Ihar Babkou: Belarus’ history of philosophical thought is a course in the Flying University

On September 9 a presentation devoted to the start of an academic year in the Flying University called “University and the present” is to take place in the creative area CECH in Minsk.

On the threshold of a new academic year in the Flying University a correspondent of the “EuroBelarus” Information Service talked with Ihar Babkou, a lecturer, philosopher, and writer.

- What has changed in your life after you received Jerzy Giedroyc Prize?

- For now nothing has changed, except I was fired from two universities – BSU (Belarusian State University) and EHU (European Humanitarian University), where I used to be a lecturer for the last 15 years and was closely tied with these universities. I was told they no longer needed my services.

It has happened neither because of Jerzy Giedroyc Prize nor because of conflicts in the EHU; this is just karma. So now I’m a free person.

- Were you also the one who fell under a wave of layoffs in EHU?

- I fell under it a long time ago; but the decree was issued only this year. I would say that the wave once started from me.

- Please, tell about your attitude regarding EHU administration towards Belarusan lecturers.

- It is very simple: what is happening in EHU now is a self-murder prolonged in time. We can, of course, ask the self-murderer: what are you doing?! But on the other hand, he has a right for that.

EHU was invented by Mihailau. So if it wants to become a variant of humanitarian vocational school, some sort of “sewing courses” in Vilnius. It is his freedom. In this sense I’m not arguing with a self-murderer.

- It looks like today the Flying University is the only place where one can learn from Ihar Babkou?

- It is. Belarus’ history of philosophical thought is a course in the Flying University. Obviously, someone from young lecturers in BSU will get into my courses and start teaching them, but it will no longer be history of philosophical thought; it will be its prehistory.

- What are the courses “History of Belarusan thought: events, discourses, epistemes”?

- First of all, in Belarus this course might be a unique course. As I am no longer a lecturer at the BSU and EHU, I will present the most important from what I have to tell in the format of laboratory of a course in the Flying University.

For two years we have been trying to open up general picture of Belarusian intellectual historical tradition or Belarus’ history of philosophical thought.

Last year I stopped at the 20^th century, while this year we will discuss the most interesting episodes and ideas.

Of course, a lot will depend on who will come, as we always start elaborating the final program with orientation on our audience, i.e. the degree of their readiness.

- Whom would you like to see as interlocutors at your courses? People of what age and from what social groups?

- It is rather the willingness to discuss the suggested topics that matters. As what we are going to do is not about Belarusan Renaissance, propaganda, or disciplinary work; it is just professional work with tradition, serious essential discussion for students of humanitarian specialties and elderly people. The desire and aspiration to ask questions and read something are important here.

- What humanitarian problems of modern society will be reflected in your courses?

- The intellectual tradition we are working with now is not some unbiased facts about our past, but rather a policy of memory, and what we put in it will define us. And then, of course, the question of responsibility arises. Now we, basically, observe a great war between Russia and Ukraine; eastern European situation blew up.

- Can Belarusan intelligence pick up a wave of Ukrainian national rise?

- You know, national rise in Ukraine has resulted from not a good occasion. And war is not something you should be envious about, even if it inspires a nation to reach its height.

I think that there is a different question: what is happening in Ukraine now is a radical breaking of all ideas, cultural stereotypes, gestalts, geopolitical and geo-cultural layouts that became a custom in the post-Soviet times. In this sense a lot depends on intellectuals. We can say that now a new Eastern Europe arises. And we only should think and make suggestions.

- How actively will cultural workers and representatives of intellectual sphere of Belarus participate in the Russia-Ukraine information war?

- This is an uneasy question; let it be war, but cultural workers, philosophers, thinkers ought to think, honestly, bravely, and as sincerely as possible.

In the role of fighters of intellectual front we have only one task, and it is clear in the situation of the war. The task of intellectuals is to preserve the position of the spirit.

Of course, there is mess, betrayal, lack of weapons, and heroism that are reigning in Ukraine. However, we also see human faces in all that, and even examples of cowardice are also something that is human.

And we also feel a dull wave of people, whose will has become the will of a wicked Moscow dwarf. And one cannot see human faces there.

It is important to understand that we will win not when we will just kill them all, but only when human faces will appear from that mass of people. To become humans in this war is our supertask.