by Olha Stasiuk
It was a rainy day in July 2020. After the first lecture by Professor Serhii Bilenky (an online lecture, unfortunately, because of COVID-19), my classmates and I stayed in the Zoom meeting a bit longer. We wanted to learn something new about each other and share our reflections about the first lecture. There were people from different countries, of different ages; they had diverse backgrounds and experiences. Some of them (including myself) were Ukrainian graduates or postgraduates. Suddenly, the question popped up: Why do Ukrainian students join HUSI if they studied Ukrainian history and literature before? Why cross the ocean (even virtually) for seven weeks to explore your own country?
I had an answer at that moment: I was looking for new approaches and methodologies. However, after finishing HUSI 2020, I understood that there are many more reasons for Ukrainian undergraduates, graduates, and postgraduates to participate in HUSI.
New perspective on things you already know
When I chose the course about the 19th and 20th centuries in Ukraine, I was aware that some materials would be familiar. I studied that period in school, memorized all the facts for exams before entering the university, and studied the same periods in my BA and MA programs in History. However, HUSI provided a new way of looking at well-known events and personalities. We discovered deep connections between events, compared them with world history, and read articles by foreign historians who were not well known in Ukraine. Moreover, in Prof. George Grabowicz’s course on Ukrainian literature in the 20th century, we read many writers who were not in the school or university curriculum.
Challenging the past
The discussions were an essential part of the courses. However, they could be challenging; in HUSI, we spoke about topics that are muted or just avoided in Ukraine because of the political circumstances. For instance, it is not common to talk about the collaboration with Nazis, the pogroms of Jews’ houses, or writers who supported the Soviet government. At the same time, most Ukraine curricula cannot avoid the victimization of the history and glorification of some figures. Ukrainian students need to learn from HUSI how to deal with such things.
The magnitude of new materials
During each course, we had to read a lot. Professor George Grabowicz created a spectacular canon of prose and poetry for the Ukrainian literature class. We discovered many articles by foreign historians, anthropologists, even the 19th and 20th centuries sources. At the same time, we had access to Harvard Library and other catalogs with articles, books, and documents. Unfortunately, such access to world-class researches is not possible in Ukrainian universities. I regret that we could not visit the famous Harvard library because of COVID-19, but future students will have the chance to do it!
It’s Harvard!
Does it seem a bit obvious? ‘Harvard’ means world-class education and professors, even during the short seven-week program. It also means different activities to explore more. I liked the additional lectures on Fridays when we participated in public conferences at the Harvard Ukrainian Studies Institute. Finally, the high standard of education always means a challenge and a lot of work! The midterm papers and final exams demand a lot of time and effort, as well as daily lectures and discussions.
And the academic superstars of Harvard Ukrainian Research Institute! Ukrainian students know the famous Harvard professors, such as Serhii Plokhii or George Grabowicz. I remember the last time Professor Plokhii came to my Ukrainian university: the lecture room was full of people who wanted to see him. It is incredible to attend lectures by such ‘superstars’ or even have a course with them.
A community of people interested in Ukraine
This was the most fantastic part of HUSI for me. There are many reasons people took part in HUSI: for academic records, because of family or working background, etc. However, they are all interested in Ukraine, discussing controversial topics, and learning more about its culture and literature. Looking from the outside, non-Ukrainians have their own experience of visiting the country or reading about its history. It was so interesting to hear all their stories. At the same time, it is inspiring and motivating to explore your own country more.
To conclude, HUSI brings you a new experience in studying, communicating, and preparing for future research. Do not hesitate to start a new page with HUSI Summer School. Just do it!