'Struggle with ignorance and aspiration to the truth': Public and enlightenment activity of Aleksei Fedorovich Fortunatov

• Published in: Uchenye zapiski Kazanskogo universiteta. Serii͡a︡ Gumanitarnye nauki Vol. 161; no. 2-3; pp. 139 - 149
• Main Authors: T.N. Ivanova, N.N. Ageeva
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English; Russian
• Published: Kazan Federal University 01-06-2019
• Subjects: agrarian statistics; aleksei fedorovich fortunatov; fortunatovs dynasty; petrov (timiryazev) academy of agriculture; public and enlightenment activity
• ISSN: 2541-7738; 2500-2171
• DOI: 10.26907/2541-7738.2019.2-3.139-149

Aleksei Fedorovich Fortunatov (1856–1925) is one of the founders of Russian agrarian statistics. He belonged to the well-known Fortunatovs dynasty, from which a number of outstanding scientists, teachers, and educators descended (F.N. Fortunatov, F.F. Fortunatov, S.F. Fortunatov, etc.). A.F. Fortunatov, in our opinion, played a key role in the development of the enlightenment traditions of this dynasty in the late 19th – early 20th century. The scientific activity of the scientist covered a wide range of issues of economic geography, statistics, cooperation, and agronomy. In this paper, we analyzed the public activity of A.F. Fortunatov, which was characterized by an integrated approach in scientific research, teaching and educational activities. It was determined by the breadth of his knowledges, interest in various sciences, and his unique encyclopedic education. A.F. Fortunatov developed his own unique teaching methods (innovative in both form and content). Their essence can be summarized as follows: they placed special emphasis on the ability of a teacher to win interest of the audience, encouraged students to develop their research skills, promoted individual and integrative approaches to education and research. Teaching, primarily at the Petrov (Timiryazev) Agricultural Academy, played an important role in A.F. Fortunatov’s life. The political views of the scientist were based on social-democratic and liberal education ideas. A.F. Fortunatov never politicized his work, but his active public and educational activity, focus of practice, and direct interaction through his students and followers with people from various regions of the country distinguishes him among the public figures of pre-revolutionary Russia.