Science after Stalin: Forging a New Image of Soviet Science

2002 ◽  
Vol 15 (2) ◽  
pp. 317-338 ◽  
Author(s):  
Konstantin Ivanov
Keyword(s):  
Applied Research ◽  
Ussr Academy ◽  
Soviet Science ◽  
Socialist Society ◽  
Visible Part ◽  
Academic Researchers ◽  
Related Series ◽  
New Vision ◽  
Academy Of Sciences

ArgumentPost-Stalinist reforms resulted in dramatic changes in the ways of operation of Soviet science: one can say that they altered the very understanding of what science was, or should be, in the socialist society. A new vision came about as a result of political and rhetorical efforts of scientists, who pushed forward their various, often conflicting, agendas acting in accordance with specific rules of Soviet polity. The most visible part of the reform came with the 1961 administrative reorganization of the USSR Academy of Sciences. The related series of changes, however, was much broader and comprehensive, modifying the relationships between science and ideology, politicians and academic researchers, and establishing the very division between fundamental and applied research, which had been strongly rejected during the preceding Stalinist period.

scholarly journals Anniversary of the USSR Academy of Sciences in the Victorious 1945: Idea, Celebration Scenario, International Response

2021 ◽  
pp. 22-36
Author(s):  
Valentina Korzun ◽  
Mihail Kovalev ◽  
Viktoriya Gruzdinskaya
Keyword(s):  
International Cooperation ◽  
Scientific Community ◽  
Ussr Academy ◽  
Soviet Science ◽  
International Scientific Community ◽  
Science Field ◽  
International Response ◽  
Wide Range ◽  
Academic Elite ◽  
Academy Of Sciences

The authors focus on the celebration of the 220th anniversary of the USSR Academy of Sciences in 1945. The festive events hosted both due to the anniversary, joyful victory and cease of warfare in Europe were attended by 124 delegates from 17 countries, as well as by nearly 1,000 Soviet academics. The situation was unique in its concept and inspired people with hope for world reconstruction. The occasion was widely publicized, eliciting an extensive response. The anniversary served an occasion to organize the forum where academics discussed their perception of science field in the victorious year of 1945. Based on a wide range of sources, including foreign archives first introduced to the academia, the paper presents the scenarios of the celebration of the 220th anniversary of the USSR Academy of Sciences, as well as the images of the Russian and Soviet science represented by the academic elite, and their perception by the international scientific community. The authors reveal the factors that influence the establishment and functioning of the communicative field of global science. It is concluded that in a contextual way the anniversary events featured the overestima­ted expectations of new forms of international cooperation, with various forms of collaboration being discussed. However, the triumph over the “unified science” and the establishment of the universal communicative field was temporary.

“Pavlovian” session: a new reading

2021 ◽  
Vol 42 (5) ◽  
pp. 49-58
Author(s):  
N. Stoyukhina ◽  
◽  
A. L. Zhuravlev ◽  
Keyword(s):  
High Activity ◽  
Ussr Academy ◽  
Scientific Session ◽  
Organizational Structures ◽  
The State ◽  
Soviet Science ◽  
Medical Sciences ◽  
Academy Of Sciences ◽  
First Time ◽  
Memorable Event

An attempt was made to take a fresh look at a significant event for Soviet science that happened more than 70 years ago – the Joint scientific session of the USSR Academy of Sciences and the USSR Academy of Medical Sciences, dedicated to the problems of the physiological doctrine of academician I.P. Pavlov (June 28 – July 4, 1950). The memoirs of contemporaries of that memorable event were analyzed based on a new reading of the speeches of the participants, published in the verbatim record of the scientific session. For the first time, authors examined the report of the physiologist M.M. Koltsova, who was considered one of those who wanted and offered to “close” psychology. Also, for the first time in historiography of the “Pavlovian” session, authors analyzed the unfulfilled (but published in the verbatim record) speech of the employee of the Institute of philosophy of the USSR Academy of Sciences S.A. Petrushevsky, in which he highlighted the state of contemporary psychology in the USSR and outlined the prospects for its development. As a significant result of the analysis of the materials reflected in the verbatim record authors considered the fact that in the texts of the speeches and in the resolution of the session there was not found an extremely (sharply) negative mention of psychology and psychologists, therefore, the opinion of some authors about the existing decision to “close” psychology, expressed in the session, has not yet been confirmed. Some consequences of this scientific event were considered: the teaching of I.P. Pavlov began to spread directively; after the death of I.V. Stalin the interest in Pavlov's works declined; there were words about the urgent need to create a special psychological institution in the system of the USSR Academy of Sciences. It is shown that the session caused a high activity of psychologists, which led to the strengthening of its methodological positions and scientific-organizational structures.

“Against the Background of Pushkin”: S.I. Vavilov’s Speech at a Meeting at the Poet’s Monument in June 1949

2020 ◽  
Vol 17 (5) ◽  
pp. 550-559
Author(s):  
Aleksandr Yu. Samarin
Keyword(s):  
Literary Criticism ◽  
Communist Party ◽  
Ussr Academy ◽  
Russian Scientist ◽  
Critical Attitude ◽  
150Th Anniversary ◽  
Soviet State ◽  
The Press ◽  
Academy Of Sciences

The article introduces a previously unpublished speech of the outstanding Russian scientist-physicist, President of the USSR Academy of Sciences, academician Sergey Ivanovich Vavilov, which was delivered by him at the anniversary meeting held on June 5, 1949, at the monument to Alexander Pushkin in Moscow in connection with the celebration of the 150th anniversary of the great Russian poet’s birth. S.I. Vavilov was a great connoisseur of Pushkin’s poetry and literature about him. In the second half of the 1940s, Vavilov actively participated in projects to prepare the anniversary celebrations dedicated to Alexander Pushkin and perpetuate the memory of the poet. Analysis of S.I. Vavilov’s speech, which, unlike his other “Pushkin speeches”, was not intended for the press, shows that in evaluating the great poet’s work, along with the use of cliches, traditional for the epoch, the scientist also took certain liberties. In particular, he did not utter the ritual words praising Stalin, the Communist Party and the Soviet State. The poet Ya.P. Polonsky quoted by Vavilov was not among the classics recognized by Soviet literary criticism, and the selected quote from him could be interpreted as a hint of condemnation of the surrounding Stalinist reality. Numerous fragments of the scientist’s personal diaries indicate his critical attitude towards the latter, in particular.

The Anniversary of the Ussr Academy of Sciences

1975 ◽  
Vol 17 (6) ◽  
pp. 66-79
Author(s):  
V. A. Leshkovtsev
Keyword(s):  
Ussr Academy ◽  
Academy Of Sciences

IV All-Russian Scientific Conference "The influence of anthropogenic factors on the morphogenesis and structural transformations of cells, tissues and organs of humans and animals"

1998 ◽  
Vol 79 (2) ◽  
pp. 156-157
Author(s):  
E. S. Valishin ◽  
N. M. Vanov
Keyword(s):  
Ussr Academy ◽  
Structural Transformations ◽  
100Th Anniversary ◽  
Human Anatomy ◽  
Anthropogenic Factors ◽  
Scientific Conference ◽  
Russian Scientific ◽  
Medical University ◽  
Academy Of Sciences

The conference was dedicated to the 190th anniversary of the Department of Human Anatomy of Kazan State Medical University, the 100th anniversary of the birth of Corr. USSR Academy of Sciences, prof. N.G. Kolosov, and was also timed to coincide with the opening of the unique building of the Department of Anatomy after reconstructive capital repairs.

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