4 Hrushevsky Street, 01001, Kyiv, Ukraine

Phone: (044) 279 1084; fax: (044) 278 5281;
e-mail: ilnan@gilan.uar.net

The Institute of Literature is the leading academic institution of literature studies in Ukraine. It does fundamental and applied research in philology within the context of ‘Fundamental investigations in natural, socio-humanitarian and technical sciences’. The principal tasks of the Institute are: 1) fundamental theoretical and historical literature studies, preparing text-books, schoolbooks, encyclopedias, indexes, bibliographical and other reference books; 2) training of research personnel; 3) co-ordination of research in literary criticism; 4) collecting, proper preservation and study of manuscripts by Ukrainian authors.

In accordance with Institute’s structure and priority tasks, its scholars work in such areas:

the history of Ukrainian literature; source and textual studies of Ukrainian literature; Shevchenko studies; the history of world literatures; literature theory and methodology of literature research; comparative literature studies; bibliography of literature studies.

In the 79 years of its activities, the Institute has formed such academic schools:

– ‘Shevchenko studies’ (headed by Dr. V. Smilianska);

– ‘Text studies’ (its head is H.Burlaka, Cand. of Philology);

– ‘Medieval literature studies’ (headed by Dr. M. Sulyma);

– ‘Comparative literature studies’ (headed by Dr. D. Nalyvaiko, NAS corresponding member);

– ‘World literature. Germanic studies’ (headed by Dr. D. Zatonsky, NAS academician);

– ‘Theory of literature’ (headed by Dr. T. Hundorova, NAS corresponding member);

– ‘Russian literature studies’ (its head is Dr. P. Mykhed).

One of the major achievements of the Institute of Literature is the preparation and publication of complete works of Ukrainian literature’ classics (T. Shevchenko – in 12 volumes, I.Franko – in 50 volumes, H. Skovoroda, L. Ukraiinka, M. Rylsky, O. Honchar et al.). The Institute has prepared several editions of «The History of Ukrainian Literature». The most basic of them still is «The History of Ukrainian Literature» in 8 volumes, which was published back in the sixties. Several works of the Institute of Literature were awarded T.Shevchenko State Prize of Ukraine:

– «Ne iliustratsiia – vidkryttia!» by L. Novychenko (1968);

– Shevchenko Lexicon in 2 vol. (1980, Ye. Kyryliuk as the editor-in-chief);

– Complete Works of Ivan Franko in 50 vol. (1988, prepared by several scholars);

– «Iz zabuttia v bezsmertia» by M. Zhulynsky (1992);

– «History of Ukrainian Literature of the XX century» in 2 vol. (1996, a team of authors, V. Donchyk as the editor-in-chief);

– «Ochyma Zakhodu. Retseptsiia Ukraiiny v Zakhidhiy Yevropi XI – XVIII st.» by D. Nalyvaiko (1999);

– «Moyi obriyi» by M. Kotsiubynska (2005).

Ukrainian schoolchildren and students use study programs, schoolbooks, text-books and reading-books prepared by Institute’s scholars.