The Department of THEORY AND HISTORY OF CULTURE was established in 1991 as a university-wide department and, since 1994, has been part of the Faculty of Philosophy. It was headed by Anatolii Yartysh (1991–1997), Mariia Kashuba (1997–2000), Volodymyr Melnyk (2002–2014), Olha Sinkevych (2016–2020), and Mariia Alchuk (since 2021). Under the guidance of Professor Anatolii Yartysh, work began on the textbook “Lectures on the History of World and National Culture,” which was published in 1994 and received numerous positive reviews from specialists and high praise from instructors and students. Until 1995, the department trained students in the specialization “History of Culture and Religious Studies” at the Faculty of History of Lviv University. In 2003, the specialty “Cultural Studies” was opened at the Faculty of Philosophy, and the Department of Theory and History of Culture became the graduating department. Instruction is offered at the educational and qualification levels of Bachelor and Master.

Today, the department employs: Doctor of Philosophical Sciences, Professor Volodymyr Melnyk (Rector of LNU, corresponding member of the National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine, Merited Professor of Lviv University), Doctor of Philosophical Sciences, Professor Mariia Alchuk (Head of the Department), Doctor of Philosophical Sciences, Professor Mariia Kashuba; Candidates of Philosophical Sciences: Assoc. Prof. Valerii Stetsenko, Assoc. Prof. Tetiana Yaroshenko, Assoc. Prof. Oksana Darmoriz, Assoc. Prof. Olha Lishchynska-Mylyan, Assoc. Prof. Nadiia Lazarovych, Assoc. Prof. Ihor Pasichnyk, Assoc. Prof. Mariia Dovhan, Assoc. Prof. Tetiana Vlasevych, Larysa Mandryshchuk, Assoc. Prof. Roman Haluiko, PhD Bohdana Tkachuk, PhD Anastasiia Myroshnyk; Candidates of Historical Sciences: Assoc. Prof. Andrii Vaskiv, Assoc. Prof. Natalia Korol, Assoc. Prof. Ihor Boiko.

The department provides instruction for students of all university faculties in the core courses “History of Ukrainian Culture” and “History of Foreign and Ukrainian Culture.” For students of the specialty “Cultural Studies” at the Bachelor’s and Master’s levels, original core courses and elective professionally oriented disciplines have been developed. Over the past year, the department has been working on the research theme “National and Cultural Identity in the Context of the Dialogue of Cultures.” The department hosts the student scholarly society of cultural studies “Hylea.” Students specializing in “Cultural Studies” participate in academic conferences held at the university (Days of Science of the Faculty of Philosophy) and in inter-university academic conferences (Ostroh Cultural Studies Readings). The department offers full-time and part-time postgraduate studies (aspirantura) in the specialties “Philosophy” and “Religious Studies.” During the department’s existence, more than 30 postgraduate students have defended candidate dissertations, most of whom work at the department. The department undertakes joint scholarly publications, organizes conferences, and facilitates internships for faculty and postgraduate students. In particular, in 2021, it prepared and held the international academic conference “Global Transformations in the Sphere of Culture: Challenges of Today” (October 29–30). The department’s activities are well known both in Ukraine and beyond. Scholarly ties have been established with Taras Shevchenko National University of Kyiv, V. N. Karazin Kharkiv National University, Kyiv National University of Culture and Arts, the National University “Ostroh Academy,” the University of Bucharest (Romania), the University of Warsaw and the University of Wrocław (Republic of Poland), and Constantine the Philosopher University in Nitra (Slovakia). The department’s faculty work productively, directing their research toward improving the educational process and enhancing professional training, and they conduct educational and cultural outreach with students. Our environment is an intellectual community that creates Ukrainian spiritual culture. Among the department’s notable graduates are Bohdana Brylynska, Mykhailo Kobryn, Liana Mytsko, Radomyr Mokryk, Uliana Sevastianiv, Khrystyna Ped, Viktoriia Furhalo, and others. Today we are experiencing a difficult time—the war on our land. For all of us, the main thing is not to fear the inevitable changes in the sphere of culture, to analyze them, and to do everything possible to adapt them as best as possible to the new reality.

We work for the Victory!