The Present Status of Medieval Slavic Studies in the USA and Canada

Abstract

I propose to talk about the present institutional base for Medieval Slavic Studies as a profession in North America. In many ways I am a confirmed Aristotelian, not the least in insisting-as against Plato-that virtue and excellence are absolutely impossible in the complete absence of material resources. For a learned profession such as Medieval Slavic Studies, these material resources are (a) trained scholars, (b) primary sources for them to work on, and (c) the cash and the caretakers necessary to maintain the institutions that house, perpetuate, and conserve these sources and these scholars. Here we touch on questions that have interested me deeply since the very first years of my professional life. The picture that I will paint for you-I paint it as I see it in my mind's eye-is in chiaroscuro: there are masses of darkness, but also much brilliant, shining light; and the light shines largely due to the efforts of a small number of extremely dedicated individuals, who have heroically labored to do more with skimpy material resources than one might reasonably expect.1 I shall begin with the darker elements of the picture, then turn to the lighter ones, and end with desiderata for the future.