mounting against London's Pushkin House to change its name.

Self-described as a Russian "independent cultural center," Pushkin House has existed since 1954 and is the oldest and most significant institution of its kind in the UK. On the anniversary of the invasion in February 2023, the organization released a statement relaying the perspectives of various writers and academics on its continued operations.

Though the House is praised for, for instance, its role as "a vital space for reflection, interrogation and debate" during the war, University College London professor Dr. Michał Murawski calls for change, beginning with a symbolic "de-Pushkinization." For him, Pushkin's image now merely serves "to justify, decorate, conceal or smokescreen the trans-historical, unceasing Russian reality of war, rape, murder, and genocide."

Many in the UK believe that studying Russian culture is inappropriate at this time. The London-based Russian and Eastern European culture magazine Calvert Journal ceased operations as the invasion began in February 2022, stating that "we cannot in good conscience continue our work ... like business as usual."

Others, however, fear that such efforts are ultimately reductive. University of Glasgow lecturer Ammon Cheskin recently argued to The Moscow Times that there is fear that the future of Russian Studies will be "students who see Russia as the enemy and want to study the enemy."

Ultimately, reconciling Russian studies with the Russian government's weaponization of culture may only be possible in retrospect. As The Moscow Times writes, "The fate of Russian studies as a discipline hinges on the outcome of the war."

You Might Also Like

Moscow on the Thames
  • September 01, 2010

Moscow on the Thames

History would have been much different if Queen Elizabeth had accepted a proposal from Ivan IV in the sixteenth century. Nonetheless, London today bears the stamp of centuries of Russo-British interaction.
Goodbye, Pushkin!
  • April 11, 2023

Goodbye, Pushkin!

The Ukrainian city of Poltava will remove statues of Pushkin and two Soviet generals following residents' protests.
Like this post? Get a weekly email digest + member-only deals

Some of our Books

The Pet Hawk of the House of Abbas
October 01, 2013

The Pet Hawk of the House of Abbas

This exciting new trilogy by a Russian author – who has been compared to Orhan Pamuk and Umberto Eco – vividly recreates a lost world, yet its passions and characters are entirely relevant to the present day. Full of mystery, memorable characters, and non-stop adventure, The Pet Hawk of the House of Abbas is a must read for lovers of historical fiction and international thrillers.

 
Woe From Wit (bilingual)
June 20, 2017

Woe From Wit (bilingual)

One of the most famous works of Russian literature, the four-act comedy in verse Woe from Wit skewers staid, nineteenth century Russian society, and it positively teems with “winged phrases” that are essential colloquialisms for students of Russian and Russian culture.

The Moscow Eccentric
December 01, 2016

The Moscow Eccentric

Advance reviewers are calling this new translation "a coup" and "a remarkable achievement." This rediscovered gem of a novel by one of Russia's finest writers explores some of the thorniest issues of the early twentieth century.

Little Golden Calf
February 01, 2010

Little Golden Calf

Our edition of The Little Golden Calf, one of the greatest Russian satires ever, is the first new translation of this classic novel in nearly fifty years. It is also the first unabridged, uncensored English translation ever, and is 100% true to the original 1931 serial publication in the Russian journal 30 Dnei. Anne O. Fisher’s translation is copiously annotated, and includes an introduction by Alexandra Ilf, the daughter of one of the book’s two co-authors.

Steppe
July 15, 2022

Steppe

This is the work that made Chekhov, launching his career as a writer and playwright of national and international renown. Retranslated and updated, this new bilingual edition is a super way to improve your Russian.

Marooned in Moscow
May 01, 2011

Marooned in Moscow

This gripping autobiography plays out against the backdrop of Russia's bloody Civil War, and was one of the first Western eyewitness accounts of life in post-revolutionary Russia. Marooned in Moscow provides a fascinating account of one woman's entry into war-torn Russia in early 1920, first-person impressions of many in the top Soviet leadership, and accounts of the author's increasingly dangerous work as a journalist and spy, to say nothing of her work on behalf of prisoners, her two arrests, and her eventual ten-month-long imprisonment, including in the infamous Lubyanka prison. It is a veritable encyclopedia of life in Russia in the early 1920s.

At the Circus
January 01, 2013

At the Circus

This wonderful novella by Alexander Kuprin tells the story of the wrestler Arbuzov and his battle against a renowned American wrestler. Rich in detail and characterization, At the Circus brims with excitement and life. You can smell the sawdust in the big top, see the vivid and colorful characters, sense the tension build as Arbuzov readies to face off against the American.

About Us

Russian Life is a publication of a 30-year-young, award-winning publishing house that creates a bimonthly magazine, books, maps, and other products for Russophiles the world over.

Latest Posts

Our Contacts

Russian Life
73 Main Street, Suite 402
Montpelier VT 05602

802-223-4955