Head of the laboratory: Roman Vitalyevich Shizhensky – candidate of historical Sciences, associate Professor.
The Laboratory staff:
- Beskov Andrey Anatolyevich – candidate of Philosophy science
- Saberov Rushan Anvyarovich – senior lecturer of the Department of Russian history and auxiliary historical disciplines
- Tyutina Olga Sergeevna – post graduate student, Department of Russian history and auxiliary historical disciplines
The Laboratory history
Research laboratory “New religious movements in contemporary Russia and European countries" was setup in the spring of 2013 asasuccessorofinterfacultylaboratorystudyingmaterialandintellectualculture and inter-confessional bonds of Povolzhje Lik, which appeared in 2008. The main idea of setting up a new scientific research laboratory is studying «non-traditional religiosity», in particular, Russian and European variants of contemporary paganism.
Goals and objectives of the laboratory activities
Mission of the laboratory is to provide promotion social tolerance in Russian society by unbiased scientific analysis of non-traditional religiosity in Russia and the integration of scientific knowledge into the public consciousness.
Strategic target of the laboratory is its formation as the leading scientific center of the Volga Federal district, exploring the problems of modern non-traditional religiosity. Achieving this goal is possible through the solution of several objectives:
- creating of a cohesive research team, having similar research interests and a shared vision of prospects of development of the laboratory;
- constant improvement of the professional competence of all members of the laboratory staff;
- active use of modern information technologies in the research process;
- interaction with other research groups, public associations, religious communities, government agencies, educational institution;
- attracting additional sources of funding, including grants and sponsorship;
- coverage of the activities of the laboratory with the help of modern means of Internet communication, active cooperation with mass media.
The Laboratory profile
Laboratory profiles include the following activities:
Conducting research of applied and fundamental nature in the field of religious studies using interdisciplinary approach.
The activities associated with the preparation of scientific and pedagogical staff (consulting and methodical assistance to undergraduate and graduate students working on issues in the direction of scientific activity of the laboratory).
The implementation of the public education function by interacting with media, unique providing the laboratory website with unique content, writing and editing feature articles on the scientific profile of the laboratory on websites that support the concept of Web 2.0.
Interaction with state structures (the theological expertise to law enforcement requests, participation in official Events on the profile of the laboratory, initiated by public authorities).
Place of research activities of the laboratory in the educational programs of the University
The activities of the laboratory fully complies with the 4.3 event program of strategic development of the Minin University "the Formation of a favorable social-psychological situation of the Nizhny Novgorod region, the involvement of the cultural space of the city in the educational process, implementation of intellectual and moral education in schools and higher educational establishments of Nizhny Novgorod region”.
The event involves the following steps:
- the study of the conflict situation in the region in terms of increase of foreign students in the Nizhny Novgorod universities and the emergence of a social stratum of migrant workers;
- the formation of tolerance and goodwill among young people;
- developing a scientifically based and professionally-tested recommendations for working with aforesaid contingent..
Laboratory partners
Currently the laboratory has 12 partners, among them universities, research centers, public and religious organizations of Russia and CIS countries.
Among them:
-Religious studies Research center "ethno" Russian state pedagogical University. A. I. Herzen (Russia)
-Faculty of history and law of the Mordovian state pedagogical Institute. M. E. Evseeva (Republic of Mordovia, Russia)
- Institute of language, literature and history of Karelian research center of Russian Academy of Sciences (Republic of Karelia, Russia
- Institute of philosophy of the National Academy of Sciences of Belarus (Belarus)
- Faculty of philosophy and social Sciences, Belarusian state University
- Historical faculty of the Kyiv national University named after Taras Shevchenko (Ukraine)
- Faculty of Humanities of šiauliai University (Lithuania)
- Philological faculty Vilnysskogo pedagogical University (Lithuania)
- Aleksanteri Institute, University of Helsinki (Finland)
- Institute of history, Ethnology and law of the Vinnitsa state pedagogical University. M. Kozubinskogo (Ukraine)
- Philological faculty Vilnysskogo teaching
- Historical-philosophical faculty of the University of Latvia (Latvia)
- Research center for historical and religious studies "Logo" Uzhgorod national University (Ukraine)
-Bretsky center for religious studies “Poglyad” (Belarus))
Key results of the laboratory activities:
Since 2013 the laboratory together with Department of Humanities has been conducting summer ethno-religious expeditions (the Republic of Belarus, the Republic of Mariy-El (Russia), Kaluga and Ryazan oblast, Russia).
During 2012 – 2014 two monographs were published by Roman Vitalyevich Shizhensky, they are devoted to ideological characteristics of leaders of the modern Russian pagan movement: A. Dobrowolski (Dobroslav), N. N. Speransky (Velimir).
In 2014 firstissueofscientific almanac "Colloquium heptaplomeres", worked out by laboratory staff, wasreleased, it is devoted to the study of neo-paganism in Europe and Russia. It comprises articles by author from 8 countries including neighboring countries and beyond.
The almanac is to become an annual publication. It is included in the Russian science citation index
In 2015 the laboratory staff won two grants of RHSF: one on collective research project for three years (supervisor: R. V. Shizhensky,), and one individual, issued to write a scientific paper (supervisor A. A. Beskov).