On February 12, 2024, the International Scientific and Practical Conference “Young Researchers – Modern Russia” took place. The winners of the “Philological Sciences” section were scientists from NOSU: Associate Professor of the Department of Russian and Foreign Literature, Candidate of Philological Sciences Oleg Afanasyev and master’s student Adriana Bocoieva.
The joint scientific work of the researchers is dedicated to the novel “Chevengur” by A.P. Platonov. It examines the genre affiliation of the work – the relationship between the characteristics of utopia and anti-utopia. The researchers conclude that the novel combines features of both genres.
“The utopian line in the novel is connected with various philosophical and religious movements, with eschatological premonitions of the Silver Age that influenced Platonov’s worldview. The anti-utopian line is linked to Platonov’s doubts, with an honest attempt to depict the construction of a new Soviet state, with a specific and spontaneously popular understanding of communism, which undoubtedly contradicted the official understanding,” the researchers summarize in their presentation thesis.
The conference “Young Researchers – Modern Russia” has been held since 2022. In addition to the philological direction, the conference features 24 other sections covering various scientific fields. The event was organized by the International Center for Scientific Partnership “New Science.”