A new initiative, the first of its kind in Europe, aims to deepen understanding of the language, literature and culture of Ukraine by advancing fresh and innovative approaches to research.
A new initiative, the first of its kind in Europe, aims to deepen understanding of the language, literature and culture of Ukraine by advancing fresh and innovative approaches to research.
The historic permeability of Ukraine’s territorial, linguistic and ethnic borders provides an opportunity for us to explore the interdependency of the cultures of Eastern Europe and the Black Sea region.
Rory Finnin
Its territorial borders define the eastern boundaries of the European Union, and its state language is spoken by over 40 million people worldwide. Yet Ukraine, Europe’s second-largest country, remains a relatively unknown quantity in British universities. Now, thanks to a generous donation from Mr Dmitry Firtash, Ukrainian Studies has been launched in the Faculty of Modern and Medieval Languages under the leadership of Rory Finnin, newly arrived from Columbia University, New York. Trained in comparative literature, Finnin centres his research on the interplay of literature and national identity in Ukraine.
‘Ukraine is in an important geopolitical position at the crossroads between East and West,’ said Finnin. ‘It has a vibrant literary tradition and a lively culture which, since its independence in 1991, has really begun to explore new directions. This is a very exciting time for scholars of Ukrainian literature and culture, and it’s an excellent time for Cambridge to be formulating a programme to study this remarkable country.’
Although the initiative focuses on Ukraine’s language, literature and culture, Finnin aims to foster a broader exchange with researchers from various disciplines that will enrich the study of Slavic and Turkic cultures, as well as nationalism and post-colonialism. ‘The historic permeability of Ukraine’s territorial, linguistic and ethnic borders provides an opportunity for us to explore the interdependency of the cultures of Eastern Europe and the Black Sea region,’ explained Finnin. ‘An interdisciplinary approach is being true to the region itself, whose historical reality is largely one of tolerance and cross-cultural penetration.’
Rory Finnin will work closely with CamCREES, the Cambridge Committee for Russian and East-European Studies, which facilitates interdisciplinary collaboration among scholars of the region, as well as the Centre for Research in the Arts, Social Sciences and Humanities (CRASSH).
‘I am delighted that this initiative has given Cambridge an opportunity to explore such a complex and fascinating country,’ said Simon Franklin, Professor of Slavonic Studies in the Faculty of Modern and Medieval Languages. ‘Not only will it benefit Cambridge but it will undoubtedly promote the study of Ukraine further afield, in the UK and beyond.’
For more information, please contact Rory Finnin (ref35@cam.ac.uk)
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Licence. If you use this content on your site please link back to this page.
