THIS BOOK studies education in three contexts: within the Greek Orthodox communities of historical Pontus, in the Greek diasporic communities of Tsarist Russia, and in the Greek-speaking communities of the Soviet Union. It aims to contribute to both the deepening and the interpretation of educational phenomena in the two empires, the Ottoman and the Tsarist, as well as in the successor state, the Soviet Union.
This study seeks to renew the methodological tools that have been used in the literature, now adopting the historical-comparative method and specifically the example of structural functionalism. For this reason, it initially examines historiographical trends in the field of empires and the Soviet state, focusing on conceptual issues of Comparative Education within the previously mentioned framework, posing the research questions and objectives of the investigation.
The approach is then implemented with specific reference points such as a) the institutional framework of Ottoman education, education in the Greek diasporic communities of the Tsarist Empire, and in the Greek-speaking communities of the Soviet Union b) the cultural context of Greek Orthodox education, Greek diasporic education of the Tsarist Empire, and Greek-speaking education of the Soviet Union c) examining the relationship between education, nationalism, and socialism in the three contexts d) studying the symbolic function of education within the same framework e) investigating the relationship between education and society f) examining the typological classification of Greek Orthodox schools of the Ottoman Empire, the Tsarist Empire, and the Greek-speaking communities of the Soviet Union, and finally g) approaching the typology of educational institutions of teacher education within the previously mentioned frameworks.
Subsequently, a field study is conducted, focusing on the main Greek Orthodox or Greek diasporic schools of Pontus and Russia, such as the Tutoring Center of Trabzon, the Greek Merchant School of Odessa, and the Rodokanakio Girls' School. The research concludes with the evaluation of results and the summary of answers to the research questions posed at the outset, along with the formulation of reference points for further investigation.
(From the book's back cover) SOFIA ILIADOU TAHOU (Florina 1960) is a primary education lecturer specializing in "History of Modern Greek Education" in the Department of Primary Education at the University of Western Macedonia. She is married and a mother of two children. She studied Philology at the School of Philosophy of Aristotle University of Thessaloniki and pursued postgraduate studies in Modern History, Pedagogy, and Byzantine History. In 1996, she obtained her doctorate from the Department of Preschool Education of Aristotle University and in 2002, she was elected Lecturer in the History of Modern Greek Education at the Department of Primary Education of the University of Western Macedonia.
She is the Secretary of the Board of Directors of the Greek Society of Historians of Education and the International Society for the History of Education (ISCHE). Her academic interests focus on the History of Modern Greek Education, Educational Policy, Local History with an emphasis on Western Macedonia, and the Educational History of Pontus in Tsarist Russia, the modern Ottoman Empire, and the Soviet Union.
She has authored the following books: (2014). From Varkiza to Bulkes, Epikentro, (2013). Days of OPLA in Thessaloniki, Epikentro, (2012). Frederica’s children or Marshal Plan’s kids? (in collaboration with A. Andreou, I. Mpetsas) Lambert, (2007) (in collaboration with K. Fotiadis). Education in Pontus. Afis Kyriakidis. (2013). (in collaboration with K. Fotiadis). Education and culture in the Greek communities of Tsarist Russia until 1920, Afis Kyriakidis. (2006). The educational policy of the Greek state in Macedonia in the context of the Macedonian issue, Gutenberg-George & Kostas Dardanis.
Alongside, she has authored 2 novels (2012). Sapphire Eyes, Metaichmio. (2016). Love or Jihad, Epikentro, while she has participated in the following collective works (2011) Panorama of the History of Education, (ed. S. Bouzakis) Gutenberg-George & Kostas Dardanis, (2009). Refugees in Macedonia, (ed. I. Michailidis) (in collaboration with K. Fotiadis) Militos, (2008). The teaching of history in Greece and research in school textbooks (ed. A. Andreou) (in collaboration with A. Andreou). (2006) Issues of history and historiography of education (ed. Chr. Tzikas).
She has participated in 60 international and national conferences and has published articles in reputable scientific journals (e.g., History of Education: published by Taylor and Francis, etc.). Finally, she has published the following two critical essays: CineScience [CineScience], www.oanagnostis.gr, 23/4/2014, Andy Green: A comparative look at the history and philosophy of education [Andy Green, Education and State Formation], "The Athens Review of Books", issue 25, January 2012.
