Oriental studies who to work. “The main factor is the demand for professional orientalists

Hello, dear readers - seekers of knowledge and truth!

Orientalist - there is something exotic, unusual in this word. In the conditions of constant time pressure, continuous rush, one wants to touch the world where everything is measured, unhurried and there is always an hour or two for a tea ceremony or afternoon rest.

But it's not enough to be an anime and sushi fan, accept the deep philosophy of Confucius, and dream of working somewhere on a Thai island studying the culture. The profession of an orientalist is fraught with much more, it requires great efforts, many years of study, devotion to one's vocation and great love for the East.

Today's article will tell you about all the intricacies of the specialty: what orientalists do, where they are taught, what real professionals should know and what key qualities they should have, whether this profession is in demand at all, and most importantly, whether it is worth mastering.

Students of the Oriental Faculty of St. Petersburg State University

This article will be useful to young people who are facing a difficult life choice- the choice of a profession, adults, accomplished individuals, good sense"sick" Eastern countries, as well as just curious researchers of the world. So...

What does an orientalist do?

An orientalist is a person who knows everything about the East or its individual countries. This is a professional wagon who understands the whole complex scientific disciplines regarding Asian and African countries.

This includes:

• story;
• cultural studies;
• economy;
• jurisprudence;
• geography;
• policy;
• literature;
• linguistics;
• art;
• philosophy;
• religion;
• material and spiritual heritage;
• cultural phenomena;
• holidays, customs and traditions;
• literary works;
• folklore;
• household items, etc.

With all the wide range of sciences, the orientalist is a narrow specialist. He usually studies a specific country or region, such as China, Japan, Vietnam, the countries of Indochina or Southeast Asia. African studies are sometimes distinguished separately from Oriental studies.

Nicholas Konstantinovich Roerich (09/27/1874-12/13/1947). Russian artist, orientalist, traveler, writer, philosopher-mystic, public figure, academician.

In this regard, orientalists who study specific countries, peoples or languages ​​can be called more highly specialized.

Here are just some of the sciences they do:

• Vietnamese studies;
• buddhology;
• Sanskritology;
• Korean studies;
• Malay studies;
• Kalmyk studies;
• sinology, it is also sinology;
• Turkology.

It would seem that for so many years of studying the cultures of other countries by science, everything has already been discovered, told and proven. But this is by no means the case - every year, oriental scholars explore the cultural heritage of Asia and find something new, becoming pioneers. Confirmation of this is a huge number of fresh scientific papers, research, monographs, dissertations, concepts, scientific views.

Experts do more than just study theoretical foundations, they plunge into the history and traditions of countries, get acquainted with their people, spend a great practical work without visiting the country under study. To fully understand what kind of profession is an orientalist, it takes them more than one year of continuous practice.

You can study the East only by seeing it from the inside. It is very different from Western world, so globalized, tuned to income, power and other attributes of a successful life.

Although Asian countries far advanced in terms of modern technologies, technology, industry, and in some industries they even go ahead of the rest, there remains a strong connection with the ancestors, traditions, culture of the past. And orientalists, realizing this, study what is so important to the eastern peoples.

Nicholas Roerich and Yuri Roerich during the Manchurian expedition, 1934

At the same time, their work is not limited to research institutes, translations, and teaching. Good specialists are also needed in the field of trade, business, when it comes to international relations.

It would seem, how are business and knowledge of culture related? In the East they are very connected! Knowing their traditions helps build relationships. For example, if we give a business card to Chinese, Korean or Japanese partners with one hand, they will be offended - in their homeland it is customary to give important documents and gifts with both hands as a sign of respect. Knowing this, you can make friends in the person of an Asian.

What qualities does he have?

Despite the narrowness of the specialty, an orientalist must be a versatile person and have a broad outlook.

First of all, he must know at least two foreign languages: English and the language of the country he is studying. Moreover, knowledge should not be limited literary language, grammar rules, you should apply these rules in practice, be able to understand native speakers and master colloquial speech. This is complicated by the fact that Eastern languages ​​have much less in common with Russian than European languages.

The specialist must know the history, law, culture, religion, literature, art, customs, features of the country under study, modern economic, social, political environment. It is important to be able to summarize this information, work with documents for the archive, write scientific work and articles for periodicals.

To the necessary personal qualities include a good memory, emotional stability, patience, willingness to study long and hard. When choosing the profession of an orientalist, you need to understand that you won’t have to wait for quick results - a lot depends on the person himself, his cognitive abilities, desire and love for the East.

Yuri Nikolaevich Roerich (16.08.1902-21.05.1960). Russian orientalist, linguist, art critic, ethnographer, traveler, language specialist and. Doctor philological sciences, Professor, Director of the Institute of Himalayan Studies "Urusvati", Head. Department of Philosophy and History of Religion of the Institute of Oriental Studies of the Academy of Sciences of the USSR.

At the same time, the abilities that a professional should have depend on the specifics of the job. If this is a researcher, translator, editor, then accuracy, perseverance, and attentiveness are required from him. If this is an employee of the trade or entrepreneurial sphere, then his communication skills will be important.

Where to get an education?

Before you firmly decide to become an Orientalist, you need to learn one of the Oriental languages ​​​​at a basic level and prepare for the fact that studying will take a lot of time. Since the specialty is quite complex, it is mainly assumed that full-time education is assumed: 4 years of undergraduate and 2 years of master's degree, during which a foreign internship is usually planned.

To date, more than 30 Russian universities give the opportunity to become an orientalist. The largest of them include:

• Moscow State University, Institute of Asian and African countries;
• MGIMO;
• National Research University Higher School of Economics, Department of Oriental Studies;
• RSUH;
• RUDN;
• MSLU;
• St. Petersburg State University;
• Far Eastern Federal University;
• Siberian Federal University.

More detailed description faculties, specialties, information about the availability of budgetary and paid places, the selection committee can be found on the official websites of educational institutions.

Institute of Asian and African countries, Lomonosov Moscow State University M.V. Lomonosov

Even after receiving education, a specialist needs to constantly improve his skills, attend courses, lectures, seminars, read professional literature, and go to practice abroad.

Where to find a job?

Surrounding people often scare with “horror stories” that orientalists are not in demand anywhere, and this is more like an occupation for the soul. Maybe there is some truth in this - finding a job for newly minted graduates and future professionals can be difficult. But this is only because it is not easy for young professionals without work experience in any field to get a good position.

In the profession of an orientalist, as in many other specialties, much depends on the person himself, his aspirations, desires, experience, ambitions. But here there is a clear advantage over other university graduates against the backdrop of Russia's ever-increasing rapprochement with Asian states, globalization, the strengthening of mutually beneficial trade, social and economic relations, and the development of tourism.

Meeting and Russian scientists in Dharamsala, India

Orientalists can realize themselves in a completely different areas:

• research institute, educational establishments;
• publishing houses, libraries, magazines, newspapers and other media;
• translations, editing;
• domestic, foreign and international organizations - as consultants, translators, specialists in foreign economic activity;
• public service.

Evgeny Yanovich Satanovsky (born June 15, 1959). Russian scientist, orientalist, economist, professor

Is it worth becoming an orientalist?

If you are still asking this question, then it is definitely worth it. And it doesn’t matter how old you are, what level of education, gender, Family status, civil position. If you are head over heels in love with Eastern culture, then why not give it a try?

Of course, first you need to weigh everything - after all, even the wise men of the East have always avoided hasty decisions. And like any profession, it has its pros and cons.

The unequivocal pluses are interest, the ability to travel, practice in foreign companies, mastery of several foreign languages, communication with representatives of another culture, a fairly large number budget places in universities upon admission, the originality of the profession.

The disadvantages include possible problems with initial employment and low salaries at the initial stage.

If such difficulties do not frighten you, you should become the very discoverer who studies the still unknown world of the East.

Conclusion

The history of Russian oriental studies includes dozens and even hundreds of famous scientists of world renown who have been engaged in the study of oriental culture throughout their lives and have written many works. In subsequent articles, we will introduce you to some of the most famous of them. Follow the news of our blog - subscribe to new fresh articles.

Thank you very much for your attention, dear readers! May the chosen one life path gives joy and novelty of discovery. Share the article on in social networks if you liked it, and we will search for the truth together.

Many applicants who are interested in the cultures of Africa and the East are wondering who to work with. Oriental and African studies offer students the widest range of knowledge that can be used to build successful career both in Russia and abroad.

How Oriental and African studies appeared

First of all, it is worth saying that the term "oriental studies" is losing its relevance in the foreign academic environment, since it is inextricably linked with the colonial past of Europe, and modern Europeans are trying to get rid of this past with all their might. Increasing preference is given to interdisciplinary research using various methods to study countries in Africa, Asia and the Middle East.

The traditional purpose of Oriental studies is to study the culture, languages, economics, politics, ethnography, religion and art of countries located in Asia and Africa. The foundations of European Oriental studies were laid during the Great geographical discoveries when a huge new world, inhabited by people who spoke unfamiliar languages, living in a different culture and having very different values ​​from European ones.

In order to establish contact with unfamiliar peoples, it was necessary to study them first, and for this it was necessary to master the languages ​​of these nations. A huge contribution to the study of Eastern and African cultures was made by the Jesuit missionaries, who first translated the Bible into Chinese.

Where to study the cultures of the East and Africa

It is worth starting with the fact that for the first time a systematic study Eastern peoples began in Russia in the middle of the 15th century, with the formation of universities in St. Petersburg and Moscow. Great importance knowledge about how eastern societies are arranged, acquired in the course of Caucasian wars and expansion into Central Asia.

Named after M. V. Lomonosov is today one of the leading centers of Oriental studies. Who to work after this prestigious university? The answer to this question, as it may seem, lies on the surface, because the main practical skill of graduates of the Department of Oriental Studies is the knowledge of several Oriental languages.

And such skills allow you to work as translators in various fields activities: from trade to international diplomacy. Graduates who, in addition to the Eastern language, have one of the working languages ​​of the UN, can try their luck in the competition for the position of a UN translator. Oriental and African studies in Russian universities are a fairly common specialty, but three can be distinguished major centers who are historically engaged in the study of the East, in the broadest sense of the word.

To the most famous and prestigious faculties and scientific centers specializing in the training of professionals in the field of Oriental and African studies include:

• Oriental faculty of St. Petersburg State University.
• Institute of Asian and African countries named after M. V. Lomonosov.
• School of Oriental Studies
• Institute of Oriental Studies and International Relations of Kazan University.
• Institute of Oriental Manuscripts (prepares candidates and doctors of sciences).

For residents of St. Petersburg or for those applicants who want to move there, there is great opportunity enroll in the Oriental Faculty of St. Petersburg University, where you can study languages ​​and cultures numerous nations Middle East, Central Asia, Caucasus, Far East And South-East Asia. There is no Faculty of Oriental and African Studies at either St Petersburg University or Moscow State University, and their functions are performed by the Faculty of Oriental Studies and the Institute of Asian and African Studies of Moscow State University.

The latter opens up the opportunity for students to specialize in one of three areas: historical, philological or socio-economic. Despite the fact that the set of competencies offered may not seem too extensive, the knowledge of several foreign languages ​​at the same time as knowledge of the history of the regions gives undeniable advantages in employment in various international organizations, both public and private, as well as in non-commercial humanitarian missions, which in in large numbers operate in both Africa and the Middle East.

Oriental and African studies: who to work with?

Before the graduates of the study centers oriental cultures truly unique perspectives open up, because modern world is unlimited, and finances, knowledge and goods move in it, meeting the minimum number of obstacles on their way. There are several possible answers to the question of who to work with Oriental and African Studies. However, additional competencies will also be a significant advantage for graduates of the respective departments.

Such an open and dynamic world requires numerous translators, consultants and specialists who understand the peculiarities of each region and individual country. Oriental and African studies allow you to work in diplomatic missions Russia abroad, and knowledge of Oriental and African languages ​​will allow you to get a job in an international corporation. There is a huge demand in the international labor market for people who speak Korean, Chinese and Arabic. Each of them can be learned at the corresponding department of one of the Russian universities.

One of the popular areas of application of the acquired knowledge is teaching and scientific theoretical activity. In general, it is worth noting building an academic career as one of the priority areas for graduates of departments and faculties of Oriental and African studies.

You can understand who to work after university even during your studies, because the acquired competencies can be used both in the economy and in the humanitarian sphere, or you can do business and promote international cooperation in trade.

The most common entrance exams are:

• Foreign language - profile subject, at the choice of the university

This program of study provides students with an understanding of economic, social, cultural and political processes. It is planned to study Oriental studies and sub-Saharan Africa. Orientalists are in demand in diplomatic missions, trade, economic and administrative structures within the Russian Federation, in business projects and commercial organizations working on the import and export of goods from the countries of the East and Asia.

Examinations for admission to the magistracy

Enrollment occurs after the competitive selection of applicants based on the results of an interview and communication on the topic of the applicant's portfolio. Admission is carried out after a qualifying exam in English.

Brief description of the specialty

Russian study program cultural characteristics peoples of the East is considered one of the most balanced and rich among all European programs.

It provides an opportunity to train specialists who are versed in culture, literature, history, political and economic features and modern state structure China, Korea, Japan, Vietnam, India, Indonesia, Thailand, African countries. In addition to knowledge in the field of culture and economics, important aspect is the study of the language of the profile country. Internships are expected cultural programs, student exchange with Asian universities.

Benefits of a Master's Degree

A master's degree is necessary for those who decide to engage in teaching, scientific activities and plan to write and defend a dissertation in the future. The master's degree provides an opportunity to approach the subjects studied in a comprehensive manner, teaches you to analytically relate to the acquired information.

Attention and time is paid to the development of practical skills in working with institutions and organizations of the countries of the East, the construction of business models, and the analysis of political and social processes. The master's program is carried out with the assistance of European and Asian universities, some disciplines and courses are taught in English language.

Major universities in the capital

Masters in the specialty are trained by less than ten universities throughout the country, among Moscow educational institutions you can choose from the following:

Terms and forms of training

This program is available for full-time students only. You will have to attend classes for 2 years. It is possible to receive both on a budgetary and commercial basis. Some educational institutions implement the entire program in English in the framework of cooperation with foreign universities.

Subjects studied by students

The direction of study depends on the choice of the student: one can dwell in more detail either on the historical and cultural, or on the socio-economic features of the development of the eastern countries.

The following disciplines are required to study:

• at least one language from the Western European and Eastern groups;
• fundamentals of international relations and international law;
• history, literature, cultural studies, religious studies;
• theory and practice in the field of translation;
• features of the policy of the Russian Federation in the direction of the countries of the East and Africa;
• foreign policy and economic ties.

Acquired knowledge and skills

After completing the master's degree, the graduate should be ready for the following tasks:

Whom to work

The work may be related to the activities of foreign policy, foreign economic organizations, diplomatic and cultural missions, embassies.

The specialties in which students of the Oriental and African Studies program can prove themselves are very diverse:

• translator, simultaneous or written from oriental languages ​​- Chinese, Korean, Japanese;
• an expert in the field of certain peoples or ethnic groups;
• employee or head of international cultural center, galleries;
• university lecturer in the adjacent region.

The minimum experience of the translator-referent with knowledge Chinese will allow you to immediately earn from 40 thousand rubles. An expert political scientist in the field of oriental studies can count on earning from 60 thousand rubles.

Continuing education in the specialty

Graduates who feel the need to continue their education have analytical warehouse mind, sufficient motivation and purposefully strive for scientific activity may continue their postgraduate studies in the field of international relations. The choice of a topic that will be studied and presented in a future Ph.D. thesis is chosen individually, taking into account the recommendations of the supervisor and current issues of current cultural and political relations with the countries of Asia and Africa. Postgraduate studies will be needed for those who expect to make a scientific and teaching career.

The most common entrance exams are:

• Russian language
• Mathematics ( a basic level of)
• History - a profile subject, at the choice of the university
• Russian language - at the choice of the university
• Foreign language - at the choice of the university
• Geography - at the choice of the university
• Social studies - at the choice of the university

Most universities offer students three entrance exams, one of which is a specialized one - it is always history, then one exam for choosing a university - Russian, foreign language, geography or social studies. Also, at its discretion, the university may offer an additional exam - usually a foreign language or social studies, but depending on which exam was set for choice.

A bachelor's specialist in this field is a qualified expert who understands a specific aspect of the life of the states of the studied region. Specialty interesting opportunity total immersion in language, culture, literature, history, political system and the economy of African countries and the states of the East, which implies fascinating process studying using modern technologies and methods, as well as visiting the region under study as part of the practice.

Brief description of the specialty

The specialty provides for several areas of study, when a bias can be made in favor of history, languages ​​and literature, economics or politics of Eastern and African states. However, in most cases, a bachelor must have a comprehensive knowledge and apply it in different areas. The spectrum of knowledge includes social, ethno-confessional, political, economic, cultural, linguistic and other features of the development of Eastern states and peoples. The application of accumulated knowledge is possible in international structures, economic enterprises, diplomatic organizations, transport companies, government bodies different levels, educational institutions, various cultural organizations etc.

Major universities

Due to the specifics of studying the Asian and African regions, many universities that offer the assimilation of knowledge under this program are located not in the capital, but in that part of Russia that is closest to Asia, including the Far East region, about. Sakhalin and nearby subjects of the Russian Federation.

• Moscow State University named after M.V. Lomonosov;
• Moscow City Pedagogical University;
• Sakhalin State University;
• St. Petersburg branch of the National research university « graduate School economy";
• Far Eastern Federal University;
• Amur State University named after Sholom Aleichem.

Terms and forms of training

Education in this specialty mainly provides for exclusively full-time education lasting 4 years, however, some universities may offer part-time or part-time education. Upon completion of the bachelor's program, you can continue your studies in the master's program in Oriental and African Studies, where the development of the program is usually studied jointly with leading European and Asian universities.

Subjects studied by students

As part of mastering the specialty, students learn interesting academic subjects which they study with benefit and pleasure. Regardless of the chosen profile, the following subjects are recognized as mandatory for study:

• introduction to oriental studies;
• the history of the country or region being studied;
• the physical and economic geography of the selected country or region;
• the history of literature of the chosen country or region;
• socio-political thought of the Eastern countries;
• the history of the religions of the chosen country or region;
• English or other Western European language;
• oriental language;
• theory and practice of translation.

A specific profile of study provides for additional subjects, which include the following:

• linguistics;
• ethnology of the studied country or region;
• historiography and source studies;
• religious-doctrinal systems of the countries of the East;
• international economic relations of Asian and African countries and others.

It is possible to study a second Oriental or African language.

Acquired knowledge and skills

An undergraduate graduate has a wide range of knowledge and skills that enable them to perform highly professional tasks, including:

• research actual problems countries of the East;
• take part in the study of the historical, spiritual and cultural heritage Asian and African states;
• be fluent in Western and Eastern languages, at least one;
• carry out classification and separation of information on a specific country (region) in different languages;
• predict the development of societies in the countries of the East, depending on their economic, social and political development;
• to translate texts from Russian into Oriental and vice versa;
• develop different types contacts with Eastern and African countries, establish and develop existing ties in the field of culture, science and education;
• conduct consultations with organizations and government agencies of our country regarding cooperation with Eastern countries;
• design and program the trajectory of development of relations between the Russian Federation and the countries of the studied region;
• teach oriental languages ​​and other disciplines.

As a rule, educational programs give preference to one of the following oriental languages ​​​​- Arabic, Japanese, Chinese or Korean. However, some universities may offer the study of rare languages. The choice of profiles is usually provided in one of three directions: historical and cultural, socio-economic or political development of the countries of the East.

Whom to work

Mastering the political, economic, social, cultural, ethno-confessional and linguistic features of the studied region allows you to find work in embassies and diplomatic missions, as well as versatile foreign policy and foreign economic organizations. The most common professions in this area are represented by the following proposals:

• an expert on a particular region/country/people (expert political scientist, cultural expert, etc.);
• translator from one of the studied languages;
• orientalist;
• culturologist;
• linguist;
• art critic;
• editor/proofreader;
• referent;
• linguist, etc.

Regardless of the choice of specialty, you can count on wages from 40,000 rubles after graduation. It is from this amount and more that the payment of the referent interpreter starts. The remuneration of an expert political scientist starts from 60,000 rubles or more. Salaries for diplomats with work experience can be significantly higher.