Abstract: The object of study is the structure of city budgets of Chelyabinsk region in the last prewar year. The phenomenon of the Soviet city received quite good historiographical coverage. But despite this, quantitative methods are only beginning to be applied by researchers in this field. The coefficient analysis is complemented by other methods of statistical analysis and is used to: 1) establish a relationship between parameters reflecting the city scale, and the selected indicators of budgetary condition; and 2) the evaluation of cities of a region in a one-year scale by planned and actual indicators. The proposed sequence of actions consists of 7 steps: 1) archival and source analysis of data; 2) determination of a set of coefficients; 3) matching of coefficients to comparable species; 4) calculation of summary indices; 5) Establishing a link between the city’s size and individual fiscal indicators; 6) Identifying and analyzing discrepancies between planned and actual urban fiscal indicators; 7) Conducting a rating of cities. As a result of the study, it was found that in the Chelyabinsk region in 1940 there was almost no connection between the scale of the city and its budgetary condition (more-better). The comparison of planning and actual performance revealed a systemic dysfunction – during the reporting period, priorities in budget management shifted from independence to formal balance. The gaps in the overall ranking narrowed – the fiscal position of cities in the region was "naturally" leveled. The region’s largest city, Chelyabinsk, was in the most vulnerable position as it failed to meet its "target" targets due to multiple imbalances within the Soviet system. Initially claiming leadership, it eventually ended up among the average cities. Vulnerable are also some "departmental cities (regardless of their size)" and food-processing centers.

Keywords: soviet city budgets, coefficient analysis, budget status, balance, independence, sustainability, stress, security and efficiency, rating evaluation, problems and contradictions

Abstract: Bronze artillery pieces cast for the Eight Banner Manchu army in the second half of the 17th century were used by the Lantanya Corps during both sieges of Albazin and evoke significant interest in terms of detailed reconstruction of the corresponding historical events. At the same time, the question of the contradictions between Russian and Chinese sources, reflecting the characteristics of the artillery used by the Chinese side in the conflict, both in terms of the characteristics of the weapons themselves and their quantity, remains open. In turn, given the general trends in the development of computer tools in the humanities, particularly history, the development of virtual three-dimensional models and their visualization proves to be quite useful for enriching the corresponding electronic data banks. A key feature of the conducted research is the principled use of the most modern systemic (deductive) approach, which provided the necessary effectiveness for the complex multifactorial analysis of the overall content of a wide range of historical documents. To reflect the overall data set of the conducted research, three-dimensional computer modeling was applied. It is necessary to note that, on the one hand, the factual comparison of Chinese and Russian archival sources that directly describe the first siege of Albazin allowed for a clear logical explanation of most of their well-known interpretative discrepancies. On the other hand, the objective detailing of photographs of modern museum exhibits, conducted alongside the search for their corresponding historical descriptions, provided the technical opportunity to create digital twins of the Manchu siege weapons of the studied period. Finally, the methodology used by the authors is a sufficiently universal scientific research tool and can be applied to solve similar tasks without major modifications, while the obtained virtual models of the artillery may become a component of a larger project for reconstructing events that took place in the Far East in the 17th century.

Keywords: Qing Dynasty, Eight Banner Army, Albazin fortress, Manchu siege artillery, verification of historical data, systems approach, factual analysis, infological data model, computer visualization, 3D modeling

Abstract: The object of this study is the higher education (HE) system in the context of the proliferation of services based on generative artificial intelligence (GenAI) models. The subject of the study is the institutional responses of the HE system to the widespread use of GenAI in educational and research activities, including the impact of these technologies on academic writing, assessment, academic integrity, and university governance practices. The aim of the study is to systematize and compare scenarios of institutional response of higher education to the spread of GenAI, as well as to justify the transformational model as the most promising strategy for adapting the research and educational system. The relevance of the study is determined by the established high popularity of generative services among students, teachers, and researchers, as well as the observed increase in the proportion of scientific and academic works showing signs of GenAI use. The research methodology is based on empirical analysis of scientific articles published in academic journals, conference proceedings, and preprints that analyze the advantages, describe the methods and models of GenAI, examine the use of GenAI tools by students, teachers, and scientists, and present the results of surveys and other types of studies relevant to this work. The scientific novelty of the study lies in the fact that, for the first time within a single review, it systematizes the main scenarios of institutional response of higher education to the mass spread of GenAI; offers a comparative description of these scenarios through the lens of their applicability in educational practice; and shows that the limited reliability of AI-text detection makes prohibitive and strictly regulatory approaches insufficient, while reinforcing the importance of transforming assessment and pedagogical practices. The study analyzes the advantages that the use of GenAI offers to higher education, as well as the risks arising from the development of these technologies. It examines current methods for detecting machine-generated text and their limitations. It is shown that algorithmic detection methods have limited reliability and should be used as a supporting mechanism; the need to transform assignments, assessment forms, and tools for preparing scientific texts is justified. The study also analyzes various scenarios of institutional response to technological changes: ignoring, prohibition, strict regulation (partial prohibition), and system transformation. The paper concludes that experts favor the transformation of the research and educational system as the optimal strategy for higher education response.

Keywords: artificial intelligence, generative AI, higher education, academic integrity, AI-text detection, large language models, assessment, plagiarism, digital transformation, academic system

Abstract: This research is situated at the intersection of digital humanities, the history of emotions, and computational linguistics. The article presents the results of the sentiment analysis of the epistolary heritage and diary entries of three key figures of the Russian monarchy: Catherine II, Alexander I, and Nicholas I. The total corpus of analyzed texts amounted to over 2 million word usages. Using models of deep learning BERT (XLMRoBERTaLarge and Conversational RuBERT) adapted for historical texts, the authors reconstruct the emotional dynamics of communication throughout a turbulent century—from Enlightened absolutism to the crisis of the Nicholas system. The study confirms the hypothesis of a stable correlation between the genre of the document (official letter vs. private diary) and the degree of emotional expressiveness, as well as identifies specific lexical markers of anxiety during periods of political instability (on the eve of the Decembrist revolt and during the Crimean War). Methodologically, the research is based on three conceptual foundations. Firstly, it is the theory of emotional communities by B. Rosenwein, according to which emotions are constructed within social groups with shared values and norms of expression. Secondly, it adopts the semiotic approach of Yu. M. Lotman in studying the everyday behavior of the Russian nobility. Thirdly, it employs methodologies of computational text analysis. The hypothesis of this study is as follows: the emotional tone of the personal correspondence and diaries of Russian monarchs is not so much a spontaneous expression of an individual psychological state, but rather a ritualized social action, subject to the cultural codes of the era and genre canon. The aim of the study is to conduct a comprehensive historical-linguistic analysis of the emotional tone of the epistolary and diary heritage of Russian statesmen of the 18th-19th centuries using digital text processing methods, to identify stable emotional patterns and their connection with historical-biographical context. It has been established that the sentimentalist tradition of the late 18th century paradoxically combined with hypertrophied emotional restraint in official communication, creating an effect of "emotional dissonance," which was resolved in the literature and journalism of the 19th century. This work contributes to the methodology of analyzing historical texts, demonstrating the possibilities and limitations of NLP tools when working with archaic vocabulary and bilingual corpora (Russian-French linguistic dualism).

Keywords: digital anthropology, emotions, analysis, tonality, diaries, letters, state, emperor, Russian Empire, 18th-19th centuries

Abstract: The study of postal stations as objects of transport infrastructure is becoming particularly relevant due to their unique historical and cultural significance. The post office is not just an element of the road network, but an important communication hub that for decades has provided links between the regions of a vast country, contributed to the development of trade, public administration and social mobility. The article focuses on the reconstruction of the original appearance of the postal stations located along the St. Petersburg–Kiev highway in the middle of the 19th century. As an example, the most common postal station of the 3rd class in the Neo-Gothic architectural style in the Pskov province was chosen. Many stations were eventually rebuilt almost beyond recognition, while others were abandoned and gradually fell into disrepair. The scientific reconstruction was carried out using modern 3D modeling software tools SketchUp, three-dimensional renderers Twinmotion and Lumion, and 3D scanning data. The work compared different types of sources, including drawings and photographs. Special attention is paid to working with the 1846 drawing. and comparing its appearance with the preserved buildings of the postal stations. For the first time, a 3D model of a Class 3 postal station on the St. Petersburg-Kiev highway was created according to a standard design from 1846.The article also examines the experience of applying the created 3D reconstruction in the practice of the Museum of the History of the city of Nevel (Pskov region), which is located in the former building of the postal station. Experimental approaches were used in the work, including the use of neural network technologies to reconstruct the color palette of the facade of the postal station. The creation of a 3D model of an architectural historical monument is an urgent project that will contribute to the preservation of the city's common cultural heritage, and may also attract public attention and investors who can participate in the restoration and preservation of this historical and cultural heritage site.

Keywords: postal station, road infrastructure, Pskov province, cultural heritage, three-dimensional modeling, virtual reconstruction, museum exposition, road construction, typical construction, transport

Abstract: The article is dedicated to the virtual reconstruction of a typical third-class railway station on the Trans-Siberian Railway, using the example of the Ob station (modern Novosibirsk) within the chronological framework of 1897–1906. The relevance of the study is due to the complete loss of the station's historical buildings, as well as the absence of comprehensive three-dimensional reconstructions of stations of this class in historiography. The sources included drawings from the "Album of Standard and Executive Drawings" (1898), photographic materials from the collection "The Great Way" (1899), and data from the "Guide to the Great Siberian Railway" (1900). The work reconstructed the exterior appearance of the passenger building, the water supply system, the locomotive building, residential houses, and outbuildings. Special attention was paid to the restoration of decorative elements, heating systems, and technical devices. The results of the work can be used in museum and educational projects on the history of transport and architecture, and the proposed methodology can be replicated for the reconstruction of other lost stations along the Trans-Siberian Railway. The methodological basis consisted of a synthesis of 3D modeling technologies (SketchUp), neural network colorization methods, and enhancement of historical photographs (Upscayl), as well as a comparative analysis of drawings and visual sources. A comprehensive methodology was implemented, based on a synthesis of data from scientific and technical documentation, visual sources, and guides. Selective source analysis was conducted, with the "Album of Drawings" playing a decisive role by providing accurate metric characteristics, planning solutions, and spatial arrangement of the structures. The photo album "The Great Way" from 1899 and materials from the electronic archive Pastvu allowed for clarification of the decor and other details of the studied objects. A key result of the research was the creation of a scientifically grounded 3D model of the Ob station, reflecting its architectural appearance, engineering infrastructure, and functional organization at the turn of the 19th and 20th centuries. The passenger building, depot, water tower, residential houses, and other buildings were reconstructed. Future research prospects include expanding the chronological framework (reconstruction of the Ob station after 1906, with a two-story extension) and creating virtual reconstructions of other stations.

Keywords: The Great Siberian Way, The 3D model, Transsib, virtual reconstruction, railway station, neural network, passenger building, three-dimensional modeling, Motive power depot, Water tower

Abstract: This article reflects on Yu. Yu. Yumasheva's monograph on prosopography, a broad interdisciplinary field of research that creates and studies "collective biographies" of social groups and strata within a historical context. It is noted that the monograph offers a comprehensive assessment of the international historiography of prosopography, along with its methodological and methodological support. A key aspect of Yumasheva's work is her attention to the source study component of prosopographic research and the need to strengthen the position of analytical prosopography, which is currently underrepresented in Russian historiography. The article assesses the stages in the development of analytical historical prosopography, the theoretical problems of prosopography, and the thematic diversity of prosopographic research. The author's thesis regarding the insufficient funding of Russian prosopographic projects and their short-term nature, which limits the capabilities of the analytical stage of the work, is validated. Special attention is given to innovations in methodology and the application of GIS technologies in prosopographic research. In furtherance of the author's thesis, the book presents a comparison of two approaches to the use of GIS in modern prosopography. The first approach utilizes the PostgreSQL DBMS, which has a special PostGIS extension capable of indexing geographic objects. The second approach is based on the concept of a geochronological track, designed for historical propographic research. This approach was first introduced into global scholarship in 2016 by Russian GIS specialists and tested using the service records of 19th-century Russian army officers. The method of computerized analysis of life histories within the framework of prosopographic research, proposed by A.K. Sokolov in the mid-1980s, is also considered. The author's assessment of the evolution of domestic prosopographic research in the 1990s is discussed. An important factor noted by the author was the creation of the Russian Association "History and Computer" (AIC) in 1992, within the framework of which, as the author noted, "domestic prosopographic research mainly developed."

Keywords: prosopography, data bases, resource prosopography, analytical prosopography, collective portrait, collective biography, biographical studies, geochronological tracking, life paths, historical information science

Abstract: The article is dedicated to examining the possibilities of a prosopographic database for reconstructing the social portrait and collective biography of teachers in vocational and technical educational institutions in the Ural region during the 1920s. The authors characterize the structure of the database "Social Portrait of Teachers in Vocational Technical Schools in the Ural Region in the 1920s" and provide examples of analysis of the information contained within it. The analysis of the database information is aimed at identifying a number of significant socio-biographical characteristics (distribution by gender, age, marital status, education level, and party affiliation), with a focus on professional aspects (belonging to the category of teachers, professional and territorial mobility, subjects taught). Special attention is given to the application of data coding tools, SQL queries, and visualizing information about the territorial mobility of teachers. The methodology is based on studying the characteristics of members of the teaching staff using materials from mass historical sources and the development of a prosopographic database. The structure of the database, based on a problem-oriented approach to researching the subject area, contains an optimal number of tables and fields that provide flexible representation of relevant information from a variety of structural and content-based mass sources, and effective analysis of the main characteristics of the socio-professional portrait of teachers (on one hand, as a homogeneous professional group, and on the other hand, as a heterogeneous aggregate that includes several categories). The article demonstrates the internal heterogeneity of the teaching staff, which included pre-revolutionary educators, young specialists, skilled craftsmen, and activists. The results obtained allow for characterizing the teaching staff of the early Soviet vocational technical school in the Ural region as a transitional, quantitatively limited, but qualitatively multilayered socio-professional group, which was formed in conditions of institutional instability and concentrated in key industrial areas of the region.

Keywords: vocational education, teachers, socio-professional portrait, prosopography, relational database, Middle Urals, early Soviet period, facet classification, territorial mobility, query with grouping

Abstract: The "Great Reforms" of Alexander II stimulated migration activity among representatives of all social groups. Jews and Tatars began to play a noticeable role in the economic and sociocultural life of St. Petersburg. The formation of both communities started in the 18th century and had both common and distinctive features. The subject of the study is the Jewish and Muslim communities of St. Petersburg in the second half of the 19th – early 20th centuries. The focus of the research is on the demographic development of the two non-Christian communities. The authors pay special attention to the influence of demographic processes on the formation and development of the communities. The study is based on a comprehensive analysis of data from city population censuses conducted in St. Petersburg in 1869, 1881, 1890, 1900, and 1910, as well as archival documents. The theoretical foundation is the concept of frontier modernization. Statistical and comparative methods, as well as cartographic data visualization, were applied. The novelty lies in the systematization and comparative analysis of a wide corpus of statistical data on the two ethnoconfessional communities in the capital. The analysis of statistical materials made it possible to determine the dependence of the dynamics of community size on the internal political course and economic cycles. An important marker for the communities was their gender composition. Among Muslims, single male labor migrants predominated, who came to St. Petersburg for work and lived there in groups. Jews who settled in the capital sought to naturalize and thus lived as full families. In the context of modernization, literacy became increasingly important. Among Jews, literacy levels in both their native and Russian languages were significantly higher than among Muslims. The comparison of data from 1869, 1890, and 1910, combined with other information, allowed for tracking not only the distribution patterns of Jews and Muslims across different parts (districts) of the capital but also for making assumptions about the correlation between the attractiveness of urban areas and economic activity. It was established that the size of the Jewish community was determined by migration inflow, while the growth of the Muslim community was due to natural increase. A correlation was identified between economic specialization and the localization of groups within the administrative districts of the city.

Keywords: Jews, Muslims, St. Petersburg, ethnic processes, demography, ethnodispersity, migration, urbanization, confessional communities, assimilation

Abstract: The study is dedicated to the examination of historically and geographically related territories of the southern part of the Staritsa district in the 17th century, based on the processing of data from land registry and census descriptions. The subject of the research is the structure and dynamics of the territorial organization and settlement structure of the identified community of administrative formations, represented by two volosts (Kholm and Sinyaya) and four stan (Verkhovskaya, Poretskaya, Sukromskaya, and Semyonovsky). In historiography, the Staritsa district of the 16th–17th centuries remains insufficiently studied, which necessitates the inclusion of previously unpublished sources in the scientific discourse and the application of modern methods for their processing. The main source base consisted of administrative documents from the 17th century: the land registry book of the Staritsa district from 1624-1626 and census books from 1646 and 1678, which allowed, on the example of relatively small territorial formations, to identify certain trends in socio-economic development. The work was conducted in the form of a comprehensive analysis of the land registry materials from the 17th century, based on statistical processing, complete localization of the toponyms and hydronyms described in them, and the creation of a general database and GIS for the studied territory. As a result of the research, it was possible to trace the common origins of the formation of administrative regions (volosts and stans) and their evolution. Using geoinformation technologies, a reconstruction of the territorial organization of the southern part of the Staritsa district was carried out, reflecting the internal structure, boundaries, and dynamics of the settlement structure. Statistical data and localization results showed the dire state of the region in the first half and weak recovery by the end of the 17th century, expressed in an increase in the number of inhabited settlements and households within them. The resulting GIS reflected the isolation of the studied region in the basin of the River Derzha from the main part of the district, providing a detailed representation of the location, relative sizes, and boundaries of the volost formations, highlighting the characteristics of the dynamics of settlements – their territorially uneven development with a significant predominance in the northwest in the upper reaches of the River Derzha.

Keywords: historical geography, Staritsky uezd, XVII century, volost, stan, settlement, wasteland, Kholm principality, geoinformation system, scribal books

Abstract: The authors found it interesting to conduct an internal critique of land maps from the first half of the 18th century using geoinformation technologies, as well as to identify ways to overcome the incompleteness of their content. The article examines newly discovered maps of the Tambov Governorate and adjacent territories, which were created to address specific state tasks and were inherently incomplete and inaccurate. On N. Sladneva's map (late 1720s), only the settlements of the Verkhozensky volost that interested the palace administration are shown, while dozens of neighboring settlements founded by service people are completely omitted. V. Zolotilov's map (1737) presents only select forest areas of the Voronezh, Tambov, and Shatsk provinces, which were of interest to the Admiralty College for determining the feasibility of shipbuilding along the banks of the Voronezh and Vorona rivers. Many settlements in the inter-river steppe and meadow areas were overlooked by the mapmaker. The study successfully identified and explained the most typical errors and inaccuracies characteristic of these sources. GIS also served as a means to overcome these issues, allowing for tasks such as map referencing and comparison, localization of settlements, and automatic calculation of distances and areas to be solved. The geographic information system became a medium for creating a source-oriented database that combined spatial and attribute information from historical maps and demographic sources. The primary type of data export consisted of raster maps and diagrams. As a result of the study, the wide possibilities of GIS technologies in the examination of early cartographic sources were confirmed and specified. The technologies enabled a comprehensive analysis of maps and population accounting materials, creating a sufficiently realistic picture of the level of development of a large area of the southern Russian frontier by the mid-18th century. The use of geoinformation technologies also allowed for significant clarification of the contentious issue in historical science related to the unclear and only forming administrative boundaries between old districts, stanitsas, and volosts.

Keywords: GIS, historical map, 18th century, Tambov region, Verkhotsenskaya volost, Tambov county, Shatsky county, Kozlovsky county, development, economy

Abstract: The subject of the study is the image of Samara in the informational discourse of the United States from the mid-19th century to 1929 in the context of the overall evolution of American perceptions of Russia as a "Significant Other." The object of the study: the periodical press of the United States. The goal of the work: to determine the role of the image of Samara in the American informational space during the specified years based on computerized analysis of materials from the periodical press of the United States. The author places special emphasis on the use of digital resources in analyzing large data sets—over 16,000 mentions of Samara in U.S. newspapers. This will provide a more accurate scientific understanding of the subject of research—how the process of constructing the image of Samara unfolded in American periodicals, what markers were used by journalists and editors. A quantitative and semantic analysis of a corpus of more than 10,000 newspaper articles (16,278 mentions of Samara) was conducted using the "Chronicling America" platform, including optical character recognition (OCR), search tools, data extraction, and interactive visualization (Esri ArcGIS). The main contribution of the author to the study of the topic is the identification of four periods in the evolution of the image of Samara based on the dynamics of mentions: 1850–1890 – gradual growth of interest (geographical and ethnographic narratives); 1890–1909 – a sharp increase in mentions associated with socio-economic crises and revolutions; 1910–1919 – peak interest (the role of Samara in the Civil War and as a center of alternative power to the Bolsheviks); 1920–1929 – a decline in interest after the cessation of hunger. The study reveals characteristics of the marker content of the image of Samara in different periods ("peasants," "revolution," "hunger," etc.). A graph of each marker's usage by American journalists has been created. Based on statistical data, the significance of Samara as one of the key regional centers of Russia in American media discourse has been established.

Keywords: Samara, US press, information discourse, computerized media analysis, Middle Volga region, Image of the Other, Russian Revolution, Famine in the Volga region, American journalists, local history

Abstract: The subject of the research is the change in methods of digital representation of Greek and Latin ancient texts in the 1990s to 2020s. The object of the research is digital projects and standards in which ancient texts are presented as sources suitable for searching, annotation, addressing, linking, and machine processing. The author examines aspects of the topic such as the transition from annotated documents to addressable fragments, the use of TEI and EpiDoc, the development of CTS URN and Homer Multitext, as well as the emergence of web data models. Special attention is given to the projects OCHRE, MANTO, and SLAVegents. They demonstrate how textual material is linked to places, characters, events, editorial decisions, external identifiers, and source claims. Vector models and Latin BERT are discussed separately as tools for searching meaningful and intertextual connections. The methodology of the research is based on source studies and historiographic analysis of publications, project documentation, and descriptions of digital resources. Models of markup, addressing, linked data, semantic networks, and text processing are compared. The novelty of the research lies in the fact that the digital representation of Greco-Roman texts is viewed not merely as a technical enhancement of access to corpora, but as a change in the model of source representation. The main findings of the study are as follows: TEI and EpiDoc have made the text and editorial decisions machine-readable. CTS URN and Homer Multitext have enhanced the significance of stable addressing and the multiplicity of evidence. OCHRE, MANTO, and SLAVegents have shown that ancient texts can exist in the digital environment as part of a network of objects, places, people, actions, and claims. Vector models add computable connections between fragments of the corpus to this system. At the same time, digital methods do not negate source-critical verification; they make the composition of the corpus, the ontology of the project, the rules for linking data, and the transparency of the computational procedure more important.

Keywords: digitization of ancient texts, Digital Classics, Text Encoding Initiative, EpiDoc, CTS URN, Homer Multitext, Linked Open Data, semantic networks, MANTO, Latin BERT

Abstract: Subject. Russian historiography of the Soviet system crisis and the dissolution of the USSR (1991–2025) is treated not as a body of interpretations of a historical event but as a structured corpus of historiographic sources suitable for formal description and digital analysis. By the early 2020s the size of this corpus (hundreds of monographs and thousands of articles, by RSCI data) exceeded the possibility of close reading, which motivates recourse to the tools of historical informatics. The article examines ways of representing the corpus as a data model and a corresponding information-analytical resource. Methods. The study combines scientometric analysis based on the Russian Science Citation Index, techniques of distant reading, macroanalysis, topic modelling and network analysis of big historical data, the design of a relational data model and a resource, and the classical comparative-historiographic, historical-typological and periodization methods. The digital representation is used as a tool for testing and visualizing historiographic generalizations rather than replacing them. Novelty, conclusions. For the first time a formal data model of the historiographic corpus on the dissolution of the USSR and a resource implementing it (with a built-in conversational AI assistant based on retrieval-augmented generation over a verified knowledge base) are proposed, making it possible to present the transition from the polyparadigmality of the post-Soviet period to the new research culture of the 2020s as an observable and reproducible structure. The digital representation renders transparent the paradigm shifts, the dynamics of the conceptual apparatus and the reconfiguration of the research agenda after 2022, and increases the verifiability of historiographic conclusions. The limits of quantitative methods and network analysis in historiography and directions for developing the approach are formulated.

Keywords: historical informatics, digital history, historiographic source, USSR dissolution, scientometric analysis, data model, information-analytical resource, paradigm analysis, distant reading, generative AI

Abstract: The article contains reflections related to the release of Y.Y. Yumashova's book "Essays on Prosopography: History. Theory. Research" (Moscow, 2026). It emphasizes that, being undeniably timely, it is a must-read for all historians aspiring to genuine professionalism. Three problem areas outlined in the monograph are shown sequentially. The first is methodological. It is shaped by the limitations of the prosopographic method, related to the decontextualization of the source and the inevitable loss of information when creating meta-sources; the risks of substituting research goals with technological experimentation (“escape into the digital”); and the necessity of developing unified standards for designing and documenting prosopographic databases. The second field is ethical. It allows us to see that under the conditions of the "right to be forgotten" and working with personal data (especially in projects dedicated to traumatic pasts), prosopography faces a challenge that currently has no simple universal solution. The third field is institutional. Its contours are not so obvious yet, but sooner or later, they will undoubtedly manifest. The outline of these frameworks will primarily be determined by the problem of the lack of coordinated efforts to create national prosopographies and, more broadly, to institutionalize prosopography as a special discipline. In addition, the author analyzes promising directions in prosopographic research: "prosopography of things" as an expansion of the subject area, visualized prosopography (whose heuristic potential is questioned), and "prosopography of prosopography" as a meta-project for mapping research experience. The discussion raises issues such as the periodization of prosopography's development, the operationality of the term "meta-source," and the need to relate it to the concepts of "database," "data set," "digital archive," as well as the thesis of the self-sufficiency of the prosopographic method/approach. Doubts are expressed regarding the implicitness of the conceptual framework of the monograph, while it is emphasized that the author’s brilliant command of a wide range of research tools would have been enhanced by a clear articulation of the theoretical foundation, thereby strengthening methodological reflection. Ultimately, it is noted that Y.Y. Yumashova's monograph, even if it does not answer all questions, sets a high bar for subsequent research, not only not dismissing the task of further prosopographic inquiries but also making them even more relevant and promising.

Keywords: prosopography, collective biography, historical sources, interdisciplinary studies, databases, digital escape, right to be forgotten, prosopography of things, photo-visual prosopography, national prosopography

Abstract: The article presents a detailed analytical review of the monograph by Y.Y. Yumacheva titled "Essays on Prosopography: History. Theory. Research" (Moscow: Direct-Media, 2026), which is the first encyclopedic work in domestic historiography systematizing the historical, theoretical, and applied aspects of the prosopographic method. The author highly appreciates the scale of the work done (analyzing more than 35,000 articles and 12,000 electronic resources), Yumacheva's interdisciplinary approach combining history, sociology, source studies, and computer science, as well as her contribution to the comparison of foreign and domestic traditions of prosopography. The key innovations of the monograph are examined in detail: the author's periodization of prosopography (from ancient "proto-analytical" attempts to the Data Science stage), typology of research (biographical, resource-based, analytical prosopography), overview of methods and technological tools (LOD, HISCO, FOAF, RDF), as well as the classification of thematic fields of application of the method. The methodology of the work is based on a combination of historiographical, structural-functional, and critical analysis, which allows for a multidimensional assessment of the monograph—from its theoretical foundation to applied aspects and terminological accuracy. It is shown that Yumacheva's monograph is the most extensive and comprehensive theoretical work on prosopography in domestic historiography, making a significant contribution to the development of the methodology of interdisciplinary historical research. It has been established that the author managed to overcome the Western-centric perspective characteristic of many works and construct a balanced picture of the development of prosopography in both foreign and domestic science. Identified strengths include: detailed periodization, developed typology of research, systematization of methods and technological tools, and an extensive source base. Discussed aspects include: insufficient elaboration of theoretical frameworks, terminological ambiguity (the use of the term "factoid" instead of the academic "factographic"), methodological vulnerability of the "prosopography of things" concept, and the overload of the third essay with project listings without comparative analysis and interpretation. Ultimately, remarks and suggestions are made that do not diminish the high scientific value of the work.

Keywords: prosopography, historiography, methodology, methods, technology, periodization, classification, terminology, databases, interdisciplinarity

Abstract: This article focuses on the genre-specific nature of prosopographical research, examining it using Yu. Yu. Yumasheva's monograph, “Essays on Prosopography,” as well as within the broader context of the development of historical data science and digital humanities. The author analyzes how prosopography, as a method at the intersection of social history, biographies, and database analysis, shapes a distinctive type of scholarly writing and research optics. The article provides a detailed examination of the key characteristics of the prosopographical genre. Particular attention is paid to the epistemological limitations of prosopography: its ability to capture the typical at the expense of unique life trajectories, its dependence on the preservation of documentation, and the risk of substituting statistical correlations for historical explanations. The conflict between prosopography's sociological roots (the study of elites and the reproduction of power) and its historical aspirations (the reconstruction of the diversity of the past) is also explored. The article is a critical review, combining elements of historiographical analysis, methodological critique, and epistemological reflection. This article formulates the contradiction between the “official biography” (recorded in service forms, questionnaires, and databases) and the “lived life,” a contradiction that typically remains outside the scope of prosopographical research. It introduces a distinction between a “life trajectory” (a predictable line connecting discrete events) and a “life's journey” (full of twists, turns, accidents, and unrealized potential), demonstrating that prosopography captures only the former. Overcoming the current limitations of prosopography requires not an abandonment of the method, but an honest recognition of its generic boundaries and the additional engagement of narrative and microhistorical strategies. Ultimately, the genre specificity of prosopography is determined not by technologies (databases, semantic networks), but by an epistemological choice: whether to study the “average man” at the risk of missing the exceptions that drive history.

Keywords: prosopography, biography, databases, historical data science, methodology of history, life trajectory, life path, verifiability, linked open data, digital humanities projects

Abstract: This essay reviews Yulia Yumasheva’s monograph “Essays on Prosopography: History, Theory, Research” (2026), a significant contribution to the historiography and methodology of historical biographical data. The monograph is particularly notable for its overview of modern database technologies and current digital resources dealing with historical biographical data. However, certain aspects remain contentious, notably the blurred boundaries of prosopography, the inclusion of heterogeneous biographical datasets, and the lack of a clear distinction between collective portrait and collective biography. The essay further complements Yumasheva’s work by surveying Russian historiography on Soviet financial capital and post-Soviet history of prerevolutionary entrepreneurship. It argues that Russian studies of financial elites—historically focused on interlocking directorates, name indexes, and encyclopedic entries—require a shift toward classical prosopography defined by contemporary research questions. A central methodological challenge addressed here is how to bridge the gap between the systematic collection of biographical data and meaningful historical generalization. To this end, the essay draws on “Finance and Financiers in European History, 1880–1960” (1992), edited by Youssef Cassis. By analyzing studies on Great Britain (M. Daunton), France (A. Plessis), and Germany (D. L. Augustine). Daunton rethinks the British elite through social newcomers and new professionals; Plessis demonstrates the importance of government financial inspectors in the recruitment of the banking elite; Augustine presents a classic prosopographical study with detailed consideration of intergenerational succession, marriage patterns, and social origin. The essay demonstrates that successful prosopographical analysis relies not on the mere accumulation of data, but on a project-based approach that integrates rigorous methodology with conceptual depth.

Keywords: prosopography, biographical studies, biographical databases, biographical internet resources, historiography, financial elites, Russian Empire, Great Britain, France, Germany

Abstract: This review offers a comprehensive analysis of Yuval Noah Harari’s Nexus: A Brief History of Information Networks from the Stone Age to AI, situating the book within a broad intellectual framework that spans Franklin Ankersmit’s narrative logic, Benedict Anderson’s imagined communities, and the postmodern critiques of Lyotard and Harvey, while also drawing an unexpected parallel with the replicants of Ridley Scott’s Blade Runner. The reviewer argues that Harari’s central, provocative thesis is that information functions primarily as social “glue” rather than as a representation of truth – a shift encapsulated in his formula that information “puts in formation” rather than informs. Consequently, the most effective information networks in history (religions, empires, totalitarian states) have consistently relied on fiction, myth, and ethical ambiguity rather than on factual accuracy. Harari illustrates this through diverse historical cases: the canonization of the Bible, the early modern witch hunts enabled by the printing press, Stalinist collectivization as an experiment in forced reality-remaking, and the creation of Homo sovieticus – a network node so terrified that it applauds a dictator for eleven minutes out of fear of being the first to stop. The review highlights Harari’s post-postmodern stance: unlike Lyotard, who celebrates the fragmentation of grand narratives and the collapse of ethical absolutes, Harari refuses to accept that truth and reason are obsolete. Instead, he calls for a return to Enlightenment ideals of institutional self-correction, checks and balances, and democratic conversation – even while acknowledging that such ideals are often inefficient compared to authoritarian “order.” Special attention is given to Harari’s controversial legal proposal: to regulate AI by banning “fake humans” (bots, deepfakes, chatbots masquerading as people) just as states have long banned counterfeit money. The review also examines Harari’s use of historical analogy (Emperor Tiberius and his praetorian prefect Sejanus) as a warning about delegating information control to algorithms. The reviewer concludes that Nexus is not merely a social theory but a publicist’s manifesto that paradoxically combines left-wing institutional critique with a right-wing demand for democratic protection. The ultimate lesson is that socially efficient networks are rarely ethical, and humanity may face a choice between effectiveness and truth – a choice for which Harari offers no easy answers but insists we must still make.

Keywords: information, information networks, post-postmodernism, ethics, truth, narrative, Benedict Anderson, Franklin Ankersmit, collectivization, AI regulation

Abstract: The book "Artificial Historians" (2026) is dedicated to a fundamental rethinking of who and how history is created in the age of artificial intelligence. The author argues that AI is already today a full-fledged "historian": algorithmic recommendation systems, social networks, credit scoring, mapping services, and even CAPTCHA continuously analyze past data and, based on this, shape people's access to education, healthcare, justice, and information. "Artificial historians" operate invisibly, behind interfaces, but their "works" – ranked news feeds, product suggestions, reliability assessments—directly affect the lives of millions. The study focuses not just on critiquing technologies, but on analyzing the logical, epistemological, and ethical foundations that underlie both human and machine historiography. The methodology of the reviewed study is based on a comparative analysis of awarded historical works and the outputs of generative AI models, using Aristotelian logic, the concept of "endoxa," modality, and warranted theory. The scientific novelty of the book lies in the radical expansion of the concept of "historian": the authors convincingly argue for the first time in historiographical discourse that AI algorithms already perform a historiographical function and propose to view them not as a threat, but as an object of active professional intervention. The key contribution of the reviewed book is a detailed comparison of logical markers in human historiography (questions, modal constructions, metadiscourse, nonlinear temporality, the role of the author's body) with their absence or imitation in texts generated by AI. The authors find that standard AI models tend to present information as absolute truth, obscuring their logic and not signaling the incompleteness of knowledge. The main conclusion of the book is intriguing: the danger of artificial intelligence for history lies not in its technical imperfection, but in the passivity of the professional community. Historians' refusal to participate in the design, regulation, and auditing of AI leads to a loss of control over how current models construct the past. Using the example of the philosophy of Indigenous Australians (Kaurna, Yuin), the authors propose an alternative model—a "living" history, where time, place, and ethical responsibility are interconnected, which opens the way for the creation of more just and multidimensional "artificial historians" of the future.

Keywords: artificial intelligence, Artificial Historians, endoxa, large language model, modality, metadiscourse, technogenic historiography, Kaurna, popularity bias, methodology of history