MYKHAILO DRAGHOMANOV – AN OUTSTANDING EDUCATOR OF THE UKRAINIAN AND BULGARIAN NATIONS

Abstract

The article analyzes the main stages of the life and activity of M. Drahomanov, who made a significant contribution to the development of history, cultural studies, political science, and sociology. It is noted that the researcher carried out active educational work in the Ukrainian territories under the rule of the Russian tsar, promoting national history and culture, so he was forced to emigrate. It is emphasized that M. Drahomanov continued the Ukrainian cause abroad, in particular, he was one of the founders of the Geneva Circle, which uncensoredly printed 112 titles of Ukrainian books and brochures, including “T. Shevchenko’s Kobzar”, “Preface to the “Community”, works by P. Kulish, I. Bilyk, P. Myrny, others. It is indicated that M. Drahomanov also actively wrote articles in Western publications, where he published articles about Ukraine, introducing the world to the “forgotten” country in the center of Europe and – most importantly – proving its universality. M. Drahomanov did a lot for the creation of the Ukrainian political nation, for the development of a strategy for the future of the Ukrainian state. Attention is focused on the fact that the Bulgarian period of his life was quite fruitful for M. Drahomanov. The latter made an invaluable contribution to the development of Bulgarian education and science, to the education of students. It is emphasized that M. Drahomanov actively popularized Ukrainian and Bulgarian culture and criticized Russophilism. M. Drahomanov trained the future luminaries of Bulgarian ethnology and comparative studies – Ivan Shishmanov and Mykhailo Arnaudov. It is noted that in the last years of his life, the Ukrainian scientist researched the Slavic versions of the stories about King Oedipus and Constantine the Great, the creation of the world, folk gospel apocrypha, perfecting his comparative-historical typological scientific method; developed scientific Ukrainian studies at Sofia University, which now bears the name of St. Klyment Ohridsky.