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Preface and Acknowledgments
- Central European University Press
- Chapter
- Additional Information
Preface and Acknowledgments Embracing Arms examines the cultural representations of women in war across geographical and generic boundaries. The chapters treat Polish and Russian film and television, Russian graphics, literature, song, and journalism, as well as Balkan film and literature. Given the breadth of the volume’s purview, we envision a readership of academics from various disciplines, ranging from Slavists and Balkanists to historians, political scientists, and specialists in gender studies and feminism. Our respective home institutions responded with alacrity and generosity to our appeal for financial sponsorship of the bi-partite conference titled Women in War (2007) at The Ohio State University (OSU) and the University of Pittsburgh (Pitt), which served as the basis for this volume. We are therefore most happy to express our gratitude to the following institutional entities for underwriting our enterprise: At OSU, the Center for Slavic and East European Studies (CSEES), the Mershon Center for International Security Studies, the Office of International Affairs; the Departments of Slavic and East European Languages and Literatures (DSEELL), Comparative Studies, Film Studies, Women’s Studies, and Near Eastern Languages and Cultures; the Centers for Folklore Studies and the Study of Religions; Women in Development, and the College of Humanities. At Pitt, the Office of A&S Deans, which awarded us a substantial A&S FRSP (Faculty Research and Scholarship Program) grant, the Office of the Provost of Research, the European Union Center, and programs in Cultural Studies, Film Studies, Women’s Studies; x EMBRACING ARMS the Center for Russian and East European Studies (CREES); and the Department of Slavic Languages and Literatures. Our profound thanks to all conference participants, including our capable, sometimes inspired, discussants. Andrew Chapman’s design of the poster at Pitt and his invaluable aid in the practical organization of the conference made him the Hero of the Hour, and if I (HG) had the appropriate medal to award him, I would pin it on his…chest. Finally, for enabling the success of the conference on the Pitt campus, HG wishes to acknowledge the largesse of George Klinzing—a far-seeing and committed supporter of the Stalinka website housed at Pitt’s DRL—and Alberta Sbragia, a source of sagacious counsel and intellectual energy. Our appreciation to all those involved for contributing to the intellectual vitality and collegial pleasures of both conferences and the dialogues that followed. Finally, we extend gratitude to OSU’s College of Arts and Sciences and its Dean of Research, Sebastian Knowles, for the grant that defrayed the costs incurred in preparing the book for publication ; to Alex Trotter, professional extraordinaire; and to Virág Illés, an exemplar of editorial grace and efficiency at the Central European University Press. For invaluable information regarding copyright, HG is indebted to Aleksandr Vislyi, current Director of the Russian National Library in Moscow. ...