Виталий Вячеславович Наумкин
Биография
Vitaly Vyacheslavovich Naumkin (born May 21, 1945 in Sverdlovsk, USSR) is a Soviet and Russian historian, orientalist, Islamic studies scholar, and political scientist. He holds a Doctor of Historical Sciences degree and has been a professor since March 11, 1988. Naumkin became a corresponding member of the Russian Academy of Sciences in 2011 and an academician in 2016. He served as the director of the Institute of Oriental Studies of the Russian Academy of Sciences from 2009 to 2015, and since 2015, he has been the scientific director of the same institution. Naumkin is also the vice-president of the Russian Council on Foreign Affairs since 2011. He was awarded the State Prize of the Russian Federation in 2019.
Early Life and Education
Vitaly Naumkin's father, Vyacheslav Iosifovich Naumkin (1911-1984), was an artist, ballet master, and teacher who was honored as a People's Artist of the RSFSR. His mother, Tamara Ivanovna (1913-1997), was a ballet soloist.
In 1962, after graduating from school with a gold medal, Vitaly Naumkin entered the Institute of Oriental Languages at Moscow State University. He specialized in the study of the history of Arab countries and the Arabic language. During his studies, Naumkin had internships at Cairo University and the American University in Cairo from 1966 to 1967.
From 1968 to 1970, Naumkin served in officer positions in the Soviet Army and taught at the Military Institute of Foreign Languages. He was recognized as one of the best simultaneous interpreters in the country and regularly worked at events involving high-ranking party and government officials.
After completing his education in postgraduate studies at the Institute of Asian and African Studies at Moscow State University from 1970 to 1972, Naumkin defended his candidate thesis on the doctrine of Abu Hamid al-Ghazali. In 1980, his annotated translation of al-Ghazali's work "Revival of the Religious Sciences" with research on the subject was published by the "Nauka" publishing house.
Career and Research
Naumkin started teaching medieval history of the Arab world, Islamic studies, and contemporary political development in Arab countries at the Institute of Asian and African Studies at Moscow State University in 1972. From 1972 to 1977, he worked at the Higher School of Social Sciences in the People's Democratic Republic of Yemen.
In the 1970s, Naumkin began conducting research on Yemen and its ancient and modern history, as well as its contemporary development issues. He has been leading the Soviet-Yemeni, and later Russian, comprehensive expedition to the island of Socotra since 1983. His research on the history, language, unique customs and traditions, and tribal organization of the people of Socotra has gained recognition both in Russia and abroad.
Throughout his career, Naumkin has published numerous works in Russia, the United States, the United Kingdom, and other European and Middle Eastern countries. He has been the editor-in-chief or a member of editorial boards of various academic journals, such as "Vostok-ORIENS," "Russia and the World: Scientific Dialogue," "Digital Oriental Studies," "Eastern Analytics," and others. Naumkin is also a member of numerous scientific councils and advisory boards, including the Russian Academy of Sciences, the National Committee of Russian Historians, and the Valdai Discussion Club.
Additionally, Naumkin has been involved in various international organizations and initiatives. In 2006, he was included in the High-Level Group of the United Nations Alliance of Civilizations project. He has made significant contributions to bridging positions between conflicting parties in the Middle East and the post-Soviet space, including his involvement in the practical resolution of the Tajik conflict. Since 2016, Naumkin has been a senior political advisor to the special envoy of the UN Secretary-General for Syria.
Selected Works
Naumkin has authored and co-authored numerous books on a wide range of subjects, including the history, culture, and politics of Arab countries, Central Asia, and the Caucasus. Some of his notable works include:
- "The National Front in the Struggle for the Independence of South Yemen" (1981)
- "Red Wolves of Yemen" (2004)
- "Radical Islam in Central Asia: Between Pen and Rifle" (2005)
- "Islam and Muslims: Culture and Politics" (2008)
- "Island of the Phoenix" (2018)
- "Unrealized Partnership: Soviet Diplomacy in Saudi Arabia between the World Wars" (2018)