Rossika is a phenomenon of Russian book culture

The concept of "rossica" has been used in library and book studies since the mid-19 th century. In modern scholarly discourse, it is used more narrowly, encompassing reflections on Russia by foreigners, writings about Russia by Russians outside Russia, literature of the Russian émigré community, and other literature published in Russian abroad. A broader definition encompasses any publications, works of art, or philatelic materials related to Russia in language or content, created abroad. The purpose of this article is to present the development of the concept of "rossica", the researchers studying it, and the authors of this thematic issue of the journal "Book. Reading. Media". Interest in studying the book heritage of rossica has grown since the 1990s. During this time, research centers of scholars specializing in this topic have emerged. This thematic issue includes works by both established authors and emerging researchers.