Russian and East European Studies in Australia

Since the second world war there has been a modest development of Russian studies in Australian universities, reaching significant levels here and there, but virtually nothing has yet been done on eastern Europe. Russian and East European studies have developed more slowly than in America, Britain and Canada, primarily due to the relatively greater priority given to the fostering of Asian studies, for obvious geopolitical reasons. Net khuda bez dobra, however, and the current increase of Soviet activity in the south and southeast Asian area, with its reminder that the USSR, too, is a great Asian and Pacific power, may in due course redound to the advantage of Russian studies in Australia. The first courses in Russian language and literature were launched at the University of Melbourne in 1946 with the appointment of Nina Christesen (nee Nina Mikhailovna Maximova) as Lecturer in Charge. Though student response was massive, the resources initially available to develop the department were meagre. For instance, it was not until 1950 that the second fulltime teacher was appointed. Russian studies in Australia owe a great deal to Nina Christesen who patiently built up a substantial and significant department, overcoming many difficulties and setbacks on the way, pioneered and refined Russian language and literature courses adapted to Australian needs and conditions, and produced a number of graduates now working in various fields of Russian studies in Australia and abroad

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