TEACHING UKRAINIAN STUDIES IN THE USA IN 2024: EXPERIENCE, TRENDS, PROSPECTS (ON THE EXAMPLE OF HIGHER EDUCATIONAL INSTITUTIONS IN THE STATE OF MINNESOTA)

DOI 10.17721/2521-1706.2025.19.13

Oleksandr Komarenko,

Ph. D. (History), Associate Professor, the University of Minnesota,

Minneapolis – St. Paul, USA

ORCID: https://orcid.org/0009-0004-2066-6624

Abstract. The article is devoted to the study, analysis and generalization of the teaching system of Ukrainian Studies in a number of US universities, the role and place of which has grown significantly in the light of the full-scale Russian-Ukrainian war. As a main example, the University of Minnesota (Minneapolis – St. Paul), where the author was invited as a visiting professor during the academic year 2024 to conduct teaching and research work. The specifics of teaching at Carleton College (Northfield) and the University of St. Thomas (St. Paul) were also analyzed and summarized.

Conclusion. It has been proven that American universities are interested in attracting visiting professors to teach those disciplines and lecture courses that, although not a priority for a typical American higher education institution, are relevant, topical and interesting for both students and professors, as well as for the local community, which convincingly showed the positive experience of teaching courses and individual lectures on the most pressing problems of the history of Ukraine, as well as key moments of the history of Eastern Europe and the European Union in the light of the war in Ukraine. The complete lack of funds, which is one of the consequences of the war for Ukrainian universities, forces them to count on the financing of the trips of their professors exclusively by the American Party, which, against the background of the global reduction in the funding of the humanitarian sphere, forces them, in addition to agreements with the host Party, to search for possible sponsorship assistance.

Key words: U.S., Minnesota, Ukraine, university, Minneapolis – Saint Paul, Ukrainian studies in the USA.

Submitted: 30.01.2025

Download

References:

  1. Mashevskyi,O. (2017). Scientific and methodological seminar at the Faculty of History «Problems of research and teaching of directions: American studies and European studies». European historical studies: scientific journal, 6, 250–253. DOI: http://doi.org/10.17721/2524-048X.2017.06.139-147/.  [In Ukrainian].
  2. Mashevskyi,, & Sukhobokova, O. (2020). Sharing America’s story with Ukraine: the Voice of America’s Ukrainian Service, 1949–2019: collection of scientific articles and materials on the history of the Ukrainian service «Voice of America». American History and Politics, 9, 154–163. DOI: 10.17721/2521-1706.2020.09.14. [In Ukrainian].
  3. Mashevskyi, О., & Sukhobokova, О. (2022). «American Studies and European Studies» KNU unites scientists: scientific conference on the occaszion of the 30th anniversary Ukrainian-American relations. American History and Politics, 13, 83–88. http://surl.li/djexk. [Іn Ukrainian].
  4. Mashevskyi,, & Sukhobokova, O. (2019). «American Meetings» – educational and research project of the «Ukrainian Association of American Studies» and the Faculty of History of Taras Shevchenko National University. American History and Politics, 8, 88–97.  DOI: 10.17721/2521-1706.2019.08.09.  [In Ukrainian].