An interview-dialogue with FLORIN PREDESCU writer in Washington DC on March 17 2018.
1. From early on my publications used to have topics related to America
FLORIN (# 1): How do you define the role of the US political analyst?
TIBERIU: A political analyst must be a fine observer of local and international realities. Insofar as his analyses are relevant he becomes also an opinion former.
FLORIN (# 2): You are Romanian but you live in the United States. To what extent do your publications address your readers in Romania and the United States?
TIBERIU: My publishing activity is covered in several stages.
I published early as a student in school journals. I graduated the elementary school the middle school and the high school in the city of Piteti Arge county. The city close to the country capital Bucharest houses an oil refinery and is the main marketing center for the national car industry in particular Automobile Dacia so it can be regarded as the Motown of Romania. In 1969 as a first grader I published in ARIPI" (Wings) the school journal an award-winning painting which I called The Armed Insurrection of 23 August 1944 (the day Romania switched sides with the Allies in World War II). For whatever reason the editor-in-chief changed the title to the Vietnam War then in full swing and probably influenced by the American protest movements of those times. In 1979-80 I published in SNZIANA" (The Fairy/The Goldenrod) the high school journal several translations from English classic poets (Byron Shelley) and articles about the ABBA pop group (fashionable at that time) and the hippie movement in the United States. That particular issue won the First Prize in the national school journal competition. Of course I was very proud particularly when the journal was displayed in the window of the city main bookstore for several weeks opened on the pages with my articles. I could say that from early on my publications used to have topics related to America.
In a second stage after graduating the Bucharest University School of Law as a young legal scholar I published both articles and books in law politics and sociology. As a novelty my books were published in Romania in bilingual editions Romanian and English. I had this initiative from the beginning because I wanted these books to have had an international exposure. And indeed they have since they were subsequently purchased by countless university libraries and international agencies worldwide.
A third stage included English-language publications (articles reports and books) that were printed during my studies overseas (in France the United Kingdom and the United States).
Finally the fourth and final stage of professional activity in the United States consists in posting articles of political analysis written in English and translated occasionally in Romanian.
Currently I am an op-ed contributor for U.S. journals like AMERICAN THINKER CARIBBEAN NEWS NOW! CONNOR POST EPOCH TIMES INTELLECTUAL CONSERVATIVE MEDIUM MARIANAS VARIETY PUERTO RICO MONITOR SAIPAN TRIBUNE etc; and for Romanian-American journals like COLORADO BEETLE (Denver) CURRENT (Detroit) MERIDIAN (Los Angeles) NEW YORK MAGAZINE (New York) and ROMANIAN TIMES (Portland). Often times my editorials are featured or referenced overseas in English Chinese Russian Romanian and Danish.
2. Americans perceptions on Romania are placed on several levels
FLORIN (# 3): As a Romanian-American how do you think Americans perceive Romania?
TIBERIU: Americans perceptions on Romania are placed on several levels. There are Americans who visit or work in Romania Americans who talk with Romanians in the United States as well as Americans who get information about Romania in the United States. So the perceptions of each of these Americans do vary from case to case.
FLORIN (# 4): You have over 20 years of experience as a professor of Romanian language and culture in the Washington DC area. How do the professor and political analysts activities work together?
TIBERIU: My activities combine themselves quite harmoniously to the extent that teaching Romanian is backed up by culture and civilization exposures. In any case due to the variety of existing political opinions exposures must be presented in an impartial manner.
3. The nationalist boom of the current period is not specific to America alone
FLORIN (# 5): Your recent articles analyze in depth and in a documented manner the activity of President Donald Trumps administration. American patriotism is perceived as a strong factor in consolidating the nation. Do you think the American nation is in danger?
TIBERIU: The American nation has been in front of several junctions throughout its history and now almost all analysts conclude that we are in front of another junction. The so-called nationalist boom of the current period is not specific to America alone but also to Europe Russia and parts of the Middle East and Africa. It is true however that due to the influence of the United States in the world the course of events here also plays a catalyst role for other regions.
FLORIN (# 6): Does the effect of globalization affect American identity?
TIBERIU: The phenomenon of globalization is important and it affects the American nation either positively or negatively. It depends on each persons point of view. At an early stage the process of forming the American nation was described by the metaphorical expression of the crucible in which different elements blended harmoniously into a common culture. Later by adopting multiculturalism the emphasis was placed less on the common elements of different groups and more on their different elements. The American society has reached the level where it now looks like a salad bowl (another metaphorical expression of sociologists) and the common elements among the groups that make up the nation are becoming more and more blurred. Against this background as a counter-reaction elements of nationalism have coagulated more vigorously in recent times.
4. America is first of all a state of mind
FLORIN (# 7): How do you translate the phrase Being American?
TIBERIU: America is first of all a state of mind and then it is a country. If America had not existed it would certainly have been invented. For me to be American means connecting to a set of values that includes faith in God patriotism freedom of initiative sustained work with performing results individual rights that do not harm the rights of others and individual charity.
FLORIN (# 8): Do you think that with the arrival of the Trump administration one can talk about a split pushed up to secession of the nation produced by Democrats and Republicans?
TIBERIU: American society has had divisions during previous administrations and this phenomenon is not new at all. America has survived the war whether revolutionary (1775-1783) invasion (1812-1815 1939-1945) or civil (1861-1865). Some are now talking about a possible second civil war. There are two camps now. One defends the constitutional right to bear arms and supports the wars of America when it is threatened. The other one is dovish when America fights overseas and hawkish when the nation is in peace. So in the event of a conflict between the two camps the rapport of forces seems to me unequal from the start and the result - easy to be predicted.
5. I do think the future belongs to Romania
FLORIN (# 9): Do you think the United States exerts its hegemony in the world and its role as a loyal partner is being questioned by some European allies in general and by the Romanians in particular?
TIBERIU: There is this perception among some. But I would mention the fact that the United States does not force anyone to enter any alliance. Alliances are natural depending on the specific interests of the parties. It is true that the United States due to its own military capability unparalleled so far can give this impression to many but hegemony is no longer a target for the current administration. On the contrary it can be said that America isolates itself by creating a protective wall (legislative in a first phase and physical in a later stage) between her and the outside world.
FLORIN (# 10): How do you see Romanias future at the intersection of the United States European Union and Russias spheres of influence? Is there a potentially harmful threat to Romania as it has been in the past?
TIBERIU: The world is in a continuous movement generated by the national interests of each country and they are in constant evolution. As far as Romania is concerned it has chosen its allies throughout history and has gained or lost (including territories) according to circumstances. In Europe the last political event with tectonic effects was the collapse of communism in 1989. As a result some states ceased to exist (the Soviet Union Czechoslovakia Yugoslavia) some gained their independence (the former Soviet republics) others have increased their territory by unification (Germany) and others have maintained their status quo (like Romania). At the end of the day and considering the situation of some of its neighbors Romania has survived quite well. Of course there was room for better - I mean reunification with the Republic of Moldova. But it could have been worse - for example a possible secession of Transylvania (like Kosovo in the former Yugoslavia). The future as I mentioned earlier seems to be on a nationalist slope. For Romania this can bring the long-awaited reunification with a former lost region Bessarabia (which covers most of Republic of Moldova and parts of Ukraine). Russia is also pursuing its nationalist interests but its sphere of influence cannot affect the joint spheres of influence of the United States and the European Union where Romania is now. Also Russias sphere of influence can no longer incorporate areas with a majority Romanian population. So yes I do think the future belongs to Romania.
NOTE - The reproduction right of the article in the English and Romanian versions belongs to the author and is used with his permission.
SHORT BIOS:
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TIBERIU DIANU/caption
TIBERIU DIANU Graduate law degree holder of the universities in Bucharest (Romania) Manchester (United Kingdom) and Washington DC (American University). Postgraduate studies at the universities of Miskolc (Hungary) and Warsaw (Poland). Exchange scholar of the universities of Strasbourg (France) and Oxford (United Kingdom). Doctoral studies at the universities in Bucharest (Romania) and College Park (Maryland USA).
Corporate lawyer judge and senior assistant attorney for the Romanian Ministry of Justice. Law professor of several Bucharest universities. Senior fellow of the Romanian Academy Institute for Legal Research. Professor of language and culture for the US Department of State various government and private schools in the Washington DC metropolitan area. Legal expert in Romanian-American law.
Book author (law and politics) published in Romania the United States of America United Kingdom the Netherlands Hungary etc. Recipient of a Romanian Academy Award (1996) for the book Transition and Crime (1994).
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Tiberiu Dianu ROMANIAN ACADEMY The Andrei Rădulescu Award (1996) for the book TRANSITION AND CRIME Bucharest Oscar Print 1994/caption
Tiberiu lives and works in Washington DC and can be followed on MEDIUM.
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FLORIN PREDESCU/caption
FLORIN PREDESCU Graduate linguistics degree holder of the university of Jassy (Romania). Studies of politics and literature at the university of Freiburg (Germany). Studies of tourism at Mrici College of Quebec City (Canada).
Linguist legal and international cuisine expert for various government and private agencies in Germany Canada and the United States of America.
Writer (poetry prose gastronomy translations) political analyst and editor of various journals in Romania the United States of America Germany Israel etc. Chairman of a literary society in Romania.
Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty (RFE/RL) contributor in Germany.
Florin lives and works in the Washington DC metropolitan area and can be followed on BLOGSPOT and ACUM.TV.
NOTE - A version of the article was published previously in MEDIUM.
Tiberiu Dianu has published several books and a host of articles in law politics and post-communist societies. He currently lives and works in Washington DC and can be followed on MEDIUM.
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