Vadim Polonskiy

Director of A.M. Gorky Institute of World Literature of the Russian Academy of Sciences (IWL RAS), Corresponding member of the RAS, Doctor Habil. of Philology

Curriculum vitae

Born October 21, 1972.

Education and Academic Positions

Graduated from the Philology Department of the Lomonosov Moscow State University in 1994 cum laude. Qualification awarded: “Philologist. Teacher of the Russian Language and Literature. Teacher of the French Language in Institutions of Secondary and Higher Education”.

Completed Postgraduate studies at the Chair of the Twentieth Century Russian Literary History, Philology Department, Moscow State University (1994–1997). Defended the PhD thesis on Biographical Genre in the Work of Dmitry Merezhkovsky, 1920–1930s in 1998 (Specialty: 10.01.01. – Russian Literature).

Defended the Habilitation thesis on Mytho-poetical Aspects of the Generic Evolution in Russian Literature at the Turn of the 19th–20th Centuries in 2008 (Specialties: 10.01.01. – Russian Literature; 10.01.08 – Theory of literature. Textual criticism).

Since 1998, works in IWL RAS. Senior Researcher (1998–2006). Since 2006, Head of the Department of Russian Literature at the Turn of the 19th–20th Centuries. From 2010 until December 2015 – Deputy Director for Academic Work, since December 2015–present – Director of IWL RAS.

In 2016 was elected Professor of the RAS, in 2019 – Corresponding member of the RAS.

Taught at the Lomonosov Moscow State University, St. Tikhon Orthodox State University; Professor at the Department of Russian Classical Literature of the Russian State University for the Humanities (RSUH).

Specialist in Russian literature at the turn of 19th –20th Centuries, comparative studies and literary theory, in particular, poetics of the genre, the problem of literary neomythology. Is author of over 200 academic publications edited in Russia, the USA, the UK, Germany, France, Italy, Spain, Czech Republic, Poland, China, South Korea, Turkey, Bulgaria, Montenegro et al.

Head of the projects supported by Russian Humanitarian Scientific Fund, “House of the Sciences of Man” Fund (Fondation Maison des sciences de l’homme) (Paris, France) and other national and foreign scientific funds.

Grant holder of the Russian President Foundation for support of young scientists (2011–2012).

Head of numerous projects within the framework of fundamental research programs of the Russian Academy of Sciences Department of Historical and Philological Sciences and of the Presidium of RAS: “Creation of the Information Resource “Chronicles of Russian Literature at the Turn of the 19th–20th Centuries” (Program of the RAS Department of Historical and Philological Sciences “Language and Information Technology”, 2015 – 2017); “Traditionalists and Modernists in the Literary Process of Russia of the 1900s–Early 1920s” (Program of the RAS Department of Historical and Philological Sciences “Language and Literature in the Context of Cultural Dynamics”, 2012 – 2014); “Reception of the National Classics in Russian Literature at the Turn of the 19th–20th Centuries” (Program of the Presidium of RAS “Historical and Cultural Heritage and Spiritual Values of Russia”, 2009 – 2011); “Poetics of Russian Literature at the Turn of the 19th –20th Centuries. Dynamics of the Genre: Poetry, Drama” (Program of the RAS Department of Historical and Philological Sciences “Russian Culture in the World History”, 2006 – 2008); “Mythopoetics and Dynamics of the Genre Development in Russian Literature at the Turn of the 19th–20th Centuries” (Program of the Presidium of RAS “Adaptation of the People and Cultures to the Natural, Social and Technogenic Changes”, 2006 – 2008).

Presented his papers at academic forums, scientific conferences and seminars in the USA, the UK, France, Germany, Italy, Spain, Austria, China, India, Finland, Turkey, Czech Republic, Poland, Bulgaria, Montenegro, etc. Was invited to give lectures at different universities in the UK, France, Italy, Spain, China and Czech Republic.

Head of Academic Council, IWL RAS; Member of the dissertation councils at IWL RAS and Russian State University for the Humanities (RSUH).

Editor-in-Chief of the journal Izvestiâ Rossijskoj akademii nauk. Seriâ literatury i âzyka (Bulletin of the Russian Academy of Sciences: Studies in Literature and Language); Member of Editorial Board of the Academic collection of the Complete works of M. Gorky; Member of the Editorial Board and Editorial Council of the scholarly journals Russian Literature, Studia Litterarum, Literary Fact, Moscow State University Bulletin. Series 9. Philology, Russica Romana et al., of IWL RAS Scholarly Series Literary Heritage, of the edited collections (academic editions of the Complete works by A. Blok, L. Andreev et al.)

Member of the Presidential Council on the Russian Language. Member of the Expert Council of the Higher Accreditation Committee (VAK) of Russian Federation in the field of philology and art studies (until January 2016; left the Council due to the appointment as Director of IWL RAS); 2013–2018 – Member of the Expert Group in Literature and Art at the Scientific Council at the Ministry of Education of Russian Federation.

Accredited Expert of the Federal Register of scientific and technical experts; Reviewer in RAS; Reviewer in Russian Scientific Fund; Co-chair of the Expert Committee in literature at the Russian Council of “Olympiads” in high schools.

Honorary professor and Honoris causa degree at the South-Western University of China (2018).

Honoris causa degree at Azerbaijan National Academy of Sciences (2018).

Chang Jiang Scholar (the highest academic award issued by the Ministry of Education of China), Sichuan University, China (2021).

State and Ministerial awards:

  • Order of Friendship “For great contribution to the development of national science, many years of fruitful activity and in connection with the 300th anniversary of the Russian Academy of Sciences” (2024).

  • Medal “300th Anniversary of the Russian Academy of Sciences” (2024).

  • Russian Federation Presidential Letter of Gratitude (2022).

  • Commemorative medal of the Ministry of Culture of the Russian Federation “Great Russian Writer F.M. Dostoevsky 1821–2021" (2021).

  • Medal of the Ministry of Science and Higher Education of the Russian Federation “For contribution to the implementation of state policy in the field of scientific and technological development” (2021).

  • Gratitude from the Ministry of Science and Higher Education of the Russian Federation “For significant services in the field of science, many years of conscientious work and active participation in the organization of the Siberian Historical Forum” (2020).

  • Badge of the Governor of the Ryazan Region “125 years Anniversary of the Birth of Sergei Yesenin” (2020).

Selected Bibliography:

Monographs:

Edited collective monographs and editions:

  • Merezhkovskie i Evropa [Merezhkovskys and Europe]. Ex.ed. V.V. Polonskiy. Comp.: E.A. Andrushchenko, O.A. Blinova, V.M. Vvedenskaya. Moscow: IMLI RAN Publ., 2023. – 496 p. (In Russ.)

  • "Slozhnaia tselostnost'" literatury. Issledovaniia i publikatsii. K iubileiu V.A. Keldysha [“Complex Integrity” of Literature. Materials and Research. In the Honor of V.A. Keldysh], ed. V.V. Polonskiy, comp. V.M. Vvedenskaia, E.V. Glukhova, M.V. Koz'menko. Мoscow: IWL RAS Publ., 2019. 528 p. ISBN 978-5-9208-0584-3. (In Russ.)

  • Perelom 1917 goda: revoliutsionnyi kontekst russkoi literatury. Issledovaniia i materialy [The 1917 Rupture: Revolutionary Context of Russian Literature. Materials and Research], ed. V.V. Polonskiy. Мoscow: IWL RAS Publ., 2017. 864 p. ISBN 978-5-9208-0533-1 (In Russ.)

  • Russkaia revoliutsiia 1917 goda v literaturnykh istochnikakh i dokumentakh. [The Russian Revolution of 1917 in Literary Sources and Documents], ed. Polonskiy. Мoscow: IWL RAS Publ., 2017. 440 p. ISBN 978-5-9208-0521-8. (In Russ.)

  • Politika i pojetika: russkaja literatura v istoriko-kul'turnom kontekste Pervoj mirovoj vojny. Publikacii, issledovanija i materialy [Politics and poetics: Russian literature in the historical and cultural context of the First World War. Publications, research and materials]. Ex. ed. V.V. Polonskiy. Мoscow: IWL RAS Publ., 2014. 880 p. (In Russ.)

  • Russkaja publicistika i periodika jepohi Pervoj mirovoj vojny: politika i pojetika. Issledovanija i materialy [Russian journalism and periodicals of the era of the First World War: Politics and Poetics. Research and Materials]. Ex. ed. V.V. Polonsky. Мoscow: IWL RAS Publ., 2013. 598 p. (In Russ.)

  • Russkaia literatura v zerkalakh mirovoi kul'tury: retseptsiia, perevody, interpretatsii [Russian Literature in the Mirrors of World Culture: Reception, Translations, and Interpretations], ed., comp. by M.F. Nad’iarnykh, V.V. Polonskiy, executive ed. A.B. Kudelin. Мoscow: IWL RAS Publ., 2015. 974 p. (In Russ.)

  • Filosofov D.V. Kriticheskie stat'i i zametki (1899 – 1916) [Critical articles and notes (1899 – 1916)]. Comp. O.A. Korostelev. Ex.ed. V.V. Polonskiy. Мoscow: IWL RAS Publ., 2010. 680 p. (In Russ.)

  • Pojetika russkoj literatury konca XIX – nachala XX veka. Dinamika zhanra: Obshhie problemy. Proza [Poetics of Russian literature of the late XIX – early XX centuries. Dynamics of the genre: General problems. Prose]. Ex.ed. V.A. Keldysh, V.V. Polonskiy. Мoscow: IWL RAS Publ., 2009. 832 p. (In Russ.)

  • Russkaja literatura konca XIX – nachala XX veka v zerkale sovremennoj nauki. Issledovanija i publikacii: V chest' V.A.Keldysha [Russian literature of the late XIX – early XX centuries in the mirror of modern science. Research and publications: In honor of V.A. Keldysh]. Ex.ed. V.V. Polonskiy. Comp. O.A. Lekmanov, V.V.Polonskiy. Мoscow: IWL RAS Publ., 2008. 415 p. (In Russ.)