Transformation of the role of the subject in humanities research

In a rapidly changing world, the role of interdisciplinary research is growing, and there is an increasing demand for high-quality human capital, which means that the traditional understanding of research competencies as a set of stable skills and abilities is no longer sufficient. Moreover, as the research agenda changes, so does the role of the researcher. This article attempts to trace the evolutionary changes in the interpretation of the concept of ‘research competencies’ in the humanities through an analysis of the transformation of the figure of the researcher in a historical and cultural context. A typology of researchers is presented, including the images of the medieval empiricist, the classical scholar of the modern era, the Soviet-era researcher, and the contemporary researcher—the coordinator of work with big data. The article shows how the content of research activity and the corresponding competencies have changed depending on the scientific paradigm and the social function of science. Particular attention is paid to the change in the researcher's subjective position, moving from the model of a detached observer to a subject acting in a digital and organisationally complex environment. The analysis presented may be useful in understanding the goals and content of researcher training in the higher education system and in refining the components of students' research competence.