His path. Remembering Stephen Cohen
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Close and friends knew that Stephen Cohen had a CD with a dozen variations of the song "My Way", from Billy Bragg to Frank Sinatra. Therefore, it was natural to connect the name of our memorial book with the path of Stephen. His departure caused a huge number of condolences and responses in the public and academic environments of many countries of the world. However, and a year later, it is difficult to realize the loss of an outstanding American scientist, his contribution to historical science, pedagogy, the development of relations between the United States and Russia.
The authors turn primarily to the facts of life and fate that the historian and political scientist from others are disagreement with the point of view that the Soviet Union arose in 1917 by illegitimate way, the opening of this Bukharin, the influence on the architects of the Soviet restructuring, and evidence The fact that the Soviet Union was not doomed to death and could be reformed. Finally, you can still recall the performance at the 1989 demonstration on Red Square - a unique case for a foreign scientist, his friendship with the Larin -Bukharin family. What other historian will be so deeply immersed in the past of the family, which will perceive him as a close relative.
At the same time, despite the appeal to the similar facts of Stephen"s life, each author of the book makes his own emphasis-for someone, the development of NEP as alternatives to Stalinism or a special "Princeton approach" to high politics 1920-1930 x are important Years, others are more interested in the life of those who returned after the Gulag, dissent and fate of dissenters, the comprehensive support of A.V. Antonova-Ovseenko in the creation and development of the Gulag Museum. More than once the reader will meet the assessments of his passion for the truth of history, his talent of the teacher and lecturer, his amazing friendship with the family of N.I. Bukharin and M.S. Gorbachev.
It is known that Stephen"s main scientific theme was alternative, that is, the belief that there is always a choice everywhere. But in the life of Cohen there were alternatives. For example, in the spring of 1959, he chose between a trip to the Spanish pamplon and a trip to five cities of the Soviet Union, a “giant country”, as it put it, only awakened and recovered after decades of state terror. Stephen was inclined to refuse to perform on Red Square on May 1, 1989, but he heeded the beliefs of his Russian friends and accepted the invitation. “It was fate,” as he put it in an interview for the project on oral history.
Cohen"s path was special and unique. He chose him and steadily, consistently followed him. Many events along this path were connected, but not predetermined, they depended on his will and determination. It was necessary to have the courage to accuse the politicians of Washington of being driven by the spirit of triumphism, they began to expand NATO to the east, placed American missile defense systems on the borders of Russia, unleashed blind anti -Russian hysteria and demonized Vladimir Putin. All this was the reason for unreasonable accusations and literally public persecution of Stephen because of his position on Georgia, Ukraine, Crimea, Syria. He survived the painful episode with an attempt to eliminate the nominal Coen-Taaker scholarship for students studying the history of Russia, and the annual prize for a doctoral dissertation in Russian history. He learned loneliness both in the academic world and in the media environment. But Stephen turned out to be ready for these unexpected turns and did not leave his journey. “It’s very disappointing that Steve was not able to survive until that day,” writes his student Marshall Auerbek, “when his correctness will triumph, but he will do his impressive written heritage, which will undoubtedly withstand the test of time.”
A certificate of this is also our book, its authors, as well as all those who helped her to get, are designers, proofreaders, translators and authors of photographs. We express our sincere gratitude to all of them.
Compiled by Katrina Vanden Hugu and Gennady Bordyugov
The authors turn primarily to the facts of life and fate that the historian and political scientist from others are disagreement with the point of view that the Soviet Union arose in 1917 by illegitimate way, the opening of this Bukharin, the influence on the architects of the Soviet restructuring, and evidence The fact that the Soviet Union was not doomed to death and could be reformed. Finally, you can still recall the performance at the 1989 demonstration on Red Square - a unique case for a foreign scientist, his friendship with the Larin -Bukharin family. What other historian will be so deeply immersed in the past of the family, which will perceive him as a close relative.
At the same time, despite the appeal to the similar facts of Stephen"s life, each author of the book makes his own emphasis-for someone, the development of NEP as alternatives to Stalinism or a special "Princeton approach" to high politics 1920-1930 x are important Years, others are more interested in the life of those who returned after the Gulag, dissent and fate of dissenters, the comprehensive support of A.V. Antonova-Ovseenko in the creation and development of the Gulag Museum. More than once the reader will meet the assessments of his passion for the truth of history, his talent of the teacher and lecturer, his amazing friendship with the family of N.I. Bukharin and M.S. Gorbachev.
It is known that Stephen"s main scientific theme was alternative, that is, the belief that there is always a choice everywhere. But in the life of Cohen there were alternatives. For example, in the spring of 1959, he chose between a trip to the Spanish pamplon and a trip to five cities of the Soviet Union, a “giant country”, as it put it, only awakened and recovered after decades of state terror. Stephen was inclined to refuse to perform on Red Square on May 1, 1989, but he heeded the beliefs of his Russian friends and accepted the invitation. “It was fate,” as he put it in an interview for the project on oral history.
Cohen"s path was special and unique. He chose him and steadily, consistently followed him. Many events along this path were connected, but not predetermined, they depended on his will and determination. It was necessary to have the courage to accuse the politicians of Washington of being driven by the spirit of triumphism, they began to expand NATO to the east, placed American missile defense systems on the borders of Russia, unleashed blind anti -Russian hysteria and demonized Vladimir Putin. All this was the reason for unreasonable accusations and literally public persecution of Stephen because of his position on Georgia, Ukraine, Crimea, Syria. He survived the painful episode with an attempt to eliminate the nominal Coen-Taaker scholarship for students studying the history of Russia, and the annual prize for a doctoral dissertation in Russian history. He learned loneliness both in the academic world and in the media environment. But Stephen turned out to be ready for these unexpected turns and did not leave his journey. “It’s very disappointing that Steve was not able to survive until that day,” writes his student Marshall Auerbek, “when his correctness will triumph, but he will do his impressive written heritage, which will undoubtedly withstand the test of time.”
A certificate of this is also our book, its authors, as well as all those who helped her to get, are designers, proofreaders, translators and authors of photographs. We express our sincere gratitude to all of them.
Compiled by Katrina Vanden Hugu and Gennady Bordyugov
Cover:
Cover:Hard
Category:
- Category:Biographies & Memoirs
ISBN:
ISBN:978-5-91022-492-0
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