Specialist in Russian History
‘My whole life has in some way been connected with Russia, and not only academically, but also though family. My wife is Russian and our three-year old daughter has dual citizenship. Secondly, I am someone who cannot sit in one place. After about five years I need something different. And the German Academic Exchange Service offers opportunities for teaching abroad, including in Russia,’ Department of History Associate Professor Wulff Dietmar notes about his academic work. Professor Dietmar also shared the secrets of teaching, as well as his impressions from the first weeks of working at the HSE St. Petersburg.
‘My whole life has in some way been connected with Russia, and not only academically, but also though family. My wife is Russian and our three-year old daughter has dual citizenship. Secondly, I am someone who cannot sit in one place. After about five years I need something different. And the German Academic Exchange Service offers opportunities for teaching abroad, including in Russia,’ Department of History Associate Professor Wulff Dietmar notes about his academic work. Professor Dietmar also shared the secrets of teaching, as well as his impressions from the first weeks of working at the HSE St. Petersburg.
— Could you tell us about your previous academic work?
I spent the last four years working at Bielefeld University in Germany. At the university I was the coordinator of a large international research project in which researchers delved into the topic of Islam’s politicization in post-Soviet Russia and in other countries. This project involved about fifteen academics from Central Asia, France, Germany and Russia.
— What can you say about your field of research?
I'm a specialist in 19th and 20th Russian history. I’ve written on dynastic relationships starting from the 18th century and up until the First World War. My dissertation mostly focused on Russian and German trade policy leading up to World War I. I’ve also worked on a large project focused on the history of civil war in Siberia, published jointly with an American colleague.
— Aside from history, does your work ever focus on economics?
Indeed. This is also a part of history. I’m teaching a course at the Higher School of Economics on economic history, but my dissertation is centred around the history of foreign trade, particularly trade relations between Russia and Germany.
— Why did you decide to continue your academic work in St. Petersburg?
My whole life has in some way been connected with Russia, and not only academically, but also though family. My wife is Russian and our three-year old daughter has dual citizenship. Secondly, I am someone who cannot sit in one place. After about five years I need something different. And the German Academic Exchange Service offers opportunities for teaching abroad, including in Russia. This service sends academics to various countries on a contractual basis and per the university’s invitation.
I had contacts at the Higher School of Economics and wanted to work in Russia. And another important factor played a part – the Faculty of History, now Department, at this university is a very young structure. Anyone would be interested in having the opportunity to take part in ‘building’ a faculty. So I came here with great curiosity, hoping to see how this would be carried out and knowing that excellent specialists work here.
— Did you have previous contacts at the Higher School of Economics in St. Petersburg?
I wrote the Dean of the Faculty of History, Alexander Semyonov, about my academic work and interests. Then I read several papers at the Faculty of History. Ultimately, the Higher School of Economics’ Petersburg campus hired me as an Associate Professor in the Department of History.
— You speak Russian wonderfully! How were you able to achieve such a level?
I began studying Russian history a fairly long time ago. This led to me having to read a lot in Russian and to communicate with colleagues in the language. In addition, I had had experience working in Russia. Prior to Bielefeld University, I worked at Voronezh State University, so I had already experienced using Russian at work. Well, plus I regularly see it at home (smiles).
— Would you share the secret to your teaching methodology?
It is very important to facilitate class discussion. In seminars I try to set up groups, giving each a topic for discussion, and then I ask them to summarize the discussion’s results. The same thing can be done to nudge students into participating in a discussion. Additionally, in Germany I would give students game-like situations they had to participate in. This is also a fairly successful approach. The main thing is for students to talk to one another!
— What have been your impressions from your first month teaching?
It has been a very intense month. The city I visited in the past has, in my opinion, improved greatly. I’m planning to visit museums and concerts.
For now I'm writing course handbooks, which is an entirely new thing for me. I’m adjusting to the fact that the campus does not yet have the vast library that I had gotten used to at the German university. I hope that the university will get such a library soon since this is a necessary component to any ambitious university.
Interviewed by Kseniya Burko