Medina believes that critics have called his research pseudoscience, not finding it plagiarism
The Minister of culture of the Russian Federation, published in “Rossiyskaya Gazeta” the article noted that the ongoing debate it, “be any other opinion would be immediately denounced as “persecution”.
MOSCOW, July 4. /TASS/. The Minister of culture of the Russian Federation, Professor of MGIMO, doctor of historical Sciences Vladimir Medinsky on Tuesday for the first time commented extensively on the debate that has arisen around his thesis. According to him, critics called the work pseudoscientific after failing to find plagiarism.
“In the discussion (call it soft) around my thesis, I did not intervene. First, the accusations seemed ludicrous. Second, there was no time”, — is spoken in article of the Minister, published Tuesday on the website of “Rossiyskaya Gazeta”.
A lot of cases, in contrast, apparently, from my opponents. Last welcome the plagiarism in my work, searched-searched, but never found. The result — called the entire thesis of a “pseudoscience”.Vladimir Medinsky
According to Medina, the first time he thought that such accusations are a joke. The Minister noted that in the ensuing media discussion he, “be any other opinion would be immediately denounced as “persecution”.
“But, “grass” we have, you know, only free thinkers and free artists, and people like me, “subjected to fair criticism,” writes the Minister of culture. According to him, “the position requires you to respond to any criticism constructively.”
The main points of the Minister
In his article, Medina said that “there is no “absolute objectivity,” and “any historian always is the bearer of a certain culture, ideas of his circle and his time”.
The Minister also said that “not to see the myth of fact — is to cease to be a historian” and scientific research “involves hypotheses, working hypotheses, a variety of tools and methods of research.” In addition, says Medina, all the historical facts exist “as already refracted through the consciousness and social interests of their class, nation, time.”
The Minister also insists on its right to own thesis to consider the history from the point of view of national interests. He wonders why “cannot be considered historical works and events from the position of national interests.” “Sorry, but from the standpoint of the interests of some other country should I consider the history of your Fatherland?”, he writes.
The story of the thesis Medina
In April 2016 member of the community “Discerned” Ivan Babitsky filed in the Ministry of education the statement with the request to deprive the Minister of culture of Russia Vladimir Medina of the degree of doctor of Sciences.
According to Babitsky, written by the Minister for the work titled “Problems of objectivity in the coverage of Russian history in the second half of the XV — XVII centuries” “has no scientific value”.
Higher attestation Commission (HAC) under the Ministry of education first instructed to consider the thesis of the Ural Federal University, then — the Moscow state University named after Lomonosov. The academic Council of Moscow state University reviewed the work of 7 February 2017, and not found unreasonable borrowing or signs of violation of the procedure of protection.
Then, on April 21, the Presidium of the HAC decided to give Medina a thesis for review in dissertation Council of the Belgorod state national research University. Consideration of the thesis of Medina will take place on 7 July. As reported TASS the press service of the Ministry of culture, Medinsky “will not participate in the consideration of his thesis — he flies to China for a summit of culture Ministers of the BRICS countries”.