Soviet Indology and the Rise of “Insurgent Philology”

ABSTRACT The article discusses the development of “insurgent philology” in early Soviet Russia and its relationship to Oriental Studies. After some general historical and theoretical points, the character of early Soviet Indology is discussed, with particular reference to the work of F. I. Shcherbatskoi and the influence of neo-Kantianism. A discussion of changes in Indology in the early USSR follows, with particular attention given to A. P. Barannikov. Buddhologist and member of the “Bakhtin Circle,” M. I. Tubianskii is considered as a transitional figure, with particular reference to his work on Rabindranath Tagore. Connections with the emergence of an “insurgent” trend among anti-caste intellectuals (Phule, Thass, Ambedkar) are made and some final reflections on the relevance of Bakhtin’s work to this field are given.