Американська історія і політика (Jan 2020)
The Scientific School of Americanists of Taras Shevchenko National University of Kyiv: Borys Honchar
Abstract
The article is devoted to the main milestones of the formation of the scientific and teaching career of a famous ukrainian historian in the field of international affairs, specialist in the variety problems of modern USA, doctor of history, long-time head of the Department of Modern and Contemporary History of Foreign Countries of the Faculty of History of Taras Shevchenko National University of Kyiv – Borys Mykhailovych Honchar (1945–2015). He continued the tradition of the scientific school of historians of international relations, which was formed at the Department of New and Modern history of the developed capitalist countries in the second half of the twentieth century. In its origins stood P. Udovychenko, V. Tarasenko, V. Biletskyi and others. The main place in his scientific work was occupied by works on the history of the US foreign policy in last third of XXth – beginning of XXIth century. His first publications and theoretical thesis (1974) were devoted to the analysis of US Mediterranean policy under the administration of R. Nixon. Borys Honchar was one of the first in national historical science, who systematically examined the impact of regional conflicts on the Soviet-American confrontation during the Cold War. His doctoral thesis (1994), a monograph and more than 20 scientific articles were devoted to this topic. However, his scientific interests were much broader. His research work has been extensive in the history of international relations before and during the First World War, including in the context of the American attitude to the «conflict in Europe». In particular, the course of his lectures was devoted to this topic, which he delivered to students of History faculty for 40 years. The students’ positive feedback was also about his course in lectures on the history of American-Russian relations. Notable place in B. Gonchar’s scholarly work has taken various aspects of the UN’s activities, including its peacekeeping and humanitarian missions, and the US influence on its work. The scholar has paid great attention to the work on numerous articles on international and American topics for the «Ukrainian Soviet Encyclopedia» and «Ukrainian Diplomatic Encyclopedia». In general, most publications on American studies or international relations, published in Ukraine in the 1990s and 2000s, were in his co-authorship or review.
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