The retrospection of Ukrainian human geography: attempt of the development periodization

Abstract

The study is devoted to thorough justification of a new periodization model of human geography development in Ukraine on the base of objective functioning regularities of science. The topicality and relevance of the given research for the national science were reasoned in the context of absence of accredited development periodization of Ukrainian human geography. The diversity of views on the problem has been logically unified. All the internal factors of the human geography development were successfully taken into account with crucial attention, making the further possibility to ascertain the stages and periods of its formation in Ukraine in the streamline of core concepts, determining the methodological status of science at a certain stage. Actually, the human geography was under the deep analysis within the science forming process in Ukraine. It was proved the origin of human geography in Ukraine goes back to the last quarter of the XIX c., while its eventual arrangement is stated at the first quarter of the XX c. As for the process of institutionalization of geography as a separate branch of knowledge, integrating natural-geographical, demogeographical, ethno-geographical, political-geographical, and economic-geographical knowledge about the area of Ukraine, it took place at the beginning of the last century. The activity of S. Rudnytskyi was of a key role at that time. It is he who is considered the founder of the modern Ukrainian geography in general and of human geography in particular, taking into account European traditions as well as own intellectual potential.

As a result of the author’s own approach, there were three stages differentiated with corresponding periods: stage 1: the end of the XIX c. – the beginning of the XX c.: 1873–1904; 1905–1917; 1918–1921. Stage 2 corresponds to mid XX c.: 1922–1933; 1934–1963; 1964–1990. Stage 3 stands for the end of the XX c. – the beginning of the XIX c. scilicet 1991–2020. The vital traits of each stage and period were clarified in succession; namely, all the theoretical achievements likewise scientific-educational centres and scientific schools were under all-embracing investigation. The specific focus laid upon the traits of scientific trends, concepts, and theories of foreign geography. Peculiarities of their impact on the development of Ukrainian human geography were the matter of entire estimation. In terms of analysis of trends and concepts of the foreign human geography development of the XIX – the beginning of the XXI c., the significance of the latter on the research human-geographical issues’ formation in Ukraine has been revealed in succession. The professionalization degree of the human-geographical science in Ukraine was deeply shown, primarily confirming the objectivity of the given periodization.