News

Monday 21 June 2021

Robert Landa

 
Robert Landa, one of the oldest members of the Institute of Oriental Studies, Doctor of Historical Sciences, Professor, Chief Researcher, has passed away at the age of 91 on the 21st of June, 2021.

Robert Landa was the leading Russian arabist, scholar of Islam an outstanding specialist in the history of Maghreb, author of three dozen monographs and six hundred scientific articles in Russian, English, German, French, and Arabic.

Robert Landa was one of the most prominent representatives of the Moscow school of Arabic studies. He had worked at the Institute of Oriental Studies (the Russian Academy of Sciences) since 1957. He defended his candidate's thesis in the year 1958. He defended his doctoral dissertation in 1973. Mr. Landa headed the Department of comparative theoretical studies of the Institute of Oriental Studies  for seventeen years. He proved himself as a major organizer of the scientific activity.

Robert Landa’s area of ​​scientific interests covered the Maghreb countries’ history and political development, the national liberation movement in Algeria, the evolution analysis of the Arab states’ socio-political structures, the intercultural and intercivilizational interaction issues  in the Mediterranean Region, Islam in Russia.

These works of Mr. Landa have become the real classics: "The Crisis of the Colonial Regime in Algeria, 1931-1954" (1980); "Management Cadres and the Social Revolution in the Countries of Asia and Africa: (Public Sector)" (1985); "In the Country of al-Andalus a Thousand Years Later: Muslim Culture in Spain" (1993).

The ideas expressed by the prominent scientist on the colonial regimes essence in the Maghreb and on the social development specifics of the Arab states, the methods Mr. Landa developed to the modern historical processes study, his close attention to the individual role that manifested clearly in his prosopographic works - all these factors laid the solid foundation for future scientific research and were developed further in the academic works of his students. 

His ease of presenting scientific material, caring attitude to the reader, and entertaining style basic even to the most fundamental and academic of his works, have become a high standard in the national humanitarian knowledge.

Robert Landa’s contribution to the international academic relations development was enormous. He represented the Soviet and Russian science at international conferences and congresses in various countries of the Arab World and Europe many times. He always earned the highest reputation in the international academic community.

Finally, we have to mention the colossal role of Robert Landa in the young orientalists training. More than 40 candidate and doctoral theses were defended under his supervision.

Robert Landa won the respect and love of his colleagues by his deep scientific knowledge and remarkable human qualities. 

Mr. Landa was awarded the medal of I.Yu. Krachkovskiy, the highest award of all the orientalists.