Using the example of Belarusian literature, the project examines the profile and development of institutional and aesthetic-poetological autonomy of 'small' literatures and uses the results for a theoretical sharpening of Pierre Bourdieu's model of autonomy. The guiding hypothesis is that the established model is only partially successful in capturing the autonomisation processes taking place in 'smaller' literatures because they do not necessarily exhibit the symptoms described by Bourdieu (refraction effects of external influences; reverse economy, etc.). This hypothesis is the result of extensive preliminary work at both theoretical (Bourdieu's field theory) and object level (Belarusian literature), which indicates that Bourdieu's conceptualisation of autonomy or autonomisation using the example of 19th century French literature describes an extreme case, so to speak, behind which the development of many (not only 'small') literatures actually lags.

From this perspective, the project uses the field model heuristically to analyse two decisive phases in the development of Belarusian literature, namely

• the 'constitution phase' in the first third of the 20th century and

• the post-Soviet 'reconstitution phase' since the beginning of the 1990s.

In both phases, phenomena can be identified on an institutional and aesthetic-poetological level that could indicate autonomy or autonomisation in the specific logic of the Belarusian literary field - a field that, in contrast to the established field-theoretical system, is embedded in a field of power determined less by market-economic than by ideological parameters. This is to be examined by the sub-projects and related to Bourdieu's systematics. In this way, the example of Belarusian literature offers potential for reflection for a systematic revision of the established concept of autonomy. At the same time, by focusing on processes of autonomisation, new insights into Belarusian literature can be gained, for example with regard to its transition from a (non-established) "national" literature into the Soviet model and out of it (totalisation and de-totalisation).

Both sub-projects are flanked by studies that provide information on the systematics and functioning of the respective literary industry and market:

• The sub-project on contemporary literature is assigned quantitative (nationwide survey of 1000 + 300 potential literature consumers) and qualitative (interviews with authors, publishers, booksellers) surveys, which are designed and carried out in collaboration with the Institute for Political and Sociological Research (Minsk).

In cooperation with the National Literary Archive (Minsk), the sub-project on the first third of the 20th century will be supplemented by an annotated anthology that collects and systematises archival documents from the central literary and literature-related organisations and institutions. The volume also contains relevant normative documents that regulate the literary industry.

At the end of project