Interview with R.N. Ismagilova, Institute for African Studies, Russian Academy of Sciences. African Studies and Ethnography in the 1960s–1990s: A Change of Milestones – JOURNAL OF THE INSTITUTE FOR AFRICAN STUDIES

Author:

Interview with R.N. Ismagilova

Abstract:

Social anthropologist, D.Sc. (History), Professor, and Honored Scientist of Russia, Roza Nurgalievna Ismagilova is a leading Russian Africanist who has devoted 75 years of her life to African studies. Her field of work focuses on ethnic issues, as well as traditional political and sociocultural institutions and their role in modern society. She has published over 300 scholarly works, including such seminal works as the two-volume encyclopedic dictionary “Africa,” “Society and State in Tropical Africa,” and a five-volume work on African culture. Her monograph “Ethiopia: Features of Federalism” has been praised by experts as a truly encyclopedic work. Her books have been translated into foreign languages and published in the United States, France, Germany, Italy, China, and several African countries.

R.N. Ismagilova has worked at many centers for African studies, but her permanent position from its inception to this day has been at the Institute for African Studies. She not only witnessed but also actively participated in the emergence of the leading think tank for African studies in Russia, played a part in its development, experienced its crises and challenges alongside it, and continues to be actively involved in its academic life. In this interview, she discusses the development of Russian African studies and its key milestones, the fieldwork conducted by Africanist anthropologists, her personal expedition experiences, and the leading academic schools and Africanists worldwide. Particular attention is given to the different understandings of the concept of nation in the Soviet ethnographic school and in Western anthropological research.

Keywords:

social anthropology, ethnography, interethnic relations, traditional social institutions, Soviet African studies, Russian African studies, Institute for African Studies, Russian Academy of Sciences

DOI:

10.31132/2412-5717-2025-73-4-113-125

References:

1. Baskin V.S. (1982). Capitalist “aid” to developing countries: mechanism, nature and directions of impact on African countries. Moscow: Nauka. (In Russ.)
2. Breskina F.M. (Ed.). (1964). Literature of African countries. Moscow: Nauka. (In Russ.)
3. Chernikov V.D. (1997). Problems of transition to a market economy in pre-market countries. Experience of Egypt and Sudan. Moscow: Vostochnaya Literatura. (In Russ.)
4. Deych T.L., Kukushkin P.V., Lileev I.L. (1996). Problems of African security and Russia’s position. Moscow: Institute for African Studies. (In Russ.)
5. DuBois W.E.B. (1968). A soliloquy on viewing my life from the last decade of its first century: The autobiography of W.G.B. Dubois. New York: International Publishers.
6. Filatova I.I. (2022). Center for African Studies of the IGH RAS: Its place in Soviet, Russian, and foreign African studies. History. Vol. 13. № 3(113). (In Russ.). https://doi.org/10.18254/S207987840020256-0
7. Gavrilov N.I. (1973). Problems of planning and development of agriculture in African countries. Moscow: Nauka. (In Russ.)

8. Golansky M.M. (1999). The rise and fall of the global economy: what awaits lagging countries. Moscow: Institute for African Studies RAS. (In Russ.)
9. Goncharov L.V. (1975). Export of capital to developing countries in Africa. Moscow: Nauka. (In Russ.)
10. Goncharov L.V. (Ed.). (1978). Productive forces of African countries. Moscow: Nauka. (In Russ)
11. Gromyko A.A. (1980a). Africa in the 1970s–80s. Formation of the national economy and development strategy. Moscow: Nauka. (In Russ.)
12. Gromyko A.A. (Ed.). (1980b). Foreign concepts of the economic development of African countries. Critical analysis. Moscow: Nauka. (In Russ.)
13. Gromyko A.A. (Ed.). (1980с). Society and state in Tropical Africa. Moscow: Nauka. (In Russ.)
14. Gromyko A.A. (Ed.). (1985). Africa in the struggle for international economic reconstruction. Moscow: Nauka. (In Russ.)
15. Ismagilova R.N. (1955). The peoples of Kenya under the colonial regime. Candidate of Historical Sciences Dissertation. Moscow. (In Russ.)
16. Ismagilova R.N. (1963). The peoples of Nigeria: ethnic composition and brief ethnographic characteristics. Moscow: Vostochnaya Literatura. (In Russ.)
17. Ismagilova R.N. (1973). Ethnic problems of modern Tropical Africa. Moscow: Nauka. (In Russ.)
18. Ismagilova R.N. (1978). Ethnic Problems of Tropical Africa. Can They be Solved? Moscow: Progress.
19. Ismagilova R.N. (1980). Ethnic contradictions and conflicts in Africa. Moscow: Institute for African Studies. (In Russ.)
20. Ismagilova R.N. (1992). Socio- and ethnocultural processes in modern Africa. Moscow: Institute for African Studies. (In Russ.)
21. Ismagilova R.N. (2018). Ethiopia: features of federalism. Moscow: Institute for African Studies. (In Russ.)
22. Ismagilova R.N. (2025). Ethiopia: history and modernity. Moscow: Institute for African Studies. (In Russ.)
23. Ismagilova R.N. (Ed.). (1986). Traditional and syncretic religions of Africa. Moscow: Nauka. (In Russ.)
24. Ismagilova R.N. (Ed.). (1990). The ethnic factor in the political life of African states. Moscow: Institute for African Studies. (In Russ.)
25. Ismagilova R.N. (Ed.). (1997). Essays on the National Question in South Africa. Moscow: Vostochnaya Literatura. (In Russ.)
26. Kolker B.M. (1973). The policy of the imperialist powers in Africa at the turn of the 1970s. Moscow: Nauka. (In Russ.)
27. Kosukhin N.D. (Ed.). (1997). Africa: multivariate development. Moscow: Vostochnaya Literatura. (In Russ.)
28. Krylov A.B. (1985). Separatist movements in Ethiopia. Moscow: Institute for African Studies. (In Russ.)
29. Lileev I.L. (1994). New world order and problems of African security. Moscow: Vostochnaya Literatura. (In Russ.)
30. Lvova E.S. (2009). This multifaceted Ethiopia. Essays on the history, culture, and ethnography of Ethiopia. Moscow: Klyuch-S. (In Russ.)
31. Lvova E.S. (2012). Study of African studies at the Moscow branch of the Institute of Ethnology and Anthropology of the USSR Academy of Sciences (1949‒1960). In: Balezin A.S. (Ed.). Studying Africa in Russia and abroad: stages, trends, prospects. Proceedings of the international conference. Moscow: Institute of Global History. Pp. 100–118. (In Russ.)
32. Olderogge D.A., Potekhina I.I. (1954). Peoples of Africa. Moscow: Publishing House of the USSR Academy of Sciences. (In Russ.)
33. Pavlova V.V. (1997). Africa: state and market. Moscow: Vostochnaya Literatura. (In Russ.)
34. Polikanov D.V. (1998). Conflicts in Africa and the activities of international organizations to resolve them. Moscow: Institute for African Studies. (In Russ.)
35. Potekhin I.I. (Ed.). (1963). Africa: encyclopedic reference book. Moscow: Soviet Encyclopedia. (In Russ.)
36. Pozdnyakova A.P. (1999). Some aspects of economic liberalization in Africa: On the issue of the IMF’s activities in Africa (on the example of Uganda and Malawi). In: Vasiliev A.M. (Ed.). Some aspects of economic liberalization in Africa. Moscow: Institute for African Studies. Pp. 61–90. (In Russ.)
37. Roshchin G.E. (1999). Some aspects of economic liberalization in Africa. In: Vasiliev A.M. (Ed.). Some aspects of economic liberalization in Africa. Moscow: Institute for African Studies. Pp. 5–32. (In Russ.)
38. Shauro E.A. (Ed.). (1997). Proceedings of the Russian historical, ethno-sociological expedition to Ethiopia in 1990–1992. Moscow: Vostochnaya Literatura. (In Russ.)
39. Solodovnikov V.G. (1973). Problems of modern Africa. Moscow. (In Russ.)
40. Solodovnikov V.G., Svanidze I.A., Demidova A.A. (1972). Economy of independent African countries. Moscow: Nauka. (In Russ.)
41. Tarabrin E.A. (1972). A new scramble for Africa. Problems of inter-imperialist struggle in the liberated countries of the continent. Moscow: International relations. (In Russ.)
42. Terin V.P. (1996). Reorientation: Global dimensions of African conflicts. Moscow: Institute for African Studies. (In Russ.)
43. Vasiliev A.M. (2010). Africa. Encyclopedia. In 2 volumes. Moscow: Encyclopedia. (In Russ.)
44. Vasiliev A.M. (Ed.). (2003). Man against the background of the continen. Materials of the scientific conference dedicated to the 100th anniversary of I.I. Potekhin. Moscow: Institute for African Studies. (In Russ.)
45. Zotova Yu.N. (1996). Africa and the Second World War. Moscow: Vostochnaya Literatura. (In Russ.)

For citation:

Ismagilova R.N. (2025). African Studies and Ethnography in the 1960s–1990s: A Change of Milestones (Interview). Journal of the Institute for African Studies. Vol. 11. № 4. Pp. 113–125. https://doi.org/ 10.31132/2412-5717-2025-73-4-113-125

Для цитирования:

Исмагилова Р.Н. Африканистика и этнография в 1960-1990-е гг.: смена вех (интервью). Ученые записки Института Африки РАН. 2025. Т. 11. № 4. С. 113–125. https://doi.org/10.31132/2412-5717-2025-73-4-113-125

Full Text Article (ENG )

Полный текст статьи (RUS)