RSUH students demanded to change the name of the Ivan Ilyin Scientific Center
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Students of the Russian State Humanitarian University (RGGU) published a petition “against the Ivan Ilyin Educational and Research Center,” headed by philosopher Alexander Dugin. The authors of the appeal explain that the philosopher Ivan Ilyin “condoned the activities of the Nazi regime and justified Hitler’s crimes,” and therefore the scientific center “cannot be named in his honor.” Rector of the Russian State University for the Humanities Alexander Bezborodov told Kommersant that the publication of the petition was carried out “in the interests of the Ukrainian special services,” Ivan Ilyin “did not support any fascists or Nazis,” and the university administration is ready to meet with students and discuss any issues that interest them.
Last week, a petition “Against the Ivan Ilyin Educational and Scientific Center at the Russian State University for the Humanities” was published on the change.org platform, authored by “students of the Russian State University for the Humanities.” It says that university students and “concerned citizens” are outraged by the creation of an “educational and scientific center named after the far-right philosopher Ivan Ilyin.” At the time of publication of the issue, the petition was signed by more than 5.5 thousand people.
Educational and Scientific Center “Higher Political School named after Ivan Ilyin” (VPSh) was created in the summer of 2023. The goal is “the development and implementation of a new approach in the domestic teaching of humanities and social sciences, aimed at shaping the worldview of students based on Russian civilizational identity and traditional Russian spiritual and moral values.” Later it became known that the position of director of the HPS was taken by the philosopher Alexander Dugin. Mr. Dugin (born in 1962) – Candidate of Philosophy, Doctor of Sociology, Doctor of Political Science; participant in right-wing dissident associations in the late USSR; He carried out research and teaching work for many years, including since 2008 at Moscow State University, where, in particular, he was the supervisor of the diploma of Alexei Navalny’s colleague Maria Pevchikh (included in the register of foreign agents).
The authors of the petition indicate that Ivan Ilyin “condoned the activities of the German fascist regime, justified Hitler’s crimes by confrontation with Bolshevism and wrote about the need for Russian fascism.” They believe that the scientific center of “one of the leading universities in the country” cannot be named after a “supporter of fascist ideas.”
Ivan Alexandrovich Ilyin (1883–1954) – Russian philosopher, political thinker and publicist, known in the world primarily as an expert on the philosophy of Georg Hegel. After the October Revolution he criticized the Bolsheviks. In 1922, Ilyin was sentenced to death, which was commuted to deportation. In exile he became one of the main ideologists of the white movement. Supported the National Socialists in print when Adolf Hitler came to power in 1933, but emigrated from Germany in 1938 due to restrictions on teaching and publishing. It began to be published in Russia during the period of perestroika. The philosopher consistently opposed totalitarianism, but criticized liberalism. He believed that the state should encourage good and restrain evil, and criticized Tolstoy’s ideas about non-resistance to evil through violence. Ilyin saw in the “state wisdom of Orthodoxy” the connection between the state and the individual – the Christian value system should combine individual freedom and service to the common cause, true statehood is understood as a spiritual union. Vladimir Putin mentioned or quoted Ivan Ilyin several times. “I read Ilyin, I still read. I have a book on my shelf, and from time to time I take it off and read,” said, for example, the President of the Russian Federation at a meeting of the Valdai Club in 2021.
“The university must remain an abode of knowledge and creativity, free from political conjuncture and propaganda. We are convinced that Ilyin’s philosophizing has little in common with the values of progressive humanity, just like the fascist idea, which is an unnatural political construct,” the statement says. “We demand to rename the educational and scientific center and organize a public vote among students.”
Representatives of the initiative group told Kommersant that the idea came primarily from students of the philosophy and history faculties, as well as the psychology department of the Russian State University for the Humanities. Later, the initiative was supported by members of the Komsomol of the Russian Federation under the Communist Party of the Russian Federation, as well as students from other Russian universities. According to Kommersant, graduate students and students of the Faculty of Philosophy of Moscow State University intend to join the initiative.
“Information appeared in the media that the center will be headed by Alexander Dugin – this put an end to the question of what the Higher Political School will be like. Many students from the ranks of our organization who study at the Russian State University for the Humanities paid attention to this and decided to send a signal that this raises questions,” an activist of the Komsomol of the Russian Federation, who asked not to be named, told Kommersant.
Yesterday, the rector of the Russian State University for the Humanities, Alexander Bezborodov, responded to the petition. “So what, should the center be closed, as the Ukrainian agents say? – he said in an interview with Gazeta.ru. “The students have nothing to do with this, they work normally for us, now very serious activities will be launched with the vice-rector’s corps.” However, representatives of the initiative group claim that all representatives are in Russia, “do not cooperate with agents and do not ask undesirable organizations to speed up this issue.” “We want students to be listened to and a decision that is divisive in society to be reversed. In the current political situation, it discredits the humanities university itself, one of the leading universities in Russia,” the initiative group explained to Kommersant. “We want to propose a positive agenda: to hold a democratic, transparent vote among students for assigning a name that would suit everyone.” Three students of the Russian State University for the Humanities have already been called on the carpet and demanded to write explanatory notes on this matter.
In a conversation with Kommersant, Mr. Bezborodov confirmed this information and said that the educational measures were related to a violation of the university rules: “Internal regulations prohibit hanging announcements on poles.” Mr. Bezborodov also told Kommersant that the publication of the petition was carried out “in the interests of the Ukrainian special services,” and recalled that they attempted to kill Alexander Dugin. At the same time, he said, supporters of the Komsomol of the Russian Federation have already approached him: “The communists are now besieging me, this is their planned communist action. I’m not sure I need to take an active part in it.”
Mr. Bezborodov also said that the name of the center was given by Mr. Dugin. It was not possible to contact Kommersant. But on Monday evening, a message with an assessment of the situation appeared on Alexander Dugin’s Telegram channel. “No students of the Russian State University for the Humanities have anything to do with this,” wrote, in particular, Mr. Dugin. “Everything is set up and faked. We are talking about a network special operation of a number of unfriendly states. Don’t give in to provocations.”
“Please note that this is not about Dugin, but about the name of the center. Ilyin did not support any fascists or Nazis in the 1930s, this is well known. And the fact that the Communist Party can consider itself oppressed in a certain sector of ideological work is their problem,” Mr. Bezborodov emphasized. In the near future, the rector added, the administration is planning a meeting with students: “They can ask all the questions that interest them and discuss about Ilyin, and Dugin, and about Ivanov, and about Petrov, and about Lenin and Stalin together.”
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