Name: Anna Vichkitova
Position: Visiting Researcher
Chair: Chair of Slavic Literatures, Prof. Klavdia Smola / Institute of Slavic Studies / Faculty: Faculty of Linguistics, Literature and Cultural Studies 
Duration of stay: October 2023 – September 2024

Anna Vichkitova studied Russian Language and Literature at the St. Petersburg State University and Sociology at the European University in St. Petersburg. Currently, she is enrolled in a Ph.D. program on the Department of Slavic Languages and Literatures at Harvard University. 

How do you like Dresden?

Dresden's unique history is evident as you stroll through the city. As a specialist in memory studies, I appreciate how Dresden acknowledges its past. The cityscape effortlessly combines old architectural masterpieces with modern buildings, creating a rich blend of imperial culture, Soviet history, and contemporary Germany.

Is it your first time in Germany and Dresden?

It is my first time both in Germany and Dresden!

What is your connection to TU Dresden?

This academic year, I have the position of a visiting researcher at TU Dresden

What are your main interests as a researcher? Which topics do you focus on?

I specialize in Russian culture and literature, with a primary focus on contemporary Russian poetry, which has been a central research interest of mine for the past four years. Furthermore, I incorporate gender studies and social analysis into my analytical approach.

My current project is interdisciplinary. It includes ethnography, film and literature studies, oral history, memory, and religion studies. My main focus is on how the memory of the Soviet times has been shaped in culture, religion, and oral history.

What was your most interesting research topic so far?

My current project, devoted to how the memory about the difficult past has shaped, is the most interesting so far.

What will be the focus of your research at TU Dresden?

This year, I am focusing on research into the oral history of the Soviet past and the religious forms of commemoration of Soviet repression. I plan several interviews and research sites across Germany.

Which item do you absolutely need at your workplace?

Desk, chair, lamp, water station, and a printing and copy machine.

Do you have a favourite quote? If so, what is it and from whom?

NOSCE TE IPSUM (Inscription on the Temple of Apollo in Delphi).

Which book did you recently read? / Which movie/series did you watch recently?

I have just re-read a wonderful book written by Rosi Braidotti “Posthuman Knowledge.”

More information about you can be found:

Website of her profile at the Harvard University