Aims

Orientalistica (russ.: «Ориенталистика») is a peer-reviewed international scientific periodical. It aims to disseminate new ideas and research results achieved by academic Oriental/Eastern research. It covers the classical period of history, archaeology, culture, religion, philosophy, literature and languages of the peoples of the East. By providing an open-access platform for an international audience in Oriental studies the periodical establishes a forum for the international exchange of ideas. Thematically the Orientalistica covers the study of the state of the Middle Eastern and Far Eastern societies in ancient times and the Middle Ages.

Goals

To ensure an international exchange of ideas in research of fundamental problems of history, philology, philosophy, religion and culture of the East in Antiquity and the Middle Ages.

To encourage publications on a wide range of interdisciplinary topics, which deal with the contribution of the peoples of the East to the formation of world civilization in various contexts.

To disseminate advanced approaches and methods of Oriental studies that help to properly understand both universal and specific features of the interaction between various Eastern civilizations, the West and Russia, thus contributing to more effective communication in diverse contexts.

Tasks

The main task of the periodical is the publication of original scholarly articles, the communication development between scholars and institutions, the creation of a creative environment for Russian and foreign orientalists to share information and knowledge.

The periodical Orientalistica  is founded and published by the Federal State Budgetary Institution of Science Institute of Oriental Studies of the Russian Academy of Sciences (russ.: ФГБУН ИВ РАН). It has received wide international recognition as one of the world's leading research centres. This "generator of knowledge" contributes to the development of the fundamental scientific and scholarly environment of the Russian Academy of Sciences with publications.

The periodical welcomes research articles reflecting the results of comprehensive scientific research in the following areas:

ethnogenesis, ethnocultural aspects of peoples and ethnic processes in the Eastern societies;

• patterns of the historical development of the Eastern peoples in ancient times and the Middle Ages. These are: a study of the phenomenon of the historical memory of the peoples of Eurasia; interdisciplinary projects in the regions of South Asia; Islamic studies of history, culture, philosophy and philology in the Near and Middle East; preparation of commented translations of classical works, including ancient and medieval Chinese classics, following modern Sinological standards;

• historical and cultural interaction in Eurasia;

• cultural, the archaeological and scientific heritage of the peoples of the East: identification, systematization, scientific description, restoration and conservation;

• historical origins of terrorism: anthropology of extreme groups and subcultures, analysis of a complex of ethnic and religious factors in local and global processes of the past with access to the present;

• problems of the theory of the historical process in the East;

• historical experience of social transformations and conflicts in the East;

• a retrospective analysis of the forms and content of the relationship between power and society in the East;

• discoveries in the field of archaeology, epigraphy and source studies of the Ancient and Medieval East;

• cultural heritage and literature of the peoples of the East: publications of written monuments, as well as numismatic, sphragistics, paleographic sources, a comprehensive analysis of the literature of the states of the Near and Middle East, South Asia, a comparative study of the culture of the peoples of the East and North Africa;

• languages of the peoples of Asia and Africa: comparative historical and specific linguistic studies;

• spiritual and aesthetic values of Russian and world literature and folklore of the East;

• texts in interaction with the socio-cultural environment: levels of historical-literary and linguistic interpretation.

The concept

The concept of the periodical involves the publication of articles based on modern research methods and practices, as well as methods of processing and presenting the results of scientific research. The Editorial Board of the periodical particularly encourages interdisciplinary articles and research papers.

The periodical publishes review articles, field research materials, new previously unknown or little-known historical sources both in original languages and in translations,  surveys of international and all-Russian Oriental congresses and professional meetings, reviews of new publications on Oriental studies, announcements of major events in the field. Such a diverse repertoire allows one to deeply understand the entire palette of tasks and achievements of Oriental studies. 

Ideas on special issues should be submitted to the editors for consideration.

The mission

The periodical promotes the research results of the classical period of history, religion, philosophy, literature and linguistics of the peoples of the East. It welcomes research papers aimed to find an effective response to major challenges. It takes into account the phenomena regarding the interaction between man and nature, man and technology, social institutions at the present stage of global developments.

As an Editorial Board, we are convinced that paying high attention to the most popular and relevant aspects of research in the field of Oriental studies will contribute to the academic cooperation between Russian scholars and the research institutions all over the world, including in the regions under study.