S.S. Uvarov's ''Projet d'une Academie Asiatique'' in history of RussianOrientalism

The articledescribes the role of S.S. Uvarov's ''Project for an Asian Academy'' (1810) in the formation of theRussian oriental studies. Rapid development of Orientalism in Europe, in particular, in Germany (J.G.Herder, Romanticists) and in France (School of Silvestre de Sacy), on the boundary of the 18th-19thcenturies generated a number of new branches of science (comparative linguistics, comparativemythology, etc.) and was caused by the growing requirements for colonial expansion. Its connectionboth with the development of the Russian colonial projects, and with the formation of nationalideology was obvious to the diplomat S.S. Uvarov. Both aspects were defined by the rigid competitionof the European powers and struggle for colonies; and upholding of independence during theNapoleonic wars created the ideal of the national states and initiated nationalism.S.S. Uvarov was greatly influenced by J.G. Herder's, F.V. Humboldt's and, especially, F. Shlegel's(''Uber die Sprache und Weisheit der Indies'') concepts. H.J. von Klaproth and I.A. Fessler participatedin creating the ''Projet d'une Academie Asiatique''. It synthesized the achievements of the European

Keywords

Authors

References