The concept of documentary memory in the works of Corresponding Member of the Russian Academy of Sciences V. P. Kozlov

Scientific article

DOI 10.28995/2073-0101-2026-1-123-142

For citation

Mazur, L. N. (2026). The concept of documentary memory in the works of Corresponding Member of the Russian Academy of Sciences V. P. Kozlov, Herald of an Archivist, no. 1, pp. 123-142. DOI 10.28995/2073-0101-2026-1-123-142

Mazur, L. N., Ural Federal University named after B. N. Yeltsin, the first president of Russia, Yekaterinburg, Russia

The concept of documentary memory in the works of Corresponding Member of the Russian Academy of Sciences V. P. Kozlov

Abstract

The article analyzes the concept of documentary memory, developed by Corresponding Member of the Russian Academy of Sciences V. P. Kozlov in 2013–2024, which has become one of the key foundations of modern archival science. The objective of the article is to characterize the main provisions and methodological foundations of the concept, as well as to determine its role in the formation of a new scientific and professional discourse in the documentation, archival science and interdisciplinary field of memory studies. V. P. Kozlov developed the conceptual apparatus of documentary memory studies, proposed a definition of the central concept; characterized its functions, properties and structure; substantiated the classifications and typology; modeled the life cycle of documentary memory; established connections with the categories of historical memory, document, archive, office work and stages of the document life cycle, that is, he offered the scientific community a holistic concept of documentary memory. The author analyzed the evolution of the concept of documentary memory, its properties (integrity, systematicity, continuity, immediacy of recording, inactivity, inviolability and subjectivity), structure and functions. Particular attention is given to the author's classification, based on various criteria: types of documentation, authorship, nature of information, and storage mode. The relationship between a document's life cycle and the processes of documentary memory formation (memorization, forgetting, repression, updating, and reinterpretation) is analyzed. A significant contribution to the theory of historical knowledge was the analysis of the concept of «archival oblivion», correlated with the category of «archival silence» used in foreign archival studies. Thanks to the works of V. P. Kozlov, documentary memory has become a fundamental, meaningful concept in archival science and records management, providing an understanding of the role of documents as bearers of collective and individual societal memory. By incorporating documentary memory into the conceptual framework of archival science and records management, V. P. Kozlov correlated it with the categories of records management, archival science, and historical memory. The concept of documentary memory allowed for a new perspective on the archive as an information system and its functions. From a passive repository, it is being transformed into a dynamic information system, shaping society's collective historical memory. The interdisciplinary nature of the concept of documentary memory is emphasized, integrating approaches from archival science, source studies, history, records management, sociology, and cultural studies. V. P. Kozlov's concept has transformed modern understanding of the document and stimulated theoretical research in the theory and practice of archival science.

Keywords

Documentary memory, V. P. Kozlov, types of documentary memory, archival science, document management, documentary heritage, historical documentary memory, operational documentary memory, properties, structure, funding, historical document management, document life cycle.

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About authors

Mazur Lyudmila Nikolaevna, Doctor of Historical Sciences, Associate Professor, Ural Federal University named after B. N. Yeltsin, the first president of Russia, Ural Humanitarian Institute, Department of Documentation, Archival Science and History of Public Administration, Head of Department, Yekaterinburg, Russia, 8-922-202-73-69, This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it

The article was received in the editorial office on 06.02.2025, recommended for publication on 20.12.2025.