Institute of Oriental Studies of the Academy of Sciences of the Union

(IVAN; from 1960 to 1970, the Institute of the Peoples of Asia), a scientific research institution engaged in the study of the history, economics, literature, culture, and languages of oriental countries. It coordinates oriental studies in the USSR. IVAN was founded in 1930 in Lenin-grad on the basis of the Asiatic Museum, the Collegium of Orientalists, the Institute of Buddhist Culture, and the Turkology Center; the Pacific Ocean Institute of the Academy of Sciences of the USSR (AN SSSR) became part of IVAN in 1950. Located in Moscow since 1950, the institute has a branch in Leningrad.

IVAN is concerned mainly with the problems of the national liberation movement, agrarian reform, and the workers’ movement in the countries of Asia and North Africa. At the institute the experience of socialist construction in a number of Asian countries is studied, problems relating to the international relations of oriental countries are analyzed, and linguistic research is done. The institute publishes literary and historical manuscripts. It has scholarly connections with foreign oriental studies centers. Among those who have worked at IVAN are the Academicians S. F. Ol’denburg, I. Iu. Krachkovskii, V. M. Alekseev, A. N. Samoilovich, V. A. Gordlevskii, P. K. Kokovtsov, F. I. Shcherbatskoi, B. la. Vladimirtsov, S. A. Kozin, A. P. Barannikov, V. V. Struve, I. A. Orbeli, N. I. Konrad, and A. A. Guber; and Corresponding Members of the AN SSSR E. E. Bertel’s, A. A. Freiman, and N. V. Pigulevskaia. IVAN and the Institute of Africa publish the journals Narody Azii i Afriki (Peoples of Asia and Africa, since 1961; from 1955 to 1958, Sovetskoe vostokovedenie [Soviet Oriental Studies]), Problemy vostokovedeniia (Problems in Oriental Studies, 1959-61); and Aziia i Afrika (since 1961; from 1957 to 1961, Sovremennyi Vostok [Modern Orient]).