Research School of Olga Mikhailovna Medushevskaya: The Moment of Truth in the Russian Humanitarian Knowledge

This article proposes a typology of research schools from the point of view of their contribution to research, offering criteria for their definition and parameters of their impact on the scholarship. Definition of the “research school” concept is necessary for its sociological and scientific study, as well as for limiting its substance, which is often perceived too vaguely, and, as a result, reconstruction of research process is replaced with emotionally colored characteristics. All schools operating in the modern research space can be conditionally divided into three large groups: original, secondary (which develop the first), and nominal (created by administrative resource of academic supervisors to promote their interests and to ensure their status). This typology permits to determine real research potential of schools. It can be stated that research (original) schools are rare; various hybrid variants predominate, matching some criteria of original school. A genuine research school is the highest achievement of scientific thought and its long development; its turning point (sometimes defined as a new research paradigm) is a cornerstone for future achievements. These achievements are possible when they do not deny mechanically the contribution of previous research, but include implicitly its achievements, re-determining their place in the new system of scientific coordinates. This is the point of scientific progress — progression of human thought from less to more complete and evidence-based representation of reality. The research school of O. M. Medushevskaya is a unique example of a true humanitarian and historical school in Russia at turn of the 21st century that matches the exact definition of research school in its authentic meaning. This article is to prove of this thesis. The author proposes a system of seven criteria for assessing the potential of research schools. Systemic contribution of O. M. Medushevskaya and her school in progression of scientific ideas has been demonstrated according all these criteria in order to summarize its role in the transformation of modern humanitarian knowledge.