The International Seminar in Memory of Richard Stites

“The Passion of Argument”: The International Seminar in Memory of Richard Stites

Photo: Professor Richard Stites. By Irma Reijonen

On August 2nd and 3rd, some forty scholars gathered in the National Library of Finland to honor the scholarly legacy of Professor Richard Stites, 1931-2010. The Washington-based historian had been a frequent visitor to Finland for over 30 years, and used the Slavonic Collection extensively in his groundbreaking historical research on Russian history and culture. He died in Helsinki on March 7th.

Organized by Professor Natalia Baschmakoff, the seminar was truly international, with scholars arriving from the US and the UK, continental Europe and Russia. The event was sponsored by The Competence Centre in Russian and Border Studies (EEWD), The University of Eastern Finland, The Aleksanteri Institute, and The Slavonic Collection of the National Library of Finland.

The seminar combined excellent scholarly presentations with personal reminiscences of Professor Stites, many by very close friends of his. Speakers included Professor Boris Gasparov of Columbia University, Professor Daniela Steila of Torino University, and Professor Simon Dixon of University College London. The topics ranged from ballet, to music, to contemporary cinema plus many aspects of historiography, all reflecting the broad range of Stites’ research interests over his long career.

The seminar’s title originated in a quote from Stite’s last interview, in which he states memorably that “a historian must be an archeologist, a rabbi, a lawyer, and a poet… The historian, like any other writer, should compose, refine, and edit, not only with readers in mind but also in order to express the passion of an argument.”

Although tinged with sadness at his recent loss, the seminar was animated by a spirit of lively discussion and humor – a true tribute to a man who was both a witty, charismatic lover of life, and a dedicated and inspiring scholar and teacher.

The seminar culminated in the unveiling of a plaque honoring the memory of Richard Stites in the Slavonic Collection of the National Library.

Brendan Humphreys
Researcher at Aleksanteri Institute, the Finnish Centre for Russian and Eastern European Studies.

Original Source: http://www.kansalliskirjasto.fi/extra/bulletin/brief4.html