Ukrainian philosophy and culture department

Ukrainian Philosophy and Culture Department traces its history back to June 17, 1991, when by the decision of the Academic Board History of Ukrainian Philosophy Department was established. The newly-established Department had a task: in-depth study of national philosophical thought, reading standard courses and special courses on the History of Philosophy of Ukraine, preparation of professionals in these subjects for higher educational establishments in Ukraine, development of curricula, textbooks, manuals, teaching materials. However, it turned out soon that the range of tasks that were set for the Department increased significantly: in addition to the History of Philosophy of Ukraine it had to turn to the history of  Ukrainian culture, bring for consideration and rethink a number of topical issues of national philosophy and culture, introduce several new courses apart from standard courses. Given these factors and the growth of professional training of the Department staff, in 1993, it was reorganized into Ukrainian Philosophy and Culture Department. In this status, the Department continues to operate in the system of the Philosophy Faculty of the University.

But the origins of teaching the history of Ukrainian Philosophy at University of Kyiv date back to the ХІХ - early ХХ centuries, when O.M. Novytskyi, O.M Hiliarov, S.S. Hohotskyi, V.V. Zenkivskyi, O.O. Kozlov worked at the University. Thus, the first Professor of Philosophy at University of Kyiv A.M. Novytskyi paid considerable attention to historical and philosophical researches, which resulted in the work "Gradual Development of Ancient Philosophical Doctrines in Connection with the Development of Pagan Beliefs" (K., 1860 – 1861. Part 1-4). Professor of Philosophy, Academician of AUAS A.M. Hiliarov was delivering a course "Introduction to Philosophy" and the broad course of history of foreign philosophy since 1891, having published such textbooks as "Philosophy in its Essence, History and Significance", (K., 1916 - 1919. V. I-II), "Lectures on History of New Philosophy, Read in the Spring Semester of 1915" (Kyiv, 1915). Doctor of Philosophy, professor in ordinary S.S. Hohotsky created a number of major works, in which he consistently pursued an academic philosophical idea of historicism, advocated a new type of philosophy based on the new achievements of Western European thought, its critical reevaluation, he was the first in the history of national thought who attempted to create a philosophical encyclopedia.

Since 1991, the Department has been headed by Candidate of Philosophical Sciences, Professor M.Y Rusyn, whose main research areas include history of philosophy of Ukraine, aesthetics, folklore studies, culture studies, history of Ukrainian culture ("Folklore: Traditions and Modernity". – K., 1991). He is the author of over 40 scientific and tutorial works, and 20 Candidate theses have been defended under his guidance. Professor M.Y. Rusyn was awarded the Order of the third degree "For Merits".

Since the establishment of  Ukrainian Philosophy and Culture Department, its lecturers and postgraduate students have set and maintain creative relations with leading higher educational establishments of Ukraine: Lviv, Chernivtsi, Ivano-Frankivsk National Universities, National University of Kyiv-Mohyla Academy, National University of Bio Resources and Environmental Management of Ukraine, M.P. Drahomanov National Pedagogic University, with scholars from H.S. Skovoroda Institute of Philosophy of NAS of Ukraine.

For the period of the Department existence, it has retrained a number of lecturers from almost all regions of Ukraine, including Professor of Tianjin University (China) Gen Erlin. The Department is a basic leading organization for Doctor and Candidate theses on the history of Ukrainian philosophy and culture. The Department staff continuously act as opponents at Doctor and Candidate theses defenses, actively participate in scientific conferences, provide professional advice to lecturers of other educational and cultural institutions of Ukraine. They developed the syllabi of courses in the History of Philosophy of Ukraine, History of Ukrainian Culture, plans of seminars, manuals for these courses, which are common to all educational establishments.

To ensure the educational process the Department lecturers in cooperation with scholars from H.S. Skovoroda Institute of Philosophy of NAS of Ukraine prepared and issued the first in Ukraine's history textbook and reader on the History of Philosophy of Ukraine ("History of Philosophy of Ukraine: Reader". – K., 1993, "History of Philosophy of Ukraine: Textbook". – K., 1994) . In 2008, the Department staff and leading scientists H.S. Skovoroda Institute of Philosophy of NAS of Ukraine published textbooks "History of Ukrainian Philosophy" (K., 2008), "History of Ukrainian Philosophy (to 175-th Anniversary of University of Kyiv)" (K ., 2008).

The Department lecturers prepared and published a unique work "Ukraine: Philosophical Legacy of Centuries" ("Chronicle-2000, Ukrainian Cultural Almanac". – K., 2000. - V. I-II, 100 pages in total, etc.). These works represent to the fullest extent the leading Ukrainian thinkers, cultural and educational figures of both metropolitan Ukraine and Ukrainian scientific diaspora, who have been long unduly fogotten (P. Avsieniev, I. Borysov, S. Hohotsky, M. Hrot, V. Karpov, V. Lesievych, P. Linytskyi, O. Novytskyi, V. Petrov, H. Chelpanov, P. Yurkevych, V. Zenkovskyi, D. Chyzhevskyi, O. Kulchytskyi and others). Scientific conferences dedicated to the H. Skovoroda, P. Yurkevych, V. Petrov were held.

Lecturers of Ukrainian Philosophy and Culture Department deliver the following main courses: "History of Philosophy of Ukraine", "History of Ukrainian and Foreign Culture," "History of Ukrainian Culture", "History of Philosophical and Psychological Thought in Ukraine", "History of Mythology", "History of Theater and Cinema", "History of Plastic Art", "Culture Studies". In addition to the main courses, the following special courses are delivered: "Spirituality of the Ukrainian Ethnos in Pre-Christian Period," "Philosophy in the Soviet and post-Soviet Ukraine", "Folklore as Culture Phenomenon".

Three Doctoral theses and 30 Candidate theses have been defended over the years of the Department existence. Postgraduate students of different years have become the lecturers of Faculty departments: Ukrainian Philosophy and Culture, History of Philosophy, Politology, lecturers of other higher educational establishments, MPs of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine, officials of the Cabinet of Ministers.

The Department staff continues to work productively on the development of new special courses, justification and introduction of a broader Culture Studies course at all University faculties.

At present Ukrainian Philosophy and Culture Department employs:

• Department Chairman, Doctor of Philosophical Sciences, Professor М.Y. Rusyn;
• Doctor of Philosophical Sciences, Professor N.Y. Kryvda;
• Doctor of Philosophical Sciences,  Associate Professor S.V.Rudenko;
• Candidate of Philosophical Sciences, Associate Professor H.P.Bezhnar;
• Candidate of Philosophical Sciences, Associate Professor H.V. Vdovychenko;
• Candidate of Philosophical Sciences, Associate Professor Т.К. Ohnieva;
• Candidate of Philosophical Sciences, Associate Professor А.О. Pohorilyi;
• Candidate of Philosophical Sciences, Assistant Professor V.V. Semykras.