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Supervisors: Prof Richard Butterwick - Pawlikowski (Principal), Uilleam Blacker (Subsidiary)
Email: alesia.mankouskaya.23@ucl.ac.uk
Present status: MPhil Candidate
Working title of thesis: The Development of Academic Drama theatrical movement in Jesuit and Orthodox Fraternal Schools and Collegiums in Belarus, as a part of the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth in seventeenth century: A Comparative Analysis.
Research: This exploratory research aims to document the stages of formation and development of Academic Drama within the historical and cultural context of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania.. The focus is particularly on Belarus and Ukraine, spanning from the opening of the first Jesuits Collegium in 1580 (Polotsk) to the emergence of magnate theatres in the early eighteenth century. The ongoing conflict in Ukraine has instigated a movement towards the decolonization of cultures influenced by Russia. This underscores the need for acknowledging the early accomplishments of theatre art in the Grand Duchy of Lithuania, particularly in Ukraine and Belarus, before their absorption into the Russian Empire. Shedding light on the early development of theatre in the Eastern part of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania allows us to uncover and celebrate cultural achievements, notably in Belarus.
Research interests: Early Modern History, Theatre History, The Great Duchy of Lithuania, Belarus, Ukraine, Decolonisation, Literature, Jesuits Theatre, the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth.
Research Centre Affiliation: Research Student Seminar Series, FRINGE, Post-Soviet Press Group