named programs · 4 · from sources
What they call their work
International Conferences on Nabokov
Sponsors academic conferences worldwide to foster scholarly exchange on Nabokov's literature and legacy
Nabokov Studies Prizes
Annual awards for outstanding essays and books in Nabokov studies at undergraduate, graduate, and professional levels
The Nabokovian Journal
Peer-reviewed scholarly journal published twice yearly online, featuring research notes, commentaries, and publications relevant to Nabokov's life and works
Travel Grants
Offers financial support to scholars for research and conference participation related to Nabokov studies
activities · 1 group
What they do
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Advanced Literary Scholarship and Advocacy 11 activities
- Advocating for standardized use of Nabokov's translated titlesAdvocates for the exclusive use of "The Defense" as the correct English title for Nabokov's novel _Zashchita Luzhina_ in scholarly writing, based on Nabokov’s own 1964 translation, and recommends proper citation practices to distinguish title variants.
- Announcing and supporting forthcoming scholarly publications on NabokovAnnounces and supports upcoming scholarly books on Nabokov, including Siggy Frank's 2026 publication on *Speak, Memory* and plans to publish selected papers from the 2026 Nabokov Readings conference in 2027 through academic publishers or indexed journals.
- Awarding prizes and travel grants for Nabokov scholarshipRecognizes excellence in Nabokov studies by awarding annual prizes for outstanding essays and books, and provides travel grants to support scholars’ participation in Nabokov-related conferences and academic activities.
- Conducting and publishing original scholarly research on NabokovConducts and publishes original research on Nabokov’s works, including AI-assisted reanalysis of fictional locations such as New Wye in *Pale Fire* using cicada brood data, and publication of books analyzing Nabokov’s moral system, literary devices, and interdisciplinary methods.
- Dissemination of Nabokov-related scholarly works and creative responsesDocuments and disseminates scholarly and creative works inspired by or responding to Nabokov’s literature, including Umberto Eco’s "Granita," Pia Pera’s "Lo's Diary," Steve Martin’s "Lolita at Fifty," Camille Paglia’s documentary "Lolita Unclothed," and critical analyses of these works.
- Donating archival materials to support Nabokov researchSupports institutional research capacity by donating archival materials related to Nabokov’s professional work, such as his correspondence with McGraw-Hill, to Harvard University’s Houghton Library.
- Operating and maintaining TheNabokovian.org as a central scholarly resourceMaintains a comprehensive public website, TheNabokovian.org, launched in 2018 to replace the NABOKV-L forum, serving as the central digital hub for Nabokov studies, including online publications, conference information, and scholarly resources.
- Producing and publishing The Nabokovian journalProduces and publishes The Nabokovian, transitioning from a print format (final edition in 2015) to an online biannual publication, continuing long-running features such as Brian Boyd’s “Annotations to Ada” since 1993 and maintaining a curated bibliography section.
- Publication of peer-reviewed scholarly research on NabokovProduces and publishes peer-reviewed journals and scholarly works on Vladimir Nabokov, including the Nabokov Online Journal, Nabokov Studies, and the journal "Nabokov and Contemporaries" in Russian. Recent publications include Volume XII of the Nabokov Online Journal (2018) and Volume 18 of Nabokov Studies on Project MUSE.
- Republishing and promoting underrecognized Nabokov scholarshipRepublishes and promotes significant but underrecognized scholarly works on Nabokov, such as Dr. J.D. Quin's 1991 article "Nabokov's Cardiology," and invites researchers to share preliminary findings for broader dissemination.
- Sponsoring international academic conferences on NabokovSponsors and organizes international scholarly conferences on Vladimir Nabokov, including the 2026 Nabokov Readings at Pushkinskii Dom and the 1st International Conference "Nabokov in Spain," featuring keynote presentations by leading scholars and offering travel grants to support participation.
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financials · form 990EZ · fy2022
revenue
Total revenue$97K
Contributions & grants$89K92%
Program service revenue$00%
Investment income$00%
Other revenue$0
expenses
Total expenses$74K
Program expenses—
Admin / overhead—
Fundraising—
Salaries & benefits$0
Grants paid out$71K
balance sheet
Total assets$83K
Cash—
Investments—
Liabilities—
Net assets$83K
1 years on record · 2022–2022
relationships · 18
Who they work with
- David Foster Wallace Partner — David Foster Wallace writes a scholarly essay on Nabokov as his "enemy."
- Houghton Library Partner — Receiving institution for donated Nabokov/McGraw-Hill archival materials.
- Jonathan Lethem Partner — Jonathan Lethem responds to Michael Maar's theories about the origin of Lolita.
- Joyce Carol Oates Partner — Joyce Carol Oates publishes a personal essay on Nabokov.
- MCZ Partner — Co-leads scientific research on trans-oceanic butterfly migration referenced in connection with Nabokov's work.
- Nabokov Centre at the Pushkinsky Dom / IRLI RAN Partner — Engaged through the pending participation of Dr. Tatiana Ponomareva, its Director, as an in-person keynote speaker at the conference.
- Nabokv-L Partner — Email discussion list founded by D. Barton Johnson for the Society to supplement the journal's functions.
- Orhan Pamuk Partner — Orhan Pamuk reads and discusses Nabokov's "My Russian Education."
- Project MUSE Partner — Hosts the publication of Nabokov Studies on its platform.
- Pushkinskii Dom Partner — Hosts the Nabokov Readings conference in collaboration with the International Vladimir Nabokov Society.
- TheNabokovian.org Partner — Maintains and operates the comprehensive website for Nabokov studies.
- University of Granada Partner — Hosts the official conference page via its domain (cceslavas.ugr.es), indicating institutional collaboration for the 1st International Conference "Nabokov in Spain".
- University of Wisconsin-Madison Partner — Collaborates through the participation of Prof. Alexander Dolinin as a confirmed in-person keynote speaker at the 1st International Conference "Nabokov in Spain".
- Vladimir Nabokov Literary Foundation Funder — Provides financial support for the activities of the International Vladimir Nabokov Society and its journal.
- Vladimir Nabokov Literary Foundation Partner — Collaborates on advocacy for the use of Nabokov's preferred title "The Defense" in new reissues of the novel.
- ZEMBLA Partner — Web-based resource created by Jeff Edmunds on Penn State University’s library servers to support Nabokov scholarship.
- Zadie Smith Partner — Zadie Smith writes about re-reading Barthes and Nabokov.
- stephen_blackwell Partner — Authored or contributed to content published by the organization.
strategies · 4
How they approach the work
Named approaches extracted from this org’s sources. Where others share an approach, follow it to see the full set of orgs running it.
- Community-Driven Scholarshipmethodology: community-driven_scholarshipBy engaging a distributed network of scholars and enthusiasts to contribute content and participate in discussions, the society advances Nabokov studies through collective intelligence and broad-based participation, because diverse perspectives generate deeper interpretive insights than isolated academic work.
- Digital-First and Open-Access Infrastructure for Scholarly Growthmethodology: digital-first_publishingBy prioritizing digital publishing, open-access streaming, and online resources, the society expands global access to Nabokov scholarship and supports emerging forms of academic exchange, because removing logistical and financial barriers enables broader, more inclusive, and timely scholarly participation.
- Interdisciplinary Integration of Literature and Sciencemethodology: interdisciplinary-scholarshipBy connecting Nabokov’s entomological expertise and scientific thinking with literary analysis, the society enables novel interpretations of his work, because his dual identity as scientist and novelist reveals structural and thematic patterns inaccessible through literary analysis alone.
- Thematic and Transnational Framework for Literary Analysismethodology: transnational-literary-analysisBy structuring scholarship around transnational and translational themes—such as Nabokov’s Russian roots, multilingual texts, and influence on Hispanic letters—the society deepens understanding of his work, because Nabokov’s creative identity was fundamentally shaped by linguistic mobility and cultural displacement.