The present and future of Greek studies abroad

The teaching of modern Greek literature in foreign universities is a secret cultural issue that we often tend to overlook or forget. An issue that despite the huge difficulties facing every day has not ceased to promote Greece both in Europe and in the rest of the world.

Four distinguished Neohellinists, Greeks and foreigners, talk to ANA-MPA on the history but also the present and the future of Modern Greek studies at a very critical time.

"The University of Birmingham has a long tradition of promoting the continuity of Hellenism," said Dimitris Tziovas, professor of Modern Greek Literature at the Centre for Byzantine, Ottoman and Modern Greek Studies of the University of Birmingham. "I have organized four international conferences with huge success which have attracted speakers from three continents and many different fields. The conferences referred to significant issues of the Greek literature, culture and society, but always through an international dimension," he underlined.

The series Birmingham Modern Greek Translations, launched in 1995, includes English translations of classic texts of modern Greek literature such as of Kostas Kariotakis, Dimitris Hatzis, Stratis Doukas and Yiannis Skarimbas as well as younger writers like Haris Vlavianos, Sotiris Dimitriou, Menis Koumandareas, Michel Fais.

"The study of new Hellenism in Germany started in the 19th century when classicist hellenism and philhellenism met the romantic traditional interest," said Miltos Pechlivanos, professor of Modern Greek Studies at the Freie Universitat of Berlin.

The Chair of Modern Greek Studies at Berlin's Freie Universitat is based on a bilateral Greek-German agreement, although the co-financing from the Greek side has been partially suspended in recent years.

Asked on his estimates for the future, he said: "The recent crisis in the Greek-German relations has promoted Greece in Germany. We must not forget that the negative publicity is still publicity and for that reason the departnment of Modern Greek studies is required to meet this new reality."

"Italy was, until a few years ago, the country with the most departments of Modern Greek studies in Europe, including the universities of Palermo, Rome, Viterbo, Venice and Trieste," noted Maurizio de Rosa, Neohellinist and translator. "Greek language lessons are also provided from regional associations and Greek communities, while the interest of publishers for modern Greek literature has also increased lately," he added.

Jacques Bouchard, professor of Modern Greek Studies at the French speaking University of Montreal, noted: "The Modern Greek studies began 55 years ago at McGill University. Nevertheless, the Modern Greek Studies are no longer very popular in Canada.There are trends in language learning. The Chinese language attracts now more people than the Greek and the decline of classical studies does not help."