Particularities of the studies of the history of philosophy of Ukraine in the Academy of Sciences of the Ukrainian SSR in the Stalin period: 1946-1953

Upon the history of the Institute of Philosophy

Abstract

The paper examines the history of philosophy of Ukraine as it appears in research of the Department of Philosophy History of Ukraine of the Institute of Philosophy of the Academy of Sciences of the RSFSR in 1947-1953. During this period the philosophical tradition of the Institute emerges and exists almost invariably for years thereafter. On the basis of archi- val materials of the H. S. Skovoroda Institute of Philosophy the author clarifies the context, in which this tradition arises, and poses a question whether it could be different.

The author concludes that during 1946-1953, the Department’s research was prima- rily focused on social, and later, sociopolitical thoughts of Ukrainian writers of the 19th century in order to create a new Soviet philosophy and ideology. Under strict censorship and intimidation, no attempt was made to go beyond these thematic boundaries. The re- search of the history of 17th, early 20th centuries outlined the prospect of further research, which could help creating the coherent history of Ukraine’s philosophy. However, this top- ic had not grown actively researched. Studies of the history of philosophical and socio-po- litical thought in Ukraine were carried out under increasing ideological pressure and cen- sorship, thus since 1953 this issue ceases to be the leading vector of the Institute’s research.