Scholarly publishing in the Ukrainian social environment: is there life in (after) the crisis?

The influence of the social factors upon the state of the scholarly book publishing in Ukraine is regarded in the light of a few economic crises. Especially difficult for science and scholarly book stage of the publishing branch transiting to market has been characterized (the main features of this stage are destruction of the old publishing system, and thus the publishers were delivered from the state support and planned funding as well as sharp break of the production links, the reduction of the sales, the reorientation of the thematic and language policy). The reasons of the revival of interest with the scholarly publications are defined. The objective quantitative data shoeing more or less stable position of the scholarly book during and after crisis are represented, but its reasons are not always noble and socially accepted (meaning ensuring the personal image of the certain part of society, and the need to shoe “necessary” candidates’ and doctors’ percent within the university staff in the time of licensing and accreditation process). The real achievements and the ways of further development of branch are demonstrated. The role of the scholarly literature, partly its socio-humanitarian segment, in the actual information wars is shown.

Keywords: science, scholarly book publishing, economic crisis, personal image, quantitative and qualitative indices, new publishing projects, information wars.