Hungarian Studies Newsletter, 1974 (2. évfolyam, 3-5. szám)
1974 / 4. szám
HUNGARIAN STUDIES NEWSLETTER IREX - ANNUAL REPORT The International Research and Exchange Board (see HSN No. 1 for program description) published its annual report of 1972/73, containing descriptive and statistical data on its Hungarian related activities. The report says ‘‘A peculiar and persistent problem arose again in our exchange with Hungary, which merits special attention. So few Americans have studied Hungarian as a foreign language that the applicant pool for this program invariably is made up of an unusually large proportion of Hungarian-born American citizens, most of whom left Hungary during the events of 1956. Although the Hungarian authorities have from time to time accepted nominations, let it be said, more of embarrassment than malice. For its part, IREX has insisted that any American citizen with the requisite qualifications is eligible to apply and to be selected and nominated for the exchange, and that as a tax-exempt institution using foundation and federal funds we may not and will not discriminate on the basis of national origin. The fact is, however, that neither side can oblige the other to accept its nominees. One possible solution-barring a more receptive policy by the Hungarians or allowing unfilled quotas to go wasted-will be to reduce somewhat IREX’s stringent language requirement in orderto allow applications as well from scholars whose projects can be completed without an expert knowledge of Hungarian and also to offer on an experimental basis a limited number of two-year appointments (related to our preparatory fellowship program) in which the first year will be spent in intensive language study in Hungary and the second devoted to research.” See announcement in HSN No. 2. The IREX report continues: “Among the most significant events in our East European programs were conferences held with Romania and Hungary... The Hungarian conference at Lake Balaton in June 1973 was co-sponsored by the Hungarian Institute for Cultural Relations. It had at its theme East-West economic relations with special reference to the Hungarian-American case. Ten leading American scholars specializing in economics, law, and management studies, participated in the conference together with a larger number of Hungarian scholars and observers. The conference produced a very substantial volume of detailed recommendations, and efforts will be underway soon to seek funding for their implementation. A report of the conference is now in preparation.” “Within a few months of the conference...plans were underway for two followup projects, one a conference of (Continued on page 5) FORD FOUNDATION SUPPORTS EAST EUROPEAN STUDIES “Pluralism in Eastern Europe,” is a topic the Ford Foundation decided to support. According to the Foundation’s newsletter, “understanding of the multinational character of the region is limited because ethnic studies have received less attention from American and Western scholars than such subjects as politics, economic development, and literature. The American Council of Learned Societies (ACLS) is developing a project that will concentrate on East European ethnic groups now living in other countries. The project, with the help of a $152,000 Ford Foundation Grant, will treat such subjects as the contribution of East Europeans to American society, and comparative research on East European and other regions, including studies of such ethnic issues as the effect of the presence of Bosnians on racial tensions in Scandinaviaand the Yugoslav republic of Slovenia. A $450,000 grant to the ACLS will continue support for postdoctoral research grants, language training, and travel. These grants are awarded by the joint committees (with the Social Science Research Council) on Soviet Studies and on East European Studies.” For further information write to Dr. Gordon Turner, ACLS, 345 East 46th Street, New York, NY 10017. EDITOR’S CORNER Although the HSN has been well received in many corners of academia, we have not reached many others. Could you help in letting me know of persons and institutions which should know of us. I am continuously open to suggestions as to content and form of the HSN. But please keep in mind that this is a publication about Hungarian studies, not about Hungarians. Perhaps we need another publication on the personal or social achievement of persons of Hungarian origin. It certainly could fill the pages of another newsletter easily. Perhaps it is time that someone undertake the editing of a Hungarian Heritage Newsletter. Many thanks to those who sustain my enthusiasm and assist in the production of each new issue. Thanks to Steve I. Veg Bali, George Barany, Edward Chaszar, H.K. Conrad, J.M. Ertavy-Barath, I. Hambleton, E. Kowronek, W.O. McCagg, Jr., Carlton C. Qualey, Halsey Stevens, Lydio F. Tomasi, Andrew Vazsonyi, Gabor Vermes, and Robert E. Ward. The Editor
