Finale and Fresh Start for Philology
Prospects for Literary Slavonic Studies
Deutsche Fassung
Abstract
The significance of Slavonic Studies at German universities is strongly influenced by the political climate. Despite the opening of Europe to the east over the past 25 years, academia’s preoccupation with the small Slavs has remained marginal. Nonetheless, current conditions are very good: Slavonic Studies introduced the methodical reflection of philological interpretation to literary studies and now functions as a transit point for theories from east and west. Slavonic Studies stands out among the academic disciplines of philological and historical faculties because of its foundation in literary theory and its interpretative skills in cultural studies. This is an opportunity for the discipline to distinguish itself independent of the political climate.
(Osteuropa 2-3/2013, pp. 31–54)