St Petersburg University expert on the tasks of ethnography today

The preservation of cultural diversity and traditional spiritual and moral values is one of the priorities of the state’s national policy. In this regard, the multifaceted mission of ethnographers and ethnographic museums in the modern world is essential. Today, they play a key role in the study of the cultural, social and everyday traditions of the peoples of the world.

Traditional culture is a resource for preserving and developing the cultural diversity of the country. An important task of St Petersburg University and other universities is to prepare highly educated and practice-oriented specialists.

Aleksei Novozhilov, Associate Professor at St Petersburg University

Among what ethnographers are engaged in is expeditions. During expeditions, ethnographers accumulate material for scientific research that is a vital component of work in museums as they provide both narrative material and the collection and storage of cultural and everyday objects. What is more is that museums prepare exhibitions of objects of national culture.

The press conference also discussed how to prepare specialists in preserving traditional natural resource management, identify and protect objects of ethnocultural heritage, ensure intercultural interaction, and monitor interethnic and interfaith relations.

In 2017, St Petersburg University opened the master’s programme "Ethnological Assessment", which equips students with a set of skills in research, analytical and advisory activities aimed at interpreting ethnocultural and ethnosocial processes. 

Discussing the peculiarities of conducting professional ethnological assessment, Aleksei Novozhilov drew attention to the fact that ethnological assessment is more diverse in its tasks than other forms of assessment. Unlike classic ethnographic expeditions, it is particularly aimed at achieving specific goals, said the expert. "This year, as part of one of the projects on the Kola Peninsula, we familiarise residents of Sámi villages with the results of our previous expeditions. We go to meetings and try to get feedback. These are new forms of work for ethnographers," said Aleksei Novozhilov. The second example is visits to monitor the fulfilment of the obligations of various companies to preserve and develop the culture of indigenous people, in particular the Nenets. Ethnographers conduct a survey about how well, in the opinion of the residents, one of the companies works, i.e. how it satisfies representatives of indigenous peoples.

We understand ethnological assessment as an examination of the culture of local groups of large nations and indigenous peoples of the Russian Federation.

Aleksei Novozhilov, Head of the Department of Ethnography and Anthropology at St Petersburg University

During the press conference, the participants recalled the outstanding ethnographers who taught them and whose schools of thought are developing today in Russian science. Julia Kupina, Director of the Russian Ethnographic Museum, and Aleksei Novozhilov paid tribute to Rudolf Its, their teacher and Professor at Leningrad State University. He was the founder of the Department of Ethnography and Anthropology at Leningrad State University. 'One of Rudolf Its’s books is "To the people for the sake of the people". It seems to me that this name can be considered as a slogan that is quite applicable to modern ethnography in general and to ethnological assessment in particular,' summed up Aleksei Novozhilov, Associate Professor at St Petersburg University.

The Department of Ethnography and Anthropology was opened at the Faculty of History at Leningrad State University (today the Institute of History at St Petersburg University) in 1968. It was opened by Professor Rudolf Its, Doctor of History. He served as Head of the Department from 1968 to 1990. According to the recollections of graduate historians, in the 1970s Rudolf Its suggested celebrating Ethnographer’s Day.