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Brief von Prof. Dr. Michael Denner (Stetson University)

Dear Colleagues!

I am writing you as a professor of Russian Studies, at Stetson University, a program in a small liberal-arts college in DeLand, Florida, United States. Our program at Stetson is vital, dynamic, and an integral part of our identity. Our students go on to graduate study at the best universities in the United States and Europe; they go on to be teachers of history, politics, and literature at our secondary and post-secondary institutions; they go on to teach Russian literature and language at the university level; they go on to work in business and international relations.

I have learned that the University of Basel is considering the elimination of its Slavic Studies program. It amazes me that a small school (2000 students!) in a relatively remote corner of the United States can support a Russian program, and yet one of the best universities in the heart of Europe sees its way to dismantling a large, vital program that has contributed much to Europe's knowledge of Russia and Eastern Europe, especially at a time when Europe is so deeply engrossed in understanding its own limits and identity. Slavic languages and cultures (and they are all tightly interwoven while maintaining their own identities) are the largest in Europe, in both population and geographic area, I don't, need to cite the importance of Russian and Slavic cultures -their figures and accomplishments are part of universal culture. How can the University of Basel, a university in a country the very essence of which is based on mutual respect and knowledge, turn its back, on its neighbors and on the wealth of world civilization?

I know that these are challenging times: scarce resources are becoming even scarcer. However, I urge you to consider all the options you have. Cuts to larger programs are often more easily absorbed than cuts to smaller programs. A program once dismantled is nearly impossible to reconstitute.

i urge you to take whatever steps you can to preserve the quality of the excellent program in Slavic studies at the University of Basel in order to maintain your university's excellent commitment to international education.

If you have any questions about this letter, please do not hesitate to contact me.

Sincerely, Michael Denner

Russian Studies Program
Stetson University

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