Return to Research about the Country?

Abstract

The Russian state is systematically working to indoctrinate the population with an image of history that is suitable as a basis for the nationalist imperial war policies currently being pursued. Independent historical scholarship in Russia is increasingly subject to intimidation and threats. In light of these developments, research conducted outside Russia must take on new responsibilities. In order to address specific topics and to counter the historical ‘clutter’ that is widespread in Russia, independent research on Russian and Soviet history, of the kind that can probably only be conducted outside Russia for the foreseeable future, is needed more than ever. After three decades of fruitful cooperation, it would blatantly contradict the view of modern Eastern European studies to return to research “about the country” as was once conducted during the Cold War. To mitigate this risk, Russian and Belarusian scholars forced to leave their country must be offered support and the chance to participate in applications for third-party funding projects in order to give them a voice and the opportunity to actively contribute to research with their potential and their irreplaceable internal perspective on their own country.