Oleg A. Lekmanov

Oleg Andershanovich Lekmanov (born January 11, 1967) is a Russian literary scholar, biographer, and professor specializing in Russian poetry and 20th-century literature. His work includes critical studies of Acmeist poetry, Russian avant-garde literature, and biographies of notable Russian authors.

Early life and education

Oleg Lekmanov was born in Novomikhaylovsky, Krasnodar Krai, Russia. He pursued higher education at Moscow State Pedagogical University, where he later defended his doctoral thesis on Acmeism as a literary school.

Academic career

Lekmanov has held various academic positions, including a decade of teaching at Moscow State University's Faculty of Journalism. Since 2011, he has been a professor at the Higher School of Economics, focusing on philology and literary history. He has also been a visiting professor at Princeton University.

Publications

Lekmanov has authored numerous books and articles, including:

Acmeism in Criticism: 1913–1917 (2014) – a study of Acmeist poetry and its reception.

Keys to the Silver Age (2017) – a guide to Russian literature of the early 20th century.

Venedikt Yerofeyev: An Outsider (2018) – a biography of the notable Soviet writer.

Public engagement

In addition to his scholarly work, Lekmanov is known for engaging the public through lectures, podcasts, and essays on Russian literature. He has collaborated with educational platform Arzamas.

Views and personal life

In October 2024, Lekmanov was controversially designated as a "foreign agent" by the Russian Ministry of Justice, a move criticized by academic and human rights communities. He left Russia in 2022, citing opposition to the political climate and the invasion of Ukraine.

Selected works

The Love Lyrics of Osip Mandelstam (2024)

Russian Poetry in 1913 (2014)

Football in Russian and Soviet Poetry (2016, co-authored)