INTERVIEW: Struk on NTSh future (09/21/97)

INTERVIEW: Struk on NTSh future

The interview below with Prof. Danylo Husar Struk was conducted in Toronto by Dr. Marta Dyczok.

Q: What are your plans for the NTSh?

A: NTSh is the oldest Ukrainian scholarly society with a great tradition. My plans are to give it a new impetus so that the Sarcelles-based European branch does not wither. I want to bring in more French-based Ukrainian scholars and some French scholars interested in Ukraine.

I would also like to consolidate the membership from other West European countries, since the European branch of NTSh embraces scholars in all of Europe, excluding Ukraine. I am also committed to the continuation of the encyclopedia project. I will give full support to the ongoing Ukrainian-language Encyclopedia of Contemporary Ukraine project, whose editor-in-chief is Dr. Arkady Zhukovsky. A French-language version of the five-volume Encyclopedia of Ukraine will also eventually be undertaken.

For the longer stretch, I would like to establish an Institute of Ukrainian Studies in France (IUSF) with the NTSh as one of its sponsors.

Knowledge of Ukraine and Ukrainians in France is minimal. This is basically a great loss for Ukraine, a country that could only benefit from a closer interaction with France.

Equal to France in size, Ukraine has all of the potential to become "the France of the East" and could learn much from France's economic virtual self-sufficiency and from its ability to preserve, develop and promote its culture, history and natural beauty.

Despite a historical relationship dating back to the 11th century, when our Kyivan princess, Anna Yaroslavna, became the queen of France, France has been much more preoccupied with Ukraine's former oppressors (Russia and Poland) than with Ukraine.

Only a concerted Ukrainian academic and cultural presence in France can, with a determined effort and in time, change France's attitude toward Ukraine. This will not happen by itself, it must be nurtured and promoted. An institute such as the one I propose to set up could initiate and develop such attitudinal changes.

Initially, the IUSF would need to be seen as separate from Ukraine and as an academic institution firmly entrenched in France. In due course, however, it could become the beachhead for Ukraine, especially for its culture and scholarship.

It is my intention to seek help for this from the National Academy of Sciences in Ukraine, the Canadian Institute of Ukrainian Studies and the Harvard Ukrainian Research Institute.

The National Academy of Sciences in Ukraine, though financially insolvent at the present time, could eventually consider the proposed institute as its West European outpost.

The two North American institutes would provide the necessary models, advice, academic and financial support to help the proposed institute get on its feet. All of the above institutions would be encouraged to send scholars to work and do research at IUSF together with French scholars studying Ukraine and French-Ukrainian relations.

The aims of the proposed institute would be to study Ukraine in various disciplines; to publish studies in French, Ukrainian and English; to create a milieu in France for meetings between French and Ukrainian scholars; and to present Ukrainian scholarship and culture to the French.

Specific projects would include the NTSh's Encyclopedia of Contemporary Ukraine, the French-language Encyclopedia of Ukraine, and a series of conferences on relations between France and Ukraine in the sphere of economics and culture.

Ideally, of course, the institute could be funded from the proceeds of an endowment. It is my intent to seek a donor or donors for such a major endowment. One hopes that there will be a Ukrainian Carnegie, Ford or Mellon who will be keen in immortalizing his/her name in such an institute or such a foundation. Meanwhile I will try to raise funds wherever possible.

Q: What is NTSh Europe's financial situation?

A: Finances are a difficult matter. This year's operating budget will have a shortfall of around $25,000. The dues for the 86-odd members are set at 100 Francs a year (roughly $20 U.S.) and not all members pay.

Today the major funding comes from work on the encyclopedia. The Encyclopedia of Ukraine Foundation in Toronto and the Friends of the Encyclopedia of Ukraine in the United States basically support the society, which for many years has been primarily engaged in encyclopedic work. Without funding from the above two foundations all work would cease.

Two areas that need considerable improvement are the sale of publications (which unfortunately are minimal) and from donations, which I hope to encourage.

Q: How will you manage a European appointment from Toronto?

A: This is going to be very difficult, but I plan on being in France when I am not teaching, basically the summer months. With the help of my in-house editor at the Encyclopedia of Ukraine, Andrij Makuch, administrative assistant Tania Stech and the use of modern technology (computers, e-mail, fax), I will be able to continue working on the EU update no matter where I am.

When I am in Toronto, the academic secretary of NTSh, Iryna Popovycz, liaises with me through e-mail and fax, and thus everything gets covered. But it is not an ideal way of doing things.

Q: Are you planning to increase relations with the NTSh in Ukraine?

A: Although the NTSh consists of autonomous national branches (Australia, Canada, Europe, U.S. and Ukraine), they are all united under a governing council and in fact create one organization. We will, of course, work as closely as possible with Ukraine, but our work is project-oriented and thus is not based on cooperation with any particular branch of the society, but rather with individual members who are all over the world.

Relations with Ukraine are already quite strong as scholars from the Academy of Sciences (including the academy's vice-president, Prof. Viktor Barakhtiar) frequently visit the complex in Sarcelles, and two meetings of Ukraine's International Encyclopedia of Physics have been held there.

Q: Do you foresee that a revived NTSh could provide much-needed employment for scholars?

A: I certainly hope so. When fully funded at the levels I envision, the IUSF would be staffed by eight full-time researchers. I realize that people make institutions, and institutions develop and often die with the people who created them. If one wants to preserve an institution, one has to give it new life. New life comes not only with new people, but with new aims and goals.

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