The culture of the Europeans: an interview with Donald Sassoon

In May 1994 a couple of PhD students at Queen Mary–History working under his supervision, as well as other students of the University of London, walked into Donald Sassoon's office in Mile End. We said to him that though there was a war in the Balkans there was no serious academic journal dealing specifically with the region, as well as southern Europe, in a broader European and global context. We also told him our intentions: the setting up of a graduate seminar in the University of London, hopefully to be followed by an association for the study of southern Europe and the Balkans and then, we all hoped, to find a publisher to launch a journal. Donald Sassoon not only supported us, but he also did not miss a single seminar (held every week at LSE at 6:30 p.m. and for five consecutive years); he contributed to the discussions, helped us on a number of substantial issues and advised us about how to get the association and the journal started. In other words, it is doubtful that this venture, which now enjoys the support of a plethora of institutions and intellectuals in the country and abroad and which is read by thousands of students and individuals worldwide, would have ever got off the ground without that substantial element of moral support and encouragement we received from Donald Sassoon. And he continues to do so.