THES Artikel

Liebe Kolleginnen und Kollegen,

heute ist endlich der schon laenger erwartete Artikel des Higher Education Korrespondenten des THES erschienen, der kritisch die Situation in Bristol beleuchtet und auch gerade auf den Protest der deutschen Mediaevistik hinweist; online unter dem link, aber ich kopiere auch den vollen Text hier.

With a scholar of German studies under siege, medievalists mobilise
2 December 2010
By Simon Baker
Bristol’s plan to cut post would harm UK expertise, warn colleagues worldwide. Simon Baker reports
Dozens of scholars in medieval German studies are running an international campaign of support for a University of Bristol academic threatened with redundancy.
After 18 years of service, Anne Simon, a specialist in medieval and early modern German literature, has been told that her post is at risk as the university disinvests in the field.
Fellow medievalists from across the world have flooded Bristol with letters and emails criticising the decision, which, they say, will severely undermine study of the subject.
Students have also joined the protest, and there is anger over claims – denied by the university – that academics have been warned not to speak out.
Elizabeth Andersen, a senior lecturer in German studies at Newcastle University, said there had been an “overwhelming response” from medievalists, particularly those who know Dr Simon through a biannual Anglo-German colloquium.
Noting that Dr Simon was “highly regarded” for her research and dedication to teaching, she said that specialists in German literature could not understand why Bristol was cutting back in an area in which it was held in “high esteem”.
The university has a renowned Centre for Medieval Studies – which Dr Simon co-founded – and its work would suffer as a result, Dr Andersen said. Bristol’s move had “touched a nerve” with fellow academics, she added. “If I were in Bristol, I would be delighted that the university was held in such high esteem, but would also be distraught about what it was doing.”
About 150 scholars from across the world have signed a letter of support for Dr Simon, among them eminent figures from German, Austrian and Swiss higher education.
They include Peter Strohschneider, chairman of Germany’s Council of Science and Humanities and professor of medieval studies at the Ludwig Maximilian University of Munich.
A shrinking enclave
Henrike Lahnemann, chair of German studies at Newcastle’s School of Modern Languages, said the “vehemence” of the reaction from scholars reflected great concern about the erosion of German medieval studies in British universities.
If Dr Simon left Bristol, there would be only 11 permanent staff in seven institutions dedicated to the subject, she said.
Ian Tompkins, a fourth-year student in German at Bristol who has been supporting Dr Simon, said there was anger about where cuts were hitting while huge sums were spent on projects such as refurbishing the students’ union.
By removing its specialist teacher in medieval and early modern literature, Bristol “completely undermined” the curriculum, he said.
A Bristol spokesman said its decision was “not taken lightly”.
“This proposal, made at a time when most, if not all, universities have to cut costs, is part of a university-wide programme where most of the required savings have been secured by early retirements and voluntary severance,” he said.
“Moreover, should the proposal go ahead, then, despite protestations to the contrary, the material effect (beyond those on the individuals concerned) would be minimal.”
Bristol also plans to axe a lecturer post in the department of Hispanic, Portuguese and Latin American studies, despite advertising for a new chair.
simon.baker@tsleducation.com.

http://www.timeshigheredu…code=414458&c=1

Prof. Karl A. Zaenker (Vancouver)

The news from the University of Bristol that Prof. Anne Simon’s position as specialist for Medieval and Early German Literature and Cultural History is threatened of being abruptly terminated because of “redundancy” has also caused alarm among her former colleagues and academic friends in Canada. If it were not so grievous both for Dr Simon and her students, it could be seen, from the outside, as another sequel in David Lodge’s satires on university life in his home country. Dr Simon is one of the few British scholars of early German Studies whose work is also well known to North American scholars. Since her earlier graduate studies at the University of British Columbia, notably under the renowned British-Canadian medievalist Michael S. Batts, Dr Simon went on to postgraduate studies and further academic work in the UK and in Germany. She kept up her professional contacts with her North American colleagues, gave lectures at conferences in Canada and the United States, initiated an extended visit by Canadian scholar Prof. Marketa Goetz-Stankiewicz in 2009, and generally furthered the critical study of earlier German and European cultural history in the Anglo-American world. Looking at the testimonies from Dr Simon’s distinguished British and European colleagues on the website in her support one becomes overwhelmed by a feeling of dismay at the short-sightedness of this administrative decision. We can only hope and fervently wish that the Dean of Arts and the administration of the University of Bristol at large will pay heed to the words of Prof. Silvia Ranawake on this website: “The loss of the Medieval/Early Modern expert will make it impossible for the Department of German to offer a credible well-balanced programme of German Studies that will be up to the standards normally associated with an internationally recognized university.” By substituting the subjunctive form “would” for the indicative “will” in the above statement the University of Bristol could be given the chance to correct its (in my view) misguided decision, continue the highly successful premodern studies component of its German Studies division, and fully reinstate and confirm Dr Simon in her position.

Karl A. Zaenker, Assoc. Professor Emeritus
Department of Central, Eastern and Northern European Studies (CENES)
The University of British Columbia
Vancouver, B.C. Canada
November 28, 2010

Dr Cyril Edwards (University of Oxford)

I have known Dr Anne Simon for some two decades. Before she was appointed at Bristol in 1992, she was my research assistant in the University of London on the Walther von der Vogelweide project. I valued her work as a caring and conscientious tutor when I was Examiner in Bristol (1992-1994). Subsequently I have met her at conferences and been impressed by her papers. She is now a scholar of international repute, as is evident from the e-mails you have received from my German, Austrian and Swiss colleagues. She has diversified her research and teaching, working now primarily in the early modern period. She was also much respected as a Head of Department at Bristol.

Medieval and Early Modern studies have long been one of the strengths of Bristol’s German Department (as of other departments). I was fortunate enough to hear Professor August Closs give a paper on Gottfried’s Tristan, shortly before his death. The tradition has been continued by, among others, Professor Frank Shaw. To abolish the teaching of the first thousand years of German literature is, as one of my German colleagues has pointed out, nonsensical.