Mikhail Epstein

Mikhail Epstein is the Samuel Candler Dobbs Professor of Cultural Theory and Russian Literature at Emory University. He holds a dual appointment in the Department of Russian and East Asian Languages and Cultures and the Comparative Literature Program. Born in Moscow, he has been a leading figure in cultural and literary studies since his arrival in the U.S. in 1990. His career includes roles as Professor and Founding Director of the Centre for Humanities Innovation at Durham University (2012–2015) and fellowships at the Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars (1990–1991).

Epstein’s research spans cultural theory, Russian literary history (with focuses on Pushkin, Gogol, Dostoevsky, and 20th-century poetry), postmodernism, semiotics, and interdisciplinary humanities. He emphasizes practical applications of humanities scholarship, advocating for transformative approaches to education and cultural analysis. His work bridges Russian and Western intellectual traditions, critiquing ideological frameworks and exploring creative methodologies.

Epstein has authored over 40 books and 800 articles, translated into 26 languages. Notable works include The Phoenix of Philosophy: Russian Thought of the Late Soviet Period (2019) and Ideas Against Ideocracy (2022). His awards include the Andrei Bely Prize (1991), Social Innovations Award (1995), and Liberty Prize (2000). He co-founded the online philosophy encyclopedia Filosofia and pioneered digital humanities projects like the Bank of New Ideas.

His academic contributions are complemented by public scholarship, including essays on love, fatherhood, and cultural philosophy. Epstein’s work addresses contemporary issues such as postatheism, techno-humanism, and the future of the humanities, maintaining a global influence in literary and cultural studies.