Mark Schwindt, Research Area 5: "Building Digital Communities"
Research Project

This research project aims to explore the history of European intellectuals and their ideas through the lens of the Russian intelligentsia from the mid-19th to the late 20th century. The primary objective is to reconstruct this history by using bibliographic cross-references within a digitised body of texts, employing digital modeling techniques and standardisation for a data-intensive and interoperable approach.

The project focuses on 250 "idea compilations"—public essays by intellectuals that have formed a distinct genre in Russian intellectual history since the mid-19th century. Notable examples include "Problemy idealizma" (1902) and "Vekhi" (1909). These compilations have become a popular form of intellectual expression and an important contribution to public debate, providing a comprehensive understanding of authors' roles, ideas and discourses within and beyond Russia.

Utilising network analysis methods alongside prosopographic investigations, the project will help to identify key figures not only as authors or editors but also as central subjects in discourse. The analysis extends to examining generational differences among contributors and editors and exploring whether specific intellectual groups dominated different historical stages. This will shed light on their role and influence on the spread and transformation of ideas across different cultural spaces.