Conceptual principles of historical and local history research in Ukraine (second half of the 19th — beginning of the 20th century)

The aim of this article is to analyze the conceptual foundations of historical and local studies activities inUkraine in the second half of the 19th-early 20th century. This objective is achieved by examining the role of statistical institutionsin the development of local studies research and the contributions of key scholars and local historians to the formation ofthe methodological framework and conceptual principles of regional history research.The scientific novelty of the study lies in the comprehensive exploration of the interrelationship between the emergence ofhistorical local studies in Ukraine during the second half of the 19th-early 20th century and the activities of statistical institutionswithin the context of national revival. These institutions functioned not only as administrative bodies but also as scientificcenters. For the first time, the role of Ukrainian gubernatorial and zemstvo statistical institutions in the development of localstudies and the formation of scientific concepts for researching local history, ethnography, and demography has been systematicallyanalyzed. The contributions of prominent scholars, including V. Antonovych, M. Kostomarov, and M. Hrushevskyi, tothe development of methodological approaches to regional studies have been outlined.Methodology.The study is based on historical-analytical, comparative, and interdisciplinary approaches. The methodof historical reconstruction has been applied to analyze the activities of statistical institutions, while the structural-functionalapproach has been used to assess their role in the advancement of historical and local studies research. Content analysis ofpublications and archival sources has been conducted to trace the specifics of local studies activities in the context of the imperialpolicy of Russification.Conclusions. The findings suggest that statistical institutions in Ukraine in the second half of the 19th — early 20th centuryplayed a unique role in the development of historical and local studies research by integrating administrative, scientific,and educational functions. Unlike similar institutions in the Russian Empire, Ukrainian gubernatorial committees became anintegral part of the national revival, developing specialized data collection programs and publishing scholarly historical andlocal studies materials. These institutions contributed to the systematization of knowledge about local history, which was ofparticular importance for preserving national identity under imperial repression. The activities of statistical institutions and localhistorians became a significant factor in the development of Ukrainian historiography and laid the foundations for regionalstudies, which continued to evolve in the 20th century