The textbook of N. Polonska-Vasylenko "Ukrainian historiography" in the context of methodological tradition of the statehood school

Abstract

The aim of the paper is to elucidate the meaningful content of the textbook (lecture notes) written by N. Polonska-Vasylenko «Ukrainian Historiography» and its conformity to the conceptual foundations of the statehood direction in Ukrainian historiography of the post-war period. The research methodology is based on the basic principles of textual analysis and the use of historiographical cognitive methods, in particular historiographical analysis and synthesis, as well as biographical method. Scientific novelty consists in the fact that for the first time the indicated didactic text became the subject of historiographical examination, and a comparative analysis with other historiographical and historical texts of the researcher was conducted. This allowed to broaden the vision of the personality of N. Polonska-Vasylenko as a historian of Ukrainian historical science and a higher education tutor. Thus, the main methodological principles of the state direction of Ukrainian historiography within the emigration of the postwar period were clarified. Conclusions. N. Polonska-Vasylenko’s text of «Ukrainian Historiography» is an interesting example of the Ukrainian didactic historical writing, which is based on the state methodological and scholarly traditions. It is characteristic that the author criticizes the previous developments on certain historiographical topics, in particular, the impartiality and objectivity of the chroniclers, ideological constructions of the continuity of the Kyivs'ka Rus’ tradition by the Moscow princes, etc. Consideration of Ukrainian historical thought covers a significant chronological range: from the Kyivs'ka Rus’ chronicles to scientific works of the early 1970's. To a certain extent, this is a brief essay on the development not only of Ukrainian historiography, but also of source study, especially concerning the medieval and early modern eras. The author also analyzes the intellectual genesis of the great-power Moscow tradition. The text of this manual also reflects the results of a significant part of the previous scientific achievements of the author.