Viktor A. Khorev’s imagological research and the problem of the reception of Russia in (the interwar) Poland [in connection with the Warsaw conference “Russian literature and culture in the interwar Poland”]

Abstract

The article is dedicated to the imagological studies of the important Russian polonist Viktor Aleksandrovich Khorev (1932-2012), the first in Russia to start imagological research on Poland and Russia. To these problems he dedicated the last decade of his life. His methods in reconstructing of the important fragments of the dialogue between Poland and the Russian culture in the interwar period are analysed. This was one of the most difficult periods in the relations of Russia and Poland. The author is interested in the ways how V. A. Khorev manages to reconstruct the mulilayered, polyphonic, and split-level field of reapproaching and repulsion, intersections, gaps, catching up, and reevaluation. She is also interested in the methods of the inspecting of the role that literature had in shaping the ideas of Russia among the Poles on the one hand, and in the study of the network of intercontact connections and factors, on the other. While significantly conditioned by the ideology, the dynamics of the imagological images at the same time is an important element of the relations between the states and between the nations. This is reflected in the relations between Russia and Poland. It is specifically underlined that Khorev was first in Russia not only in comprehending and putting into practice imagological principles, but also that the correct imagological studies help in overcoming the negative stereotypes and in creating a deeper mutual understanding between the nations.