Kail M. V., Rozanova N. N. Historical Biography of Political Leadership in the Modern History of Russia in the Current Discourse
DOI:10.22394/2225-8272-2025-14-4-3 EDN WYOQZU
Keywords:
historical biography, power, political leadership, images of power, reputation of powerAbstract
The purpose of the study is to analyze the methodological framework and key trends in contemporary historical biographies applied to the study of political leadership in Russia at the turn of the 20th and 21st centuries, within the context of current historiographical discourse.
Problem. This article examines the fundamental question of the methodological challenges faced by researchers when writing biographies of current or recently deceased political leaders. It addresses the balance between scholarly objectivity and ideological bias, as well as between psychological portraiture and analysis of the institutional context. It also examines issues related to the formation of public image, the role of media, and «new type archives» (digital traces, public speeches) as a source material.
Methodology. This study draws on historiographical analysis and intellectual historical methods. Key biographical works on Russian leaders of the post-Soviet period, published in Russian and English over the past two decades, are used as materials. The study also draws on reviews, scholarly discussions, and methodologically-driven articles by leading historians and political scientists. A review of the evolution of the biographical genre, from hagiographies to «critical biography» and «intentional history», is presented.
Novelty and Results. The study's novelty lies in its systematization of the methodological field and the identification of its blind spots, such as the gender and regional aspects of leadership. The article presents the results of a comparative analysis of various methodological approaches-from traditional narrative, which focuses on personal factors, to structuralist concepts, which view leadership as a function of the political system. A classification of the main research schools and their narrative strategies is proposed. The authors analyze how contemporary historians overcome the problem of limited access to personal archives, compensating for it through an analysis of public discourse and decision-making networks. It is shown that the current historiographic trend is shifting from the creation of a monolithic image to the deconstruction of multiple identities and roles of political figures. The authors conclude that an integrated approach synthesizing micro- and macro-levels of analysis is most productive.
Research Prospects. The developed analytical framework provides a basis for further specific biographical studies, as well as for methodological reflection on the criteria of scientific validity and objectivity in the context of the formation of historical memory of recent past events.
Funding information: the study was supported by the Ministry of Science and Higher Education of the Russian Federation within the framework of the state assignment “Development of an intelligent decision-making support system to strengthen the reputation of the public authorities of the Russian Federation based on hybrid analytical models”;
FEMF-2025-0007, reg. No. 1025061700012-7-5.4.1;5.6.2;2.2.3
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