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Specialty: Anthropology. Educational and Scientific Center for Social Anthropology. What are the main problems of modern Russian science and anthropology in particular?

Specialty: Anthropology. Educational and Scientific Center for Social Anthropology. What are the main problems of modern Russian science and anthropology in particular?

Suitable educational specialties: Education at higher educational institutions.
Key items: Mathematics, Russian language, History, Biology, Sociology.

Tuition cost (average in Russia): 450,800 rubles

Job description:

*Tuition fees are for 4 years of full-time undergraduate studies

From Greek anthropos- person + logos- teaching.

A scientist who specializes in the study of human beings biological species.

Features of the profession

Anthropologists study the origin of the human species (anthropogenesis), development, diversity, and biological uniqueness of humans depending on age, gender, nationality, and race.
However, anthropologists are interested in man not only in his unity with nature, but also in the context of his cultural environment.
Therefore, anthropology also includes disciplines that study man in society.

The term "anthropology" appeared in ancient philosophy. Ancient Greek philosopher Aristotle (384-322 BC) was the first to use it to designate a field of knowledge that studies primarily the spiritual side of human nature.
Conventionally, anthropology can be divided into cultural And physical.

Cultural anthropology
In Russia, until recently, anthropology was understood mainly as physical anthropology, but since the 1990s, in Russian universities Departments of social, political and philosophical anthropology began to appear.
All these are areas of cultural anthropology, which studies culture, civilization, social systems, ethnic characteristics.

For example, social anthropology studies the manifestations of man in culture and society: in the family, in religion, economics, etc.
Social anthropologists (socioanthropologists) study the principles of obtaining and using power in different societies, the economic behavior of people, and identify factors that influence the economy, but are not taken into account by economic science.
Cultural anthropology makes it possible to understand the essence of the contradictions between different peoples, social strata, etc.

Physical anthropology
Specialists in this field are usually called anthropologists without any prefixes (socio-, ethno-, etc.).
Physical anthropology is primarily concerned with the development of man as a biological species.
She examines the remains of ancient people and the bodies of living people.
The results of such research are used by archaeology, medicine, pedagogy, engineering psychology, ethnology (from the Greek ethnos people), etc.

Study of ancient people involves the study of fossil skeletons.
Here are some important findings and discoveries in this direction.

Once a French amateur archaeologist Jacques Boucher de Perth(1788 - 1868) discovered ancient flint tools in quarries in the vicinity of Abbeville. He was one of the first to try to prove the existence of “antediluvian” people.
German school teacher Johann Fuhlrott. (1803 - 1877) in 1856 collected and described the bones of primitive man. This was the first scientific description of a Neanderthal.
Dutch anthropologist Eugene Dubois(trained as a military doctor, 1858 - 1940) was the first to discover the skull of Pithecanthropus.
Raymond Arthur Dart(South African physician, 1893 - 1988) discovered Australopithecus for science.
German anthropologist Franz Weidenreich(1873 - 1948) developed the concept of polycentrism (several centers) in the formation of modern races. (In his opinion, there were four of these centers.) He is also the author of the concept of orthogenesis - the internal desire of organisms to develop.
German anthropologist Hans Weinert(1887 - 1967) studied Pithecanthropus and Neanderthals. Author of the theory that modern man arose under the pressure of harsh conditions of the Ice Age.
American anthropologist Ales Hrdlicka(1869 - 1943) in 1927 put forward the concept of the Neanderthal phase in human evolution.
Australian primatologist Colin Peter Groves(1942-...) systematized primates, combining gorillas, chimpanzees and humans into one family Hominidae (hominids).
American anthropologist Claude Owen Lovejoy- specialist on australopithecines, author of the concept of the origin of bipedalism. He suggested (in the 1980s) that upright walking was promoted not so much by natural factors (climate, etc.) as by sexual behavior, family relationships and social organization.

This is only a small part of the scientists who formed modern theory development of man as a species. But the end to the study of the history of Homo sapiens (i.e. us) has not yet been reached.

Studying modern man It has practical significance for different areas of life. For example, measurements of physical data (anthropometry) are of interest to manufacturers of clothing, furniture, home builders, etc.

Workplace

Anthropologists work in research institutes and centers and teach in vocational schools.
Specialists in physical anthropology work in anthropological and archaeological institutions, in the field of forensic medicine, and human genetics.
A specialist in cultural anthropology can serve on commissions and act as an expert, advising statesmen making political decisions.

Important qualities

Logic, analytical skills, interest in biology/sociology.

Knowledge and skills

The scope of an anthropologist's knowledge depends on his scientific interests.
For example, a specialist in physical anthropology needs knowledge in the field of biology (anatomy, paleopathology, genetics, etc.), archaeology, ethnography, etc.
A social anthropologist needs knowledge of sociology, cultural studies, psychology, sociolinguistics, etc.
Regardless of specialization, an anthropologist needs knowledge of foreign languages.

Where do they teach

Moscow State University them. Lomonosov
Faculty of Biology (Department of Anthropology)
Specialty: Anthropology.
Specializations: “general anthropology”, “anthropogenesis”, “human morphology”, “ethnic anthropology”.

Russian State Humanitarian University
Educational and Scientific Center for Social Anthropology
Specialty: Social Anthropology.
Specializations: “social anthropology of world regions”, “human ethology”.

As well as other universities teaching specialties
"Anthropology" (usually in biology departments of universities)
and Social Anthropology.

Anthropologists They study man as a biological species, from the point of view of his origin (anthropogenesis), development, diversity, originality (biological) of people of different ages, gender, and different nationalities. In many countries, anthropology includes ethnography, archeology, and a number of other disciplines, and human biology in these countries is also called physical or biological anthropology. The subject of interest of anthropologists can be not only current state humanity, as well as its history.

Anthropology (anthropos-man + logos-teaching) is the doctrine of man as the highest product of nature. All properties and characteristics of a person are explained only by their natural origin. Anthropology emphasizes the unity of man and nature and contrasts with the idealistic and dualistic understanding of human nature. The term "Anthropology" is of Greek origin and literal translation means “the science of man” (from anthropos - man and logos - word, teaching, science). Anthropology is a field scientific knowledge, the subject of research of which is man. Science aims not only to describe this diversity, but also to determine the reasons leading to it. Based on the anthropocentricity of most spheres of knowledge (even everyday knowledge), we can conclude that anthropology, in a broad sense, is almost any modern science- most of them, above all else, are addressed to the topic of man.

The first use of the term dates back to antiquity. Aristotle (384-322 BC) was the first to use it to designate a field of knowledge that studies primarily the spiritual side of human nature. With this meaning the term existed for over a millennium. It has been preserved to this day, for example, in religious knowledge (theology), in philosophy, in many humanities(for example, in art history), and partly in psychology.

Directions

Includes a number of disciplines: physical anthropology, social anthropology, cultural anthropology (a discipline quite close to ethnology), linguistic anthropology, prehistoric anthropology. In philosophy there is a section of philosophical anthropology.

Within anthropology, a number of unique branches can be distinguished: historical anthropology, ethnic (research biological features different peoples), age, environmental (considering the influence of natural and social environmental conditions on human growth and development), even sports (studying the influence of sports on the human body).

Living people and their communities can be the subject of various surveys, in particular measurements (anthropometry). By the way, anthropometry data are used in the design of clothing, furniture, consumer goods, in the design of not only housing, but also industrial, transport, school and similar equipment.

Past human communities are studied from fossil skeletons and skulls. Famous anthropologists - Eugene Dubois, who found the skull of Pithecanthropus, Robert Dart (the first find of Australopithecus), Louis Leakey, his wife Mary and son Robert (finds of Homo habilis and many species of Australopithecus).

In Russia it originated at the beginning of the 18th century and was formed by the middle of the 19th century. Significant contributions to anthropology were made by K.M. Baer, N.N. Miklouho-Maclay, A.P. Bogdanov, D.N. Anuchin, V.V. Bunak, G.F. Debets, Ya.Ya. Roginsky, M.M. Gerasimov, V.P. Alekseev et al.

Information sources:

Anthropological knowledge is used in many areas of science and practice - in archaeology, medicine, pedagogy, labor psychology and engineering psychology, ethnology (from the Greek ethnos people). Accordingly, the anthropologist must have some orientation in these areas of knowledge and practice. Possible research at the intersections of anthropology and other sciences

Where and how do anthropologists work?

In the field of historical anthropology, the specialist’s work will be associated with archaeological expeditions and the subsequent processing of anthropological bone material. If an anthropologist studies modern populations (sets of people living on certain territory), then he works on special anthropological expeditions. Expeditions set up their laboratories in local schools or clinics, where they organize surveys of the population. The program of such examinations can be the most extensive. Not only anthropological measurements are carried out. Even palm prints are collected and blood samples are taken. Subsequent study and processing of the collected material occurs partly on site, partly after the expedition, in laboratory conditions. Further work could be, for example, the study of the anthropological characteristics of individual groups of people that differ in age and gender. Thanks to this, it becomes possible to identify patterns individual development V different groups population (populations), life expectancy and other indicators characterizing a given community (demographic indicators). It is possible to study the anthropological characteristics of the population of areas that find themselves in extreme, from an environmental point of view, conditions. As a result of research, previously not obvious, but real threats(“risk factors”) for the health of the population of individual regions. And this may be important for government decision-making.

Where do anthropologists study?

The specialty anthropologist can be obtained at the Faculty of Biology of Moscow State University. A young specialist can engage in teaching and research at a university department, where curriculum there is anthropology. Can work as an employee of an anthropological research institution, museum (in this case, teaching work is also not excluded).

Order of Friendship of Peoples Institute of Ethnology and Anthropology named after. N.N. Miklouho-Maclay of the Russian Academy of Sciences is the oldest humanitarian scientific institution in the country, originating from the Peter the Great's Kunstkamera. Today it is a leading research center in the field of socio-cultural and physical anthropology with a high international status. The purpose of the research is to study the ethnosocial and ethnocultural development of the peoples of the world in interaction with socio-political and economic processes. The Institute conducts field research on the territory of the former Soviet Union and other countries, publishes about 50 books a year and periodicals: magazine "Ethnographic Review", yearbook "Races and Peoples", almanac-yearbook "Bulletin of Anthropology", "Library of the Russian Ethnographer", "Ethnographic Library". The Institute publishes “Research on Applied and Urgent Ethnology”, monitors the ethno-confessional situation in the regions of Russia and other CIS and Baltic countries in order to promote more effective internal and foreign policy states

There is a virtual project “Philosophical Anthropology” on the Internet, the strategic goal of which is to create an open communicative space for a broad discussion of philosophical and anthropological issues.

Materials used from sites:

Addition from team id015 Children of the Sun

An anthropologist should know: Biology, chemistry, biochemistry, genetics, anthropogenesis, anthropogeography, anthropometry, etc., methods scientific research by specialty. Professionally important qualities for the anthropologist: - memory; - attention; - a penchant for research work.

Information sources:

3. New Russian Encyclopedia, vol. 2, A-BAYAR, ed. "Encyclopedia", 2005

Master Program"Cultural Anthropology" at the Faculty of Anthropology - these are four semesters with intensive lectures and seminars and research work of a master's student on his topic. The training ends with writing a master's thesis and receiving a master's diploma in the established format.

Fundamental courses are taught in the master's program on theory and history of cultural and social anthropology, folkloristics, sociolinguistics,linguistic anthropology, methods of field work, as well as elective courses. In addition, all students have the opportunity to attend elective courses at other faculties of the European University.

The final grade for a course most often consists of the grade for written work, grades for work at a seminar on a given subject and the actual exam grade. Examinations are both oral and written.

At the end of the second semester, students choose a supervisor and agree with him on the topic of the master's thesis.

The master's thesis of those students who plan to study further in a graduate-level program is usually a kind of pilot study on the topic of the proposed master's thesis.

Three-year professional training program “Cultural Anthropology” lasts six semesters and the main emphasis here is on conducting dissertation research, and the result is writing and defending a candidate's dissertation. The defense takes place in one of the institutions where there is a dissertation council in the relevant specialty, for example, the Museum of Anthropology and Ethnography of the Russian Academy of Sciences (“Kunstkamera”), the Institute of Slavic and Balkan Studies of the Russian Academy of Sciences (Moscow), the Russian State University for the Humanities, the Institute linguistic research RAS, Faculty of Philology of St. Petersburg State University, etc.

As part of their studies at the faculty, students and listeners can engage in a wide range of topics related to anthropological issues:

anthropological study of everyday life
social memory problems
anthropology of ethnicity
anthropology of religion
migration studies
anthropological study of the city
cultural and anthropological studies of the current situation in Siberia and the North
anthropological study of the interaction between man and technology, in particular in the field of modern information technology
anthropology of disability
medical anthropology

Nordic issues:

anthropological study of the everyday life of the inhabitants of the Arctic, North and Siberia
anthropology of religion and modern shamanism
anthropological study of northern (mono)cities
research of the modern cultural and linguistic situation in Siberia and the North
anthropological study of human-technology interaction

folklore issues:

structure folklore tradition(primarily Russian)
traditional folklore, theory
methodology and methods of analysis of plots and motives
modern methods of folkloristics and modern folklore material
poetics of folklore. Analysis of folklore texts at different levels
the relationship between folklore and “post-folklore”
individual genres, plots and motifs of traditional and modern folklore
specifics of urban folklore (urban folklore of the 19th century, modern urban folklore, folklore of social communities)
the place of religious folklore in the structure of folklore and in the system of religious ideas

sociolinguistic issues:

theoretical sociolinguistics, including the development of methods for sociolinguistic research
sociolinguistic study Russian Federation and states of the post-Soviet space
sociolinguistic studies of small peoples Far North, Siberia and the Far East
research in the field of variational sociolinguistics
microsociolinguistic studies of various communication environments

Open lectures by faculty teachers

Anthropologist- a scientist specializing in the study of humans as a biological species.

Features of the profession

Anthropologists are interested in man not only in his unity with nature, but also in the context of his cultural environment. Therefore, anthropology also includes disciplines that study man in society.

The term "anthropology" appeared in ancient philosophy. The ancient Greek philosopher Aristotle (384-322 BC) was the first to use it to designate a field of knowledge that studies primarily the spiritual side of human nature. Conventionally, anthropology can be divided into cultural And physical.

Cultural anthropology

In Russia, until recently, anthropology was understood mainly as physical anthropology, but since the 1990s, departments of social, political and philosophical anthropology began to appear in Russian universities. All of these are areas of cultural anthropology, which studies culture, civilization, social systems, and ethnic characteristics.

For example, social anthropology studies the manifestations of man in culture and society: in the family, in religion, economics, etc. Social anthropologists (socioanthropologists) study the principles of obtaining and using power in different societies, the economic behavior of people, identifies factors influencing the economy, but not taken into account by economic science. Cultural anthropology makes it possible to understand the essence of contradictions between different peoples, social strata, etc.

Physical anthropology

Specialists in this field are usually called anthropologists without any prefixes (socio-, ethno-, etc.). Physical anthropology is primarily concerned with the development of man as a biological species. She examines the remains of ancient people and the bodies of living people. The results of such research are used by archaeology, medicine, pedagogy, engineering psychology, ethnology (from the Greek ethnos people), etc.

The study of ancient people involves the study of fossil skeletons. Here are some important findings and discoveries in this direction.

German schoolteacher Johann Fuhlrott. (1803 - 1877) in 1856 collected and described the bones of primitive man. This was the first scientific description of a Neanderthal.

Dutch anthropologist Eugene Dubois(trained as a military doctor, 1858 - 1940) was the first to discover the skull of Pithecanthropus.

Raymond Arthur Dart(South African physician, 1893 - 1988) discovered Australopithecus for science.

German anthropologist Franz Weidenreich(1873 - 1948) developed the concept of polycentrism (several centers) in the formation of modern races. (In his opinion, there were four of these centers.) He is also the author of the concept of orthogenesis - the internal desire of organisms to develop.

German anthropologist Hans Weinert(1887 - 1967) studied Pithecanthropus and Neanderthals. Author of the theory that modern man arose under the pressure of harsh conditions of the Ice Age.

American anthropologist Ales Hrdlicka(1869 - 1943) in 1927 put forward the concept of the Neanderthal phase in human evolution.

Australian primatologist Colin Peter Groves(1942-...) systematized primates, combining gorillas, chimpanzees and humans into one family Hominidae (hominids).

American anthropologist Claude Owen Lovejoy- specialist on australopithecines, author of the concept of the origin of bipedalism. He suggested (in the 1980s) that upright walking was promoted not so much by natural factors (climate, etc.) as by sexual behavior, family relationships and social organization.

This is only a small part of the scientists who formed the modern theory of human development as a species. But the end to the study of the history of Homo sapiens (i.e. us) has not yet been reached.

The study of modern man has practical significance for various areas of life. For example, measurements of physical data (anthropometry) are of interest to manufacturers of clothing, furniture, home builders, etc.

Workplace

A specialist in cultural anthropology can serve on commissions and act as an expert, advising government officials making political decisions.

Salary

Salary as of 11/18/2019

Russia 20000—50000 ₽

Important qualities

Logic, analytical skills, interest in biology/sociology.

Knowledge and skills

During my years of study at the Faculty of Philology of Moscow State University, I was friends with students of the Faculty of History who were studying in the specialty “Ethnology,” and it was then that I realized that I had chosen the wrong department. I began to attend lectures at the history department and read specialized literature. Before university, I studied choreography, during my studies I delved into ethnochoreography, and from the 3rd-4th year I began concert activities. In the 1990s, she entered graduate school with a degree in cultural studies, which then began to stand out as scientific specialty from philosophical disciplines and has many overlaps with cultural and social anthropology. But in general, people come to these specialties in different ways: some graduate from the Faculty of History with a degree in ethnology, others enter graduate school with another humanities specialty.

Is it true that some social anthropologists are representatives of different nationalities, and therefore they study their own culture and social development?

Yes this is true. If you come to a congress of ethnologists and anthropologists, you will see specialists of various nationalities there, and many of them are studying their national or ethnic culture.

What universities train anthropologists? What specialized subjects will you study?

In Russia, the profession of sociocultural anthropologist is not identified as a separate scientific specialty. Now it forms part of the training of mainly ethnologists, cultural scientists and sociologists, but is voiced within the framework of ethnological specialization under the number 07.00.07: “Ethnography, ethnology and anthropology.” Methods of anthropological research of societies and their culture in our country and in many countries of Eastern Europe from the former socialist camp now form part of the training of ethnographers, and sociocultural anthropology is taught in history departments, in last years– also to students studying cultural studies, while in Western countries this specialty is considered as part of sociological science. There are such areas as political, philosophical, linguistic anthropology, and others. Researchers of different specialties are educated at different faculties high school: historical, sociological, philosophical, philological.

Where can an anthropologist work?

For a person who wants to devote himself to sociocultural anthropology, there are two main possibilities: work at a university or in a scientific institution. But in universities (given the increased workload on teachers in recent years) there are few opportunities for research work. Of the scientific institutions for academic research, the most prosperous institutes are Russian Academy Sci. But due to continuous reforms and cuts in science funding, it is difficult to say what a young person can now count on.

On the other hand, social (cultural) anthropologist is a modern specialty, in demand in both academic and applied fields. It is associated with the study of human capital, which in post-industrial societies is one of the most important factors of development. For more than a decade now in the USA and Western Europe the course of social (cultural) anthropology is part of the training of specialists in various fields, from academic scientists to managers and social workers. A similar trend began to appear in Russia in the 2000s. For example, in the Department of Interethnic Relations of the Ministry regional development RF staff was updated with the help of ethnographic specialists. Now this ministry does not exist, and the department has moved to the Ministry of Culture, where its functions are narrowed to regulating national relations in the field of cultural policy. In executive authorities different levels There are positions related to interethnic relations, but there is no condition for them to be occupied by anthropologists. In this sense, Russia has room to develop.

What does an anthropologist live on?

Teachers' salaries depend on the workload, and can reach 40 thousand rubles, but this is in Moscow. In institutions at the federal level and in the regions, salaries are much lower - 15-20 thousand rubles for a teacher with a scientific degree. In the last 4 years, it has been greatly reduced, which has been widely practiced by teachers and researchers. In the RAS system, salaries reach 30-40 thousand rubles for candidates and doctors of science, but in recent years, the rates of scientific employees, especially for higher positions, have been reduced, which calls into question the possibilities career growth for a scientist. Salaries of 90-100 thousand rubles are associated with administrative work (deputy director or other high positions), and the majority of scientific employees do not have such salaries.

At the same time, you can receive grants...

Yes, part of your earnings can come from grants. There are two large foundations in Russia that provide services in the socio-humanitarian sphere: the Russian Humanitarian Fund and the Russian Foundation for Basic Research. Their budgets are being cut, with priority in funding given to large research teams rather than individual researchers. There are foreign funds, some of which are allowed to work with Russian citizens. Funding for research on ethnic issues and publications within a country is often easier to obtain through public organizations, with which some researchers work.

How does your work day usually go?

The working day of an ethnic culture specialist depends on where and on what project he is working. this moment works. If for scientific projects outside the framework of the institution, he is absolutely free. IN academic institute There were always 1-2 office days, the rest of the time were so-called “library days”, when a person worked in the library or at home or met with the right people.

Research consists of several stages. First, empirical material is accumulated: this is field research or, if we are talking about historical data, work in libraries and archives. Active, focused work “in the field” can take several months - these include trips or meetings. If the subject of research is in the same city, then communication can be regular. During the period of data processing and systematization, the scientist begins to compose a text and usually works at home, in the library, and visits the institute to contact colleagues and discuss projects. These are “purely” anthropological research methods associated with synchronicity of observation. But the Eastern European approach to the study of ethnic cultures, which developed within the framework of the historical-ethnographic direction, also assumes a historical, retrospective view, which requires working with historical sources: publications, documents. Thanks to the digitization of archives in recent years, more and more documents are becoming available via the Internet, which speeds up hundreds of times. scientific work. It’s the same with searching for scientific literature – it’s no longer possible to imagine us working the way we did 10 years ago.

But is direct contact with the ethnic groups being studied always necessary?

One of the main methods of working in the field is direct participant observation, that is, participation in events. For example, a researcher is invited to a holiday, a wedding, or a visit, where he simply observes the events or participates in them. Another important method is an interview on a topic discussed with the informant. In this case, you can strictly adhere to some questions, or you can set the general direction of the conversation and allow the informant to speak freely, since the conversation can turn to another interesting topic.

The accumulation of material lasts a lifetime, because an anthropologist (ethnologist, cultural scientist) receives data not only during special expeditions. Growing into the environment he is studying, he often maintains relationships with informants, some of whom may become his buddies or friends. And if he is also a carrier of culture, then he is constantly in the environment being studied. In recent years, with the development of the Internet, the possibility of contacts with remote informants has become unlimited.

The International Society for Research of Gypsy Culture is also engaged in the preservation of culture (master classes in folklore dance, etc.), education in the native language. How does the anthropologist get involved?

– The choice of field of activity is determined by the interest of the person himself, because freedom of scientific research is the basic principle of science, its spirit. For example, ethnochoreography is a field of scientific knowledge like any other. There are ethnologists who are professionally engaged in ethnic choreography; it forms part of their scientific interests, and they combine this with scientific career. For example, S.V. Ryzhova is an employee of the Institute of Ethnology and Anthropology of the Russian Academy of Sciences, Doctor of Historical Sciences, and has been professionally performing and teaching several traditional Indian dance styles for many years.

I worked for many years as an ethnic dance performer and ethnochoreographer. For the last two years I have been an expert at the All-Russian Dance Organization.

As for education, Georgy Nikolaevich Tsvetkov and I worked for seven years in Federal Institute development of education in the department that dealt with the problems of education of national and ethnic groups in Russia, and we made almost all publications on this topic as part of the development of programs for native speakers gypsy language. Therefore, we can give workshops on the Romani language.

What skills and character traits are necessary for a future anthropologist, and which are contraindicated?

Among general qualities scientist: independence of thinking, ability to defend one’s point of view, ability to analyze, compare, systematize. For an anthropologist, it is important to be able to communicate with any people, find contact with them, and win them over. It is believed that acting skills are also necessary. You need to be able to put yourself in the place and circumstances of life of members of the society under study. Patience is required, since not all informants will easily make contact.

Intolerance – religious, ethnic – is unacceptable. The most important code of ethics is to do no harm to the informant and the community. If people don’t want to be recorded, then they shouldn’t be recorded. If they don’t want to be linked to, there is no need to mention their data. If they ask not to publish some information, it means that it will remain in the records for many years. This happens when we are talking about “closed” social information that cannot be shared with “strangers”, or about a person’s personal information, the publication of which will harm him or the community. In some cases it is better not to even mention ethnic group informants or very carefully touch upon certain topics in the public space. The latter is associated with aggression, ethnic intolerance, discrimination, and speculative use of ethnic information in the media.

How does professional development happen?

Directed professional development is postgraduate study and writing doctoral dissertation. Self-education occurs constantly, this is especially noticeable when studying interdisciplinary topics, when you have to delve into related specialties. For example, I recently wrote an article about legislation Russian Empire in relation to the Roma and turned to research on the history of law in Russia and to works on general theory rights.

Along with professional development, human development and the ability to understand people are necessary. The ability to see the world through the eyes of others involves not only professional, but also life experience.

Scientific communication, discussion of one’s own and others’ publications, materials, and exchange of experience are important. Personal meetings with colleagues, conferences, symposia, scientific forums are the main forms of scientific communication. Now it is possible to remotely participate in conferences and communicate with colleagues via Skype.

Who is your professional reference point?

The personality of an ideal scientist is rather collective image. Among the classics of anthropology, the works different authors, but especially Frederic Barth, Ruth Benedict, Mary Douglas. The directions of their research are in the field of my scientific interests. Now I am writing a number of articles about the Gypsies in the Russian Empire, and for me an example of the quality of work with historical sources is the texts of historians of the pre-revolutionary period, for example, famous historian Ukraine Dmitry Ivanovich Bagaley. The works of some contemporaries and colleagues serve as an example. One of the examples of historical and ethnographic research is the 1998 monograph “Gypsies in Romanian History” by Viorel Akim. An example of modern socio-anthropological research is Elena Nikolaevna Uspenskaya’s 2010 work “Anthropology of the Indian Caste”. An example of a collective scientific project is the well-known scientific series “Algebra of Kinship”, published over the last 15 years, under the leadership of Vladimir Aleksandrovich Popov. Of course, there are many other interesting works.

The International Society for Research on Gypsy Culture invites professional and amateur researchers to collaborate. Who responds to this invitation?

This is very different people. Sometimes scientists. For example, this is how we met the professional historian V.N. Shkunov, who, in his research on the gypsy trade, discovered a number of interesting previously unknown historical sources. Various people ask to send literature. Teachers who teach Roma children, Roma intelligentsia from different regions of Russia and the former republics of the USSR, and from public organizations wrote several times.

How do others feel about your unusual specialty?

It depends on the people around you. Russian society because it is extremely heterogeneous. There are ethnically aggressive people. Among young people receiving higher education, in the last 10-15 years there has been an opinion that losers go into science who could not realize themselves in other fields, which is associated with the deterioration of the situation of scientists in the last 25 years and the degradation of the sphere of science and education in Russia. Moreover, this even applies to the children of very successful acquaintances: they believe that doing science in Russian conditions is nonsense. But for some reason they don’t classify their relatives as losers. (smiles).

From the point of view of research, many people find this profession interesting, because it allows them to objectively see society, and the process of scientific research itself is an unusually creative activity. Our online library is used by people of different ages and professional interests: not only scientists or public figures, but also representatives of the ethnic diaspora, especially young people.

What are the main problems of modern Russian science and anthropology in particular?

The problem of transitional societies, to which Russia and the countries of the former socialist camp belong, is the sharp decline in the standard of living of scientists in the post-Soviet period, the discrepancy between their current situation and the role that science plays in society, the underfunding of scientific research, and uncomfortable working conditions. The worst thing is that in recent years, under the guise of reforms in the country, there has been an attempt to eliminate the independence of science as a public sector, bureaucratization of the scientific process, an attempt to introduce ideological control in socio-humanitarian knowledge (primarily in historical science), replacing scientific creativity with teaching, with the introduction of appropriate social tools. That is, there is an attempt to eliminate what makes science a science - a unique self-developing field. The result is a decline in the prestige of science in Russia. Active researchers, and especially young people, are trying to go to developed countries, where working conditions are much better. This is not necessarily about , many work on grants or under a contract. Since the field of science is international, this process is quite natural.

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