Sergei V. SANNIKOV The Russian Presidential Academy of National Economy and Public Administration
82 Vernadsky ave., building 1, Troparevo-Nikulino district, Moscow, 119571 Russian Federation
Candidate for the degree of Doctor of Sciences
PhD (in History)
e-mail: sannikov_sv@yahoo.com
ORCID: 0000-0001-5249-7723
Sannikov, S. (2026) Methodological Aspects of Diachronic Intercultural Dialogue in the Scientific and Educational Process: Addressing the Dichotomy of Structuralist and Post-structuralist ApproachesAbstract: This study investigates the variability of scholarly approaches to the phenomenon of diachronic intercultural dialogue, with particular attention to its theoretical and pedagogical dimensions. The central focus of the research is the methodological dichotomy between structuralist and post structuralist paradigms, as well as the potential for its systematic resolution within a unified analytical framework. The methodological design of the study is grounded in an integrative synthesis of the theoretical frameworks advanced by Yu. S. Stepanov and C. Geertz, complemented by the tenets of the information semiotic approach. The latter provides a dual analytical lens, enabling the examination of both sign systems and the mechanisms of information transmission across cultural contexts.
The observed methodological discrepancies are attributed to the divergent communication models that inform the respective research programmes. Specifically, the Moscow Tartu school’s methodological orientation is predominantly structuralist, premised on the conception of language as a stable, self contained system. In contrast, M. M. Bakhtin’s theoretical framework exhibits distinct post structuralist tendencies, emphasizing the contextual dependence of meaning and the inherent flexibility of semantic interpretation. To reconcile these competing paradigms in the context of intercultural dialogue, the study operationalizes Yu. S. Stepanov’s tripartite model of linguistic space – encompassing semantics, syntactics, and pragmatics – as a structuring principle.
The author argues that the information semiotic approach offers a particularly fruitful perspective for interpreting the dynamics of diachronic cultural dialogue. A two stage analytical procedure is proposed: the initial phase consists in the reconstruction of conceptual structures through the analysis of semantic syntactic linkages within a given cultural formation, drawing on structuralist methodological tools. This is succeeded by a second phase oriented toward dialogic interaction, which foregrounds the pragmatic dimension of utterances and integrates theoretical insights from the post structuralist paradigm and contemporary communication models. This sequential methodological strategy effectively overcomes the dichotomy between structuralist and post structuralist perspectives by establishing a context sensitive framework of methodological optionality tailored to the specific characteristics of the research problem.
By virtue of its inherently interdisciplinary nature, the proposed model facilitates the integration of theoretical contributions from diverse branches of cultural semiotics. In so doing, it addresses the longstanding theoretical tension articulated in the works of M. M. Bakhtin and his critics from the Moscow Tartu school – namely, the complex relationship between the researcher’s epistemological position and the cultural object under investigation.
The implementation of this integrated approach thus yields significant theoretical and practical implications, opening new avenues for both scholarly inquiry and academic pedagogy in the field of intercultural studies.
Key words: Semiotics of culture, Intercultural communication, Dialogue of cultures, Cultural code, Structuralism, Post-structuralism, Yuri Lotman, Mikhail Bakhtin, Clifford Geertz, Yuri Stepanov.
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For Citation: Sannikov, S. (2026) Methodological Aspects of Diachronic Intercultural Dialogue in the Scientific and Educational Process: Addressing the Dichotomy of Structuralist and Post-structuralist Approaches. International Journal of Cultural Research, 1 (62). 95–102. DOI: 10.52173/2079-1100_2026_1_95
DOI: 10.52173/2079-1100_2026_1_95
