Russian Philosophical and Cultural Studies as Expert Knowledge: Concept, Practice, Institute

Abstract

The article substantiates the interdisciplinary synthesis of philosophy and cultural studies in a wide field of Russian studies. This paper presents the author’s approach to the study in philosophy of Russian culture, history and art as a constellation of creative experience in Russia’s intellectual and social history. The article proves both the need to develop new methodological approaches to the study of the cultural heritage of Russia and institutional (organizational) research models in this subject area. The fulfillment of these conditions is designed to ensure, on the one hand, the growth of new knowledge, on the other hand, to ensure the continuity of intellectual, artistic, spiritual traditions in the process of deep transformations of Russian society, which is being rebuilt to a new technological and socio-cultural way of life. The author defines the conceptual core of the institutionalization project of Russian philosophical and cultural studies in the university system, and also shows some practical forms of its implementation on the example of the HSE University. The project developer draws a conclusion about the expert role of modern humanities, designed at a high level of philosophical and cultural reflection to assess both the creative, social and ethical potential of Russia’s cultural traditions and new cultural practices, including its diverse digital and media forms. Expert knowledge in this system of social and intellectual communications is a mediating link between the cultural experience of the past, its ideal-value content and modern practices, and it provides a procedure for capitalizing heritage as well as cultural self-identification of a person and society.