Carl Hydomako, a graduate student of political studies at the University of Saskatchewan, has been appointed the Chernivtsi Intern for 2010 at the Ramon Hnatyshyn Canadian Studies Centre in Chernivtsi, Ukraine.
Hydomako explains that his “past experience traveling throughout the world and the encouragement of my various professors at the University of Saskatchewan and the enthusiasm of my friends and family” were the primary motivators for his decision to relocate to Ukraine to undertake this appointment.
Hydomako’s internship responsibilities include teaching an upper level undergraduate class in the Department of History, Political Science and International Relations at Chernivtsi National University. In addition, he gives public lectures and has participated in a recent conference on Canadian studies.
“Life in Ukraine is certainly different from Canada,” says Hydomako. “The city of Chernivtsi is over six hundred years old. The architecture reflects a variety of influences from the Austro-Hungarian Empire to Romania to Soviet/Russian. Chernivtsi is not designed for many of the 21st century conveniences that are typical in well-developed Western countries. Nonetheless, the city is full of charm, from its old buildings to its enchanting parks.”
Hydomako's thesis research focuses on an “analysis of Saskatchewan's perspective on the ratification of the Kyoto Protocol by the government of Canada in 2002 and how international factors and traditional sources of tension in Canadian federalism affected this perspective.” Despite the fact that this differs greatly from the subject matter of the classes he is teaching at the Chernivtsi National University, it was actually his graduate supervisor, Dr. Hans Michelmann, who encouraged him to apply for the internship.
Ultimately Hydomako’s is benefiting by this experience as the internship gave him the opportunity to teach Canadian federalism, which allowed him to clarify his own ideas about his research. “International environmental agreements and negotiations,” explains Hydomako, “are an ongoing phenomenon in international relations. The effect of Canada's participation in these agreements on Canadian federalism and on individual provinces will continue to place pressure on Canadian federalism.” These factors are an important aspect of his internship, as they provide perspective to both him and the students in Ukraine.
The internship is also directed by Dr. Bohdan Kordan from the Prairie Centre for the Study of Ukrainian Heritage (PCUH) at St. Thomas More College STM, who Hydomako credits for working very effectively to clarify expectations and priorities. Hydomako and Kordan are is also working together to facilitate an upcoming roundtable that will see three professors from the Departments of Political Studies of STM and UofS and two graduate students travel to Ukraine to discuss with their Chernivtsi counterparts the topic immigration.
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