The War Teaches Us Nothing

War teaches us nothing. War always goes against the logic of life. It sends us to the very bottom of existence: food, sleep, purity, short-lived love, clearly rhyming with death. War takes home and a sense of security on an ontological level. Convenience and measuredness, a learned positive attitude is impossible. Optimism is apophatic.

Two Comments On Longread About Smolny

On October 24, “Novaya Gazeta. Europe” published a longread about Smolny by Daria Kozlova. I liked this text, which shows how actively the Faculty is fighting for its preservation. I admire the determination and courage of my fellow teachers, and, of course, the loyalty of Smolny students to the ideas of liberal arts.

War Through The Eyes Of An Economist

What do economists know about the unfolding and effects of military conflicts? How do wars affect economic growth, macroeconomic and sectoral imbalances, and the financial system? What are the channels of an inter-country military conflict’s impact on the global economy? Are there limits to the use of economic sanctions as a response of the international community to military aggression in the 21st century? What is the optimal economic policy for post-war reconstruction, and what could a possible “Marshall Plan” for Ukraine be?

Dismissal for Anti-War Stance

There has come another round of persecution of teachers at the Faculty of Liberal Arts and Sciences. For participating in an anti-war rally, our colleague Denis Skopin was fired with the wording “for an immoral act.” We express our solidarity with Denis, whose anti-war position, on the contrary, is the only moral and civic responsibility. It is characteristic that St Petersburg University, led by a “lawyer”, so clearly demonstrates the final loss of university autonomy and completely submits to the dictatorship, inventing such legal novels.