Scholar of nationalism delivers Petryshyn Lecture at Harvard (04/05/98)

Scholar of nationalism delivers Petryshyn Lecture at Harvard

by Lilianna Hentosh

CAMBRIDGE, MAss. - Dr. John A. Armstrong, professor emeritus of political science, the University of Wisconsin-Madison, and the recipient last year of the American Association for the Advancement of Slavic Studies' Distinguished Contribution Award for his many scholarly works, delivered the 1988 Vasyl and Maria Petryshyn Memorial Lecture.

Among his numerous influential books on the study of nationalism are "Ukrainian Nationalism, 1939-1945" and "Nations Before Nationalism." Each of these books, along with numerous other books and articles, has shaped the way two generations of scholars have approached the study of nationalism in general, and the study of Ukrainian nationalism, in particular.

It was for this reason that a large crowd of faculty, students and community members assembled on March 12 to hear Prof. Armstrong's lecture, "Independent Ukraine in the World Arena: Prospects for the Republic and Implications for Studies." Prof. Armstrong focused on several aspects of contemporary international relations that concern Ukraine. Beginning with a survey of Ukraine's relationship with its neighbors, Prof. Armstrong praised the dramatic improvement of relations with Poland, a country transformed over the past 50 years - with the assistance of the intelligentsia on both sides - from a threatening neighbor to a useful ally.

He went on to discuss Ukraine's relations with its southern neighbors - including Moldova and Romania - and the signifance of the GUAM alliance, an informal policy grouping initiated by Ukraine together with Georgia, Azerbaijan and Moldova. The main goal of this alliance, as Prof. Armstrong stressed, is to prevent Russian domination in the realm of energy resources.

Noting the current energy shortfalls in Ukraine, Armstrong predicted that foreign policy initiatives like GUAM will only intensify with time, as Ukraine searches for foreign partners to help reduce Russian leverage over its external and internal affairs. The main Ukrainian assets in such a partnership would be its ports on the Black Sea, which could be used for the processing and transportation of energy resources from Azerbaijan, Kazakstan and Iran for use domestically and for export to Europe. Such an arrangement would not only resolve Ukraine's energy problem but could provide much-needed hard currency.

Prof. Armstrong concluded his presentation by reflecting on the decline of interest in Eastern European studies. Not wanting to end on a sad note, the scholar encouraged those in the audience to employ broad, comparative approaches to analyzing events in the region, without losing an appreciation for those characteristics - language, religion, culture - that make the region unique.