Subjects and Subject-Subject Relations in Book Culture: Historical and Theoretical Aspects

Abstract

The analysis of subject-subject relations, the identification and characterization of which this article is devoted to, is of great importance for the further development of theoretical and methodological aspects of book culture, its complete and in-depth study in various historical periods, identification of trends, scale, drivers and conditions for its development, disclosure and strengthening of its communicative nature. The article aims to formulate the main theoretical aspects of the manifestations of subjectivity and subject-subject relations in book culture with an emphasis on the historical and regional context. There is presented book culture as an extensive system of interacting subjects of book publishing, book distribution and reading, which have books as the main object. In the context of book culture, the article, for the first time, gives working definitions of the terms “subject” and “subject-subject relations”. The author names the universal properties of subjects, which are activity, dedication, initiative, responsibility, ability and readiness to transform the world and oneself. There are specified the subjects, the most significant and widespread subject-subject relations that are generated in book culture and form its fundamental ties, including those that were characteristic of the Russian Empire. The article presents the most active subjects of the book culture of Siberia and the Far East in the pre-revolutionary period, both individual and collective. The author indicates the dependence of tasks, pace, directions, scale, results of the development of book culture on its subjects.