History
The History of Institute of Literature
The Institute of Literature after M. Abeghyan was founded in 1943.
The Heads of the institute were:
Khoren Sargsyan (1943-1947) - doctor of sciences, the honorable member of science of Armenian SSR.
Mkrtitch Mkryan(1947-1953) - corresponding member of the Academy, the honorable member of science of Armenian SSR.
Gurgen Hovnan (1953-1964) - the honorable member of science of Armenian SSR, corresponding member of the Academy,
Vache Nalbandyan (1965-1977) - the honorable member of science.
Edvard Ghrbashyan (1977-1999) - NAS RA academician,
Azat Eghiazaryan (1999-2008) - doctor of sciences.
Avik Isahakyan (2008-2015) - the honorable member of science of RA.
Vardan Devrikyna (2016 up to now) - Currently the head of the Institute is doctor of sciences
In the framework of scientific cooperation with Maxim Gorky Institute of Literature of Academy of Sciences of the Russian Federation a program was carried out .
The Institute publishes annual journals: “Grakanagitakan hands” (Literary Magazine) and “Grakan Spjurq” (Literary Diaspora).
International conferences are organized dedicated to the anniversaries of different writers, history of literature and questions of literary connections.
The Institute organizes special conferences for young scientist as well.
In the institute there is a specialized council of the Armenian Literature, which gives scientific degrees in the field of Classic and Modern Armenian Literature and Folklore.
Nowadays the Institute of Literature has 12 doctor of sciences and 36 PhD, as well as 3 honorable members of science and art of RA.
In the last five years the Institute published 80 books.
The scientific researches are revealed in different departments such as follows:
● Ancient and Medieval Armenian Literature
● New Armenian Literature
● Modern Armenian Literature
● Textology
● Theory of Literature
● Foreign Literature and Comparative Literature
● Literature of Armenian Diaspora
● The annuals of Hovanes Tumanyan’s life and creative works
In the field of Ancient and Medieval Armenian Literature the medieval literature genres are researched, some researches are presented to the 5-18th centuries authors. “The History of Armenian Literature of new period” (in 5 volumes) was created. Some significant researches were presented to the modern period of the history of Armenian Literature and to different authors.
The connections of Armenian literature to the World literature are researched in the Institute. The volumes of “The literary connections” and “The Armenian-Russian literary connections” are published.
The publication of the full scientific (Academic) edition of Creative Works of Armenian Classics such as Kh. Abovyan, M. Nalbandyan, R. Patkanyan, G. Sundukyan, Raffi, H. Paronyan, P. Proshyan, Gh. Aghayan, H. Hovannisyan, Muratsan, P. Duryan, H. Tumanyan, Siamanto, D. Varuzhan, Shirvanzade, M. Abeghyan, E. Charents, A. Bakunts has been finished.
The main work held in the institute at present:
– The creation of “The History of Armenian Literature” (in 6 volumes)
– The creation of “The chronology of Hovanes Tumanyan’s life and creative work” (in 4 volumes)
– The creation of “The encyclopedia of Armenian literary connections with World literature” (in 2 volumes)
– The preparation for the publication of “The encyclopedia of Armenian Diaspora literature” (in 2 volumes)
– The publication of the volumes of the full scientific (Academic) edition of Creative Works of Avetik Isahakyan (14 volumes, the editor is A. Isahakyan), Levon Shant (9 volumes, the editor is A.Manukyan), Nikol Agbalyan (7 volumes) is being continued.
The Institute has the scientific commission of Armenian and Foreign Literature which can give the degrees of candidates and doctors of sciences in the fields of Armenian Classical Literature, Armenian Modern Literature, Russian and Foreign Literatures. The president of the specialist commission is Academissian Sergey Sarinyan.
The scientific journals “Literary criticism Review” and “Literary Diaspora” are published in the institute.
The department of Ancient and Medieval Literature - Having been one of the founders of Academy of Sciences academician Manuk Abeghyan wrote his masterpiece in two volumes “The history of Ancient Armenian Literature” on the basis of which developed the academic research of the Armenian Literature. With the similar analysis the originals of traditional folklore talks, moralities and pilgrimage songs were published which were verified with medieval manuscripts. The genre system of medieval literature and separate works dedicated to the 5th to the 17th centuries historians and the works of poets were carried out. The analytic originals of different works of authors were created as well as the masterpiece of Grigor Narekatsi “Book of Lamentations”.
A special research was carried out on the medieval sacred ritual collections and the origins of medieval literary prose.