Vladimir Lamansky in Saint Petersburg University

Abstract

On the basis of the archival sources and memoirs of the contemporaries, the authors of the article reconstruct the university career of an outstanding Russian Slavic scholar V. I. Lamansky (1833–1914): from the period when he served as an officer in the administration of St. Petersburg Governorate to the time when he made a decision to resign from the university in protest against the government’s actions during the 1899 student unrest. It is noted that the foundations of Lamansky’s scholarly methodology was formed by Slavophile philosophy, since we can consider Lamansky the representative of the movement of so called academic Slavophilism. Lamansky’ orientation towards philosophical approach with regard to Slavic history and culture enabled him to become a founder of an independent historiographical school, with which a number of renowned Russian scholars can be associated. The authors underline that Lamansky realized himself more as a political thinker and philosopher of history than a researcher; however, this fact did not prevent him from contributing to Russian Slavic studies as an independent discipline with its own subject and method. Exploring Lamansky’s correspondence, the authors analyze Lamansky’s perception of 1884 University regulations and 1899 student unrest. It enables to demonstrate the specificity of Lamansky’s political views and some features of his personality. Therefore, contrary to the accepted viewpoint, prevalent in historiography since the Soviet period, according to which Lamansky was inclined to political conservatism and reactionary movement, we can argue that Lamansky’s political position was of liberal nature.