Institute of World History of the Academy of Sciences of the Union of

a scientific research institute studying the history of foreign countries of Europe and America. Located in Moscow, it was founded in October 1968 after the division of the Institute of History of the Academy of Sciences of the USSR into the Institute of World History and the Institute of the History of the USSR. The tasks of the Institute of World History are the solution of theoretical problems of the world historical process and the history of the struggle of progressive forces for social progress. The institute also deals with problems of the history of the world system of socialism, the history of developed capitalist countries, the history of the ancient world and of the European Middle Ages, and foreign historiography.

The institute coordinates research in the field of world history and prepares research scholars through graduate work. It establishes scholarly contacts with foreign historical centers and issues annual publications on the history of France, Great Britain, the USA, Italy, Spain, and Germany. Published organs of the Institute of World History are the journals Novaia i noveishaia istoriia (Modern and Recent History, since 1957) and Vestnik drevnei istorii (Journal of Ancient History, since 1937), as well as the nonperiodical serial publication Srednie veka (The Middle Ages, since 1942).