Scientific activity of M.E. Plotnikova

The article describes the scientific activity of Maria Ermolaevna Plotnikova (1925-1994), a prominent Soviet historian, Doctor of Historical Sciences, Honored Scientist of the RSFSR, professor at Tomsk State University. The main stages of her scientific activity in the context of the socio-political situation in the country in the second half of the 20th century are determined. Her entry into science began at the end of the Stalin era, but her full talent as a historian was revealed under the influence of Khrushchev's "thaw." Based on the analysis of M.E. Plotnikova's scientific works, her specific contribution to the study of the most important problems of the history of the Civil War in Siberia is shown, including the history and historiography of the Siberian counterrevolution and intervention, the working class and the peasantry, the Bolshevik underground and the partisan movement. Her scientific intuition, scientific courage, and high professionalism were noted, which manifested themselves in expanding scientific topics and deepening scientific research, initiating scientific discussions, and increasing historical knowledge. The methodology and methods of her research work, which took place under the conditions of the deforming influence of the ideology that dominated the country and the fact that historical science was under the strict control of the Communist Party, are described. Therefore, not all of her judgments, conclusions, and assessments of historical events and characters have stood the test of time. The article draws attention to M.E. Plotnikova's subjectively sincere perception of the Marxist-Leninist understanding of history and at the same time to her rejection of Stalinism, to her desire for greater freedom of thought and creativity in science and in teaching history. An assessment is given of the significant role of M.E. Plotnikova in the expansion and deepening of historical research at Tomsk State University, in the formation and development of a scientific school on the history of the 1917 revolution and the Civil War in Siberia, in the expansion of the subject field of the Tomsk historiographical school, in the emergence of a new scientific direction at TSU on the history of higher education and science in Siberia. The number of candidates of historical sciences prepared by M.E. Plotnikova has been clarified (30, not 20 people, as mistakenly indicated in the encyclopedic and reference literature). The author declares no conflicts of interests.

Keywords

Authors

References