This is an unexpected consequence of the Russian invasion. Courses on the work of the Russian author are now discouraged in Italian universities. An unsustainable situation for Professor Paolo Nori and the transalpine political class.
Is Dostoyevsky the victim of an attempt at censorship? No doubt for the Italian professor and author Paolo Nori. In a video posted on March 1 on his Instagram account, he denounced the decision of the Milano Bicocca University to delete four lessons he was to give on the work of the Russian writer, in view of the invasion. of Ukraine by Russia. A “Ridiculous censorship” for the professor but also for the Italian political class, which also deplores an attempt to unbolt a statue of Dostoyevsky installed in Florence.
It is with a voice hoarse with emotion and watery eyes that the transalpine writer decided to speak from home. “I was supposed to start a four-lesson course on Dostoyevsky’s novels on Wednesday, one and a half hours each, free and open to everyone”, he explains. But events did not go as planned, since an email from the rectorate was sent to him in the meantime. “Dear Professor, the vice-rector has communicated the decision to postpone the course on Dostoyevsky. The goal is to avoid any form of controversy, particularly internal, at this time of great tension. was it mentioned. An unsustainable decision for the professor of letters and human sciences.
“In Italy today, being a Russian is considered a fault. And apparently even being a deceased Russian“, he explains about Fyodor Mikhailovich Dostoyevsky, whose teacher recalls the death sentence in 1849 for having read a prohibited text. “What is happening in Ukraine is a horrible thing that makes me want to cry, but these reactions are ridiculous. When I read that email from college, I couldn’t believe it.”he continued, decided to take the opposite path of the rectorate. “We should talk more about Dostoyevsky or Tolstoy, the first who inspired non-violent movements and who was moreover much admired by Gandhi. A university that forbids this course is just incredible!”
And it did not take long for the Milanese university to reconsider its decision. Indeed, the day after the publication of the author’s video, the rector Giovanna Iannantuoni explained the situation. “There is no censorship, the course will be held as planned. There was a misunderstanding at a time of great tension.she admits in the aftermath. As for the vice-rector, he too justified himself by trying to explain their approach: “We just wanted to postpone and add Ukrainian authors.”
But these explanations did not convince the teacher, who immediately retorted. “I don’t share the idea that if you talk about a Russian author, you should also talk about a Ukrainian author. Everyone has their own ideas, unfortunately, I don’t know the Ukrainian authors”mentioned the writer, whose latest book is titled Still in Blood: The Incredible Life of Fyodor M. Dostoyevskyregistering among the list of fifty books written by him. “I will therefore release them from the commitment they had made and the course that I should have done at Bicocca will be done elsewhere.“, he firmly indicated on Facebook.
An act of «censure» brought before the Italian parliament
“Banning Dostoyevsky’s study to oppose Putin is insane. We must study more, not less, especially in such a period. Universities need teachers, not incompetent bureaucrats”former Italian Democratic Prime Minister Matteo Renzi has risen to the occasion. “Dostoyevsky is an invaluable heritage. Culture must be a free ground for exchange and enrichment., explained Maria Cristina Messa, the current Italian Minister of Higher Education and Research. A point of view shared by Nicola Fratoianni, the secretary of the left party: “Culture is the strongest antidote to war and violence.”
If the university has backtracked quickly enough in the face of the growing anger of Italian politicians and academics, the case will still be brought before parliament, to the decision of certain deputies and senators. “Suspending a course dedicated to one of mankind’s greatest writers, Dostoyevsky, is not worthy of the university’s prestige. It cannot be a decision of a liberal and democratic state like Italy”, said Fabio Rampelli, the vice-president of the Chamber of Deputies. In his message, he clarified his willingness to speak directly with Prime Minister Mario Draghi and Culture Minister Dario Franceschini.
The Florentine statue of Dostoyevsky under threat
On the occasion of the 200th anniversary of the birth of the Russian writer, a statue of Dostoyevsky, thus again reprobate in Italy, was installed last December in the Cascine park of the Tuscan capital. Only, three months after its installation, its existence is already called into question. Indeed, the mayor of Florence, Dario Nardella, announced on his Twitter account that he had received by mail a request to unbolt the statue of the Russian writer. Not having specified from whom it came, he nevertheless expressed himself on the general situation. “I was asked to demolish the statue of Dostoyevsky in Florence. Let’s not be confused. This is a mad war of a dictator and his government, not a war of one people against another. Instead of undoing centuries of Russian culture, let’s focus on stopping Putin.”he said.
Social networks have rebelled against this idea of unbolting the statue. Internet users, mostly Italians, have been numerous to denounce this act, qualifying it as“absurd” and D’“foolish”a “Madness” some will even say. Who connect this absurdity to the Milan decision. The administration of the university was thus accused of“incitement to ignorance”from “childish reaction” and of “promotion of anti-Russian sentiment in response to the war”. They could have quoted this sentence from Possessed of Dostoyevsky:My friend, the truth is always implausible, do you know that?»