V.N. Zakharov is one of the most eminent contemporary specialists in Russian literature and F.M. Dostoevsky studies. His monographs and over 300 articles dedicated to certain aspects of history of Russian literature, literary theory, text studies, literary heritage of Dostoevsky were published in Russia, Bulgaria, Germany, China, Norway, the USA, Croatia and Japan.
The scope of his research interests includes history of Russian literature, literary theory, historical poetics, ethnopoetics, text studies, creation of Dostoevsky, information technologies in philological studies and education.
Based on the elaborated principles of text studies he publishes the complete works of Dostoevsky with the author’s spelling and punctuation which contain authentic texts of the great Russian writer, lots of his unknown publications and texts (issued by Petrozavodsk State University Publishing house since 1995).
In 2003-2005 the Publishing house Voskresenye released the complete works of Dostoevsky in 18 Volumes (20 Books) edited by V.N. Zakharov.
He became the head of “Petrozavodsk school” in exploring Christian tradition in Russian literature, in national Dostoevsky studies and text studies. Thirteen PhD and Doctoral thesis were defended under scientific supervision of V.N. Zakharov.
V.N. Zakharov is a strong supporter of the introduction of Digital humanities in philological researches and education. In 1993 he founded a web-laboratory and a textological group at the Faculty of Philology of PetrSU. The researchers led by V.N. Zakharov deal with publishing authentic texts of Russian writers. Projects on creation of philological Internet resources are implemented on the basis of the laboratory (for instance, electronic publications of complete works of classics of Russian literature, epistolary genre of public figures of Russian culture, concordances, and academic resources). The Web-laboratory activity is an indispensable part of the educational process of the Faculty of Philology. An Internet-portal “Philolog.ru” is created and administered containing a set of texts of the Russian classics that is in demand in higher and school education. Read more
Studying the Christian tradition in Russian literature constitutes the best part of professor Zakharov’s academic career. On his initiative since 1993 in Petrozavodsk State University there have been held International Conferences entitled «Gospel text in Russian literature of the 18th-20th centuries: quote, reminiscence, motive, plot, genre». The conferences proceedings are published in digests bearing the same title edited by V.N. Zakharov and since 1994 in the series publication «The Problems of Historical Poetics».
Both academic and educational work of professor Zakharov is highly recognized in Russia and in foreign countries.
In 1998 in New York V.N. Zakharov was elected Vice President of International Dostoevsky Society by the General Assembly of the 10th Symposium of this community of researchers of the creative work of the Russian writer, and in July 2013 he became its President.
He is the Editor-in-Chief of such series publications as «The Problems of Historical Poetics» and «The Problems of text studies of Dostoevsky’s works», member of editorial committees and boards of the magazines «Bulletin of Russian Humanitarian Scientific Foundation», «Knowledge. Comprehension. Competence», «Bulletin of Literary Institute», «Bulletin of Petrozavodsk State University», series publication of International Dostoevsky society «Dostoevsky Monographs».
