The problem of determining the pedagogical biographistics’ subject field

The article substantiates the need for the constitution of pedagogical biographistics as a separate branch (direction; subdiscipline) of historical and pedagogical science. Through the prism of scientific discourse it turns out its subject field, status, the main components and attributes of cognitive capabilities, other characteristics. It is shown that the object of pedagogical biographistics is the pedagogical personality in the diversity of its connections with the socio-cultural environment of a certain historical period, the unity of its individual and social, reflected in the life path and process and the results of social activity and creative development. The main structural components of this object are defined and characterized: a complex of external socio-political and socio-cultural factors; psychophysiological features and qualities of the person; her life path in all its completeness and uniqueness; spheres and directions of social activity; the role and meaning of a person in the history of education, pedagogical thought, the implementation of social projects. It has been argued that the subject of pedagogical biographistics outlines the scientific and theoretical foundations and the process of organizing the study of pedagogical personalities. Its definition should answer three basic questions: “Who should be researched?”; “How to research?”; “Where are the boundaries of biographical knowledge?”. The definition of pedagogical biographistics as a separate branch (subdiscipline) of historical and pedagogical science is proposed, which, based on a special conceptual categorical apparatus, scientific research toolkit and relevant source base and scientific and historiographical works, studies pedagogical personalities as integral phenomena with an emphasis on their life path, creative heritage, vocational education and public-educational activities, and clarifying the role and significance of pedagogical thought development. It is emphasized that the dominant in the study of the history of pedagogy is the historical and cultural process in its comprehensive study: the correlation of different levels of pedagogical phenomena with the present in the context of social conditions of their existence and patterns of human development, the interconnection of humanitarian disciplines for a deeper understanding of the person. Key words: pedagogical biographistics, pedagogical personality, historical and pedagogical science, branch of pedagogical science, scientific methodology, scientific research toolkit.