bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
THE PERSPECTIVES OF INTERNATIONAL REGULATION OF PRIVATE MILITARY AND SECURITY COMPANIES’
Authors: Nebolsina M. A. , Nikitin A. I.
Published: May 2021

Modern international security is a heterogeneous sphere that includes both state and nonstate actors. Legal status of some non-state actors is not always clear. This can be attributed mostly to the dynamics of the global processes. The emergence of new actors, their fast transformation and shift from old forms of activity to the new ones often outpace political and legal assessment of their nature, the impact on some other international trends and the implications of their use that may arise. States and international organizations together with business and non-governmental foundations have started to turn to private security actors more frequently. The fact that traditional methods of state violence are complemented by non-traditional forms influences the idea of violence in the society at large. The efficiency of non-state security actors and the speed they provide services with sometimes exceed the ones of civil servants' and outmaneuver state machine. However these advantages do not contribute to the legitimacy of these non-state actors. As a result during a certain period of time, sometimes a significant one, new actors perform having just a partial legitimacy and a vague accoun tability. Various approaches towards regulation of the abovementioned actors within the framework of national and regional legislation clarify their status in a way. But these measures are not enough for them to obtain legal status under the International Law so far. To address the problem a complex approach that would combine the existing International Law mechanisms with the developing self-regulation methods is needed.
THE CAUSES OF POLITICAL INSTABILITY IN THE REPUBLIC OF TURKEY
Authors: Druzhilovsky S. B.
Published: May 2021

The article examines the causes of the permanent political instability in the Turkish Republic, which leads to frequent change of governments, degradation of political parties and changing of policies. On the example of the activities of different cabinets it is showen that the basis of their instability is the frequent creation of coalition governments consisting of parties that stand on different ideological positions. Inter-party antagonism, in its turn, is a consequence of the split of the Turkish society along civilizational, ethnic and religious grounds, which determines the different political orientation of the various layers of the Turkish society. At the same time the article shows the examples of the undoubted efficiency of one-party governments, however they never get support from the opposition parties, and eventually also fail to effectively and consistently implement their proposed policies. The author also deals with a policy of the ruling today in Turkey, the Islamist Party of Justice and Development, which after several years of successful political and economic reforms to date entered the period of deep crisis and is increasingly losing its authority and influence both in Turkey and in neighboring countries.
EVALUATION OF WORLD ENERGY SCENARIOS
Authors: Salygin V. I. , Litvinyuk I. I.
Published: May 2021

What are the future global systems developments? It remains one the biggest unknown, especially in terms of energy, as it is globally considered as both cause and solution for multiple problems of the humanity. Therefore, nowadays a number of experts are exploring driving forces, critical uncertainties and unknowns that have an influence on future energy systems development. This article aims at providing a brief investigation of existing world energy scenarios that cover the range of plausible outcomes of future global energy system development. Those are represented by International Energy Agency, World Energy Council, Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries, and others. The analysis covers both qualitative and quantitative indicators of the world energy system development that provide for future worldview formation. The article looks into various approaches to energy system development forecasting and scenario building employed by the abovementioned organisations, and discovers the motives for making assumptions as the means of attaining internal targets and the consequences of the distinction of individual attitude to the development trends within the expert community. The current assessment implies grouping of the most advanced of the existing energy system development models, identification their advantages and disadvantages, and shows differences in modeling approaches used in a number of specialized international organisations.
GEORGIA'S ECONOMY IN THE SPACE OF CONTRADICTIONS BETWEEN REGIONAL POWERS
Authors: Degtev A. S. , Margoev A. , Tokarev A. A.
Published: May 2021

The article deals with the economic ties between Georgia and four countries neighbouring the Caucasus region: Russia, Turkey, Iran, and Kazakhstan. The authors focus their attention on regional analysis and, for comparison, give figures on Georgia's relations with three global players: the USA, the EU, and the PRC. The authors postulate at least three challenges to Russia’s interests in Georgia. First, both Georgian establishment and society regard integration with the EU and NATO as main goal of the state, which in case of NATO evidently contradicts Russian national interests. Second, from the economic point of view, the USA is no longer a financial driver of Georgian reforms. The EU, main trade partner of Georgia for the past 15 years, has replaced it. The CIS surpasses the EU in commodity turnover with Georgia, however it is in fact an amorphous organization that formally combines its member-states and lacks for common economic policy, unlike the European Union that acts as an integration association. Third, Chinese investment in Georgian infrastructure within the "New Silk Way" project serves as a ponderable alternative to Russian financial flow. For a comprehensive analysis of the situation the authors used some figures concerning commodity trade, FDI, cross-border financial flows, tourism, and transport development. Major pipeline branches, including the planned projects, are taken into account as well. The findings are based on the results of desk research, and on empirical data obtained through meetings with Georgian government officials.
THE “SOFTPOWER” POLICY OF TURKEY TOWARDS GEORGIA
Authors: Aleksanyan L. M.
Published: May 2021

South Caucasus throughout history was at the epicenter of clashes of different religions, civilizations, nations and states. At present moment the interests of both regional (Turkey, Iran) and global actors (the United States, NATO, the EU, Russia and others.) intersect in the region. Global transformations, changing power relations in international relations have their direct influence on the political processes taking place in the region. These processes are also linked with the activities of Turkey, which aspire to regional leadership. It is Georgia, which serves as a corridor between Turkey and states of Central Asia and the South Caucasus. Turkey spreads its influence in Georgia in almost all areas using economic, military and political tools, as well as the Russian-Georgian deteriorated relations. To achieve its goals, Turkey is actively pursuing a strategy of "soft power", which further strengthens its influence in the country. Public diplomacy is a part of soft power, which also ensures the formation of a positive and attractive image of Turkey in Georgia. This article investigates the contemporary policy of "soft power" of Turkey towards Georgia. It analyses the basic tools, institutions and the direction of this policy, actively implemented by the Republic of Turkey. Particular attention is paid to the activities of the Gulen Movement in Georgia. The author makes general conclusions regarding the effectiveness of this policy.
TURKEY’S STRATEGY TOWARDS AFGHANISTAN: SECURITY AND DEVELOPMENT ASSISTANCE
Authors: Aliyeva A. I.
Published: May 2021

Providing assistance to the least developed countries has remained one of the top priorities for leading international actors in the XXI century, and the Republic of Turkey is no exception in this regard. The Justice and Development Party's ascension to power in 2002 led to a drastic revision of the Turkish foreign policy and adoption of a novel approach to the least developed countries accounting for the complex interdependence between security and development. This approach was tested in Afghanistan where Turkey contributed to both post-conflict reconstruction of the country and to the activities of the International Security Assistance Force (ISAF). Since 2015 Turkey has been actively engaged in the new NATO 'Resolute Support' mission, while continuing its economic support to Afghanistan on bilateral and multilateral basis. This paper aims to unveil the particularities of the Turkey's Afghan strategy, which has yet escaped the Russian scholars' attention, with the help of the Turkish primary sources and academic works. It studies the specificity of bilateral relations and their determinants, including historic ties and religious and cultural proximity. It provides an in-depth analysis of the activities of both Turkish Cooperation and Development Agency (TIKA) and the Turkish Provincial Reconstruction Team (PRT) in Afghanistan and examines the challenges of Turkish troops' presence on the Afghan soil and the way how the Turkish elites and Turkey's NATO allies perceive it.
FOUR SCO ENLARGEMENT PROBLEMS
Authors: Denisov I. E. , Safranchuk I. A.
Published: May 2021

The major issue in the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) has been the problem of enlargement of its full membership. Traditionally this issue is reviewed as a problem of practical policy. However as debates on the SCO membership enlargement progress, they go into more and more depth. This enlargement debate highlights political culture of SCO and also the issue, known in the experience of other international organizations, namely emerging different levels in an organization as membership grows. More importantly debates on enlargement stimulate thinking over the broader question on the future of the SCO - the global perspective (as Russia mostly prefers) or regional perspective (as China mostly prefers). Thus SCO encounters one of the most pressing dilemmas, that's collision of regionalization and globalization trends progressing in the modern world. Debates on these trends evolve in political, economic and social sciences and remain far from resolution. But the SCO is already under the pressure to make either a practical choice in favor of one of these trends or to find a reliable model to combine them within the SCO agenda. This article reviews the SCO enlargement problem not as an issue of practical policy, but as the issue of searching a balance between trends of globalization and regionalization, which if reached could help to reconcile Russian and Chinese interests in Eurasia.
TRANSREGIONAL PARTNERSHIP OF BRICS IN RUSSIAN STUDIES
Authors: Konkin A. A.
Published: May 2021

This article reviews the literature dealings with the problems of the BRICS, summarized the issues raised by various authors on the main trends in the development of the community and this organization in generally in light of the global economic and political processes. Issues theoretical aspects of further development of the organization as one of the vectors of the global redistribution of the globally weight. This research consistently served all major aspects, related to the functioning of the features of the BRICS as an innovative format of the informal inter-regional cooperation between the countries. So far as the BRIXis a relatively "young"association, its institutionalization is a currently ongoing. This is the primarily due to the economic aspect: the creation of the New Development Bank completes the first stage of the creation BRICS how the formalized association. In contrast to the economic component, around which, most likely, will build further cooperation, political institutionalization seems a distant prospect. At least, included in the Community countries are very different politically and are in completely different conditions in the international political arena. Perhaps in the future the BRICS will move purely in the economic vector. The paradox of this situation lies in the fact that the country's economic data are also very different. Their "weight" in the world economy has a rather significant that carries a precondition for the emergence of some of the dominant structure in the BRICS format. In this aspect, it all depends on future market component of the external and internal environment of each country. Under their influence will be shaped and altered their economies and unexpected moments can occur in a turbulent global economic space. Russian authors studied in detail the characteristics of each of the member countries of BRICS, which allows to mark a significant interest in the national science to the study of inter-regional cooperation in the global political and economic space. At the same time, the study of bibliography dedicated to the problems of the BRICS, cannot be accommodated of the entire volume of literature because there are large numbers of their, so the focus is on the main issues raised by various researchers. Disclosed issues of mutually beneficial cooperation of the participating countries in the format of this organization.
J. M. KEYNES AND HIS ECONOMIC THEORY: AN ETHICAL PERSPECTIVE
Authors: Ivaskovsky S. N.
Published: May 2021

The article examines the philosophical and moral foundations of the biggest economist and political philosopher of the 20th century John Maynard Keynes (1883-1946), who played an important role in rethinking a number of important provisions of the classical political economy and in creating the ideological and methodological basis of the "Keynesian revolution" and of the new field of economic analysis-macroeconomics. The author traces the main stages in the formation of ethical views of Keynes, shows that his interest in ethics as the system of values in society was dictated by the need for the new conceptual vision of economic realities and by the search of an answer to the main ethical question: "What should we do?". Attention is drawn to the fact that an understanding of the ethical orientation of economic theory by Keynes allowed him to take a critical stance towards traditional individualism and Victorian morality of thrift and moneymaking and to conclude that rational and "right" forms of individual behaviour are not a guarantee of the prosperity of society as a whole. To achieve the latter Keynes justified the necessity of "central control" by the State of the overall level of aggregate expenditure. It isstressed that the ethical views of Keynes correspond with the concept of the "ethic of responsibility"- a relatively new scientific discipline, which originated as a response to the risks of technogenic era: pollution, resource constraints, overpopulation, lack of stability of the world economy. The final part of the article analyzes one of the most important, from the point of view of Keynes, vices of capitalism - reckless proclivity of people to the multiplication of "abstract monetary wealth". It is shown that it doesn't only disfigure the psyche and consciousness of people, but also changes the direction of development of the market economy towards "speculative capitalism", which creates a threat to civilization, creativity, well-being and full development of the individual.
THE CONTRIBUTION OF J. M. KEYNES TO THE ANALYSIS OF THE PSYCHOLOGICAL MOTIVES OF ECONOMIC BEHAVIOR
Authors: Kozlova M. A.
Published: May 2021

The article examines the contribution of John Maynard Keynes to the study of the psychological motives of economic behavior. The origins of the analysis of the psychological motives in economics before Keynes are reviewed. The relative importance of rational and irrational motives of economic behavior in the Keynesian theory is analyzed. It is shown that Keynes's analysis of the behavior of the economic agents under uncertainty and the lack of information contributed to the elaboration of the bounded rationality theory by Simon. The article also describes the input of Keynes to the formation of a new «Keynesian» model of human behavior, which implies the importance of expectations, taking into account the psychological and social factors of economic behavior. The main psychological tendencies in the actions of the consumers and investors described by Keynes (the basic psychological law, liquidity preference, the influence of the «market psychology» on the investor's decisions) and their relevance nowadays are examined. The article shows further development of the ideas of Keynes in the Akerlof and Shiller's theory of animal spirits and in the financial instability hypothesis of Minsky. It also gives a description of a confidence multiplier, introduced by Akerlof and Shiller, and shows how the cosumers' confidence can be measured nowadays. Besides, the article stresses that the study of the psychological motives of economic behavior, undertaken by Keynes, contributed to the development of such new disciplines at the interface between the economy and psychology as the economic psychology and behavioral economics.
THE CONCEPT OF THE «BLACK HUNDREDS» IN THE SOVIET HISTORICAL SCIENCE: RUNNING IN CIRCLES
Authors: Ivakin G. A.
Published: May 2021

During the Soviet period, the right monarchism was considered by historians of our country as part of general methodological approaches to the study of non-proletarian parties. As ideological and political antagonist of Bolshevism, the Black Hundreds were interpreted as the most reactionary political movement of pre-revolutionary Russia. As a result, the full scientific debate on the right monarchism in the Soviet period did not take place, and Soviet historians failed to form a historical concept of the Black Hundreds as an ideological and political trend in the early twentieth century.
THE PHENOMENON OF SILVIO BERLUSCONI
Authors: Kovaleva A. Y.
Published: May 2021

Silvio Berlusconi, former Italian Prime Minister, is about to turn 80 this September. He has dominated Italian politics since 1994 and is now Italy's longest-serving PM since Mussolini. He has survived countless forecasts of his imminent departure. Political researchers argue that despite his personal success, he has been a disaster as a national leader. Nevertheless, to call Berlusconi a failure would be absurd, particularly in terms of his political presence. Having provided the country with four governments that lasted for a total of almost ten years, Berlusconi left a profound mark on Italian political history and even defined the era of Berlusconism. This article is based on the assumption that there is considerable political substance to Berlusconism, the substance of Berlusconi's public discourse. In 1994 he launched "Forza, Italia", a political party that within the span of a couple of months would become one of the biggest in Italy. From the outset, the party has evoked both praise and criticism amongst political communications scholars. Most of the discussion was centered on party's antiestablishment rhetoric, its lack of traditional organization, consistent political agenda and controversial nature of the main leader. Interestingly, the celebratory interpretations surrounding the Berlusconi phenomenon have focused on the leaders' ability to create a mass support base primarily through the use of TV; all of this whilst bypassing traditional institutions. This article is about the communicational strategy Berlusconi employed and why it was successful. Berlusconism is a true political phenomenon, which deserves to be analyzed carefully.
DECOLONIALITY OF KNOWLEDGE AND INTERCULTURAL “DAHLEZ”
Authors: Nurulla-Khodzhaeva N. T.
Published: May 2021

Khorasanian thinkers believed that, the discovery of their origins and the "Other", is not a single whole act, but rather a procedural, almost stage-by-stage like capacity to understand the world. Evidence suggests that in order to survive (or just grow), one must move from their initial sphere of life/science to the next. Such mobility was influenced heavily by the tradition of constant crossing of boundaries and countries, formalizing commercial/scientific flexibility of the entire culture of the region. However, this potential remains untapped in the construction of the new history of nations. Therefore it is fair to ask: what is the reason for the lack of dialogue on decolonization of, both within the region (between researchers of different republics), between the Russian and Central Asian researchers, as well as between other regions, ie South-to-South (the Middle East, Latin America, India, etc.). Without doubt, every one of us has worthy of alibi. But it is important to understand that today's distancing from the topic in Central Asia; is not an ideological camouflage ala Soviet-style, but rather a preservation of the myth of Westphalia on the priority of national sovereignty. Finding one's way out of this maze created by the rhetoric of the nations and the logic of coloniality (as Kuidjano) is a very real issue. The first step may be to recognize that our very own knowledge base is colonial. Accordingly, the process must begin with ridding ourselves from this state, starting the process of de-coloniality. To initiate such an understanding, the author proposes to use - dahlez, philosophical concept, put forward with a view to the perception of many values of plural-cycle culture of the region, as well as the values of the outside.
CAPITAL WITHOUT STATEHOOD: EMPIRICAL STUDIES IN STARAYA LADOGA, KASIMOV AND MYSHKIN
Authors: Okunev I. Y. , Basova D. V.
Published: May 2021

The article covers the concept of "capitaleness" and "geographical identity". Our research will make an attempt to analyze an institute of capitals at functional as well as symbolic levels. In that case capitals serve not only as a place to dispose the governmental bodies, but their functions include national representation to themselves and the environment. Capitals are the idealized image of nation and national history, a sort of nation in miniature. Interregional differentiation within a state through establishing and maintaining mental boundaries between center and periphery is the mechanism to detect the territories needing the support for preserving the compliance with national norms and, thereafter, maintaining stateness. Two major territorial bases of stateness are traditionally singled out: nation-building and threats to security or, in other words, mental boundaries marking of "Us" community and actualization of "Others". Contemporary political geography is turning to the study of the third mechanism - internal "Other". Two strategies are possible to prove that interregional differentiation is a mechanism of nation-building. Analysis of different discursive and institutional practices marginalizing regions would be logical. However such way leads us to the large number of cases differing from each other in the multitude of variables and, therefore, exclude generalization in the conclusions. Thereupon we consider it possible to address another strategy, such as the search for evidence that center is purposefully opposed to periphery and is given symbolic national and centrifugal functions as well as administrative ones. The existence of one dichotomic pole should confirm the existence of the opposite. There are three cases - of Staraya Ladoga, Myshkin and Kasimov - which interpret differently the peculiarities of geographical space. Besides, the authors give illustrative examples of the construction of the myth about "stolichnost" and describe the instruments of symbolic politics.
NEGATIVE INTEREST RATES: CENTRAL BANKS INITIATED AN EXPERIMENT
Authors: Burenin A. N.
Published: May 2021

Negative interest rates appeared as a consequence of economic problems that countries with market economy came across after the crises of2007-2008. The attempts of monetary authorities to stimulate economies with the help of quantitative easing didn't bring the desired result. That's why the central banks once again resorted to a traditional tool of their monetary policy of changing interest rates. But this time they launched an experiment, they used negative interest rates. The European Central Bank, the Swedish Riksbank, the Bank of Japan, and the National Bank of Hungary introduced negative rates in order to stimulate economic growth and fight the threat of deflation, the Danish National Bank and the Swiss National Bank tried to deter appreciation of their currencies. Negative rates of the central banks brought about negative yields of government and nongovernment securities in several countries. The problem acquires an aggravated form due to the fact that negative rates appeared in several European countries simultaneously at the moment when global financial markets were not in crises. Some questions arise concerning the negative rates, for example, how low can central banks bring down the rates in the future, what is their influence on the stock markets, what is the reaction of depositors to the introduction of negative deposit rates by commercial banks, must one consider a negative rate as a rate of interest or payment to store money of the depositor, in which circumstances negative rates can be justified to fight deflation. The last question plays an important role, because recent studies find that positive economic growth is possible during deflation. If central banks don't take this nuance into consideration, they can create economic imbalances by increasing liquidity. Negative rates are not as inoffensive as it may seem at first glance. Not far ago an investor, who tried to averse risk, was buying government securities. Their yields according to theory could not become lower than zero. By introducing negative rates, the central banks told in fact that the lower bound of the interest rate didn't exist any more. Thus, now investors find themselves in a situation of complete uncertainty, and risk becomes an absolute dominance. They can't averse it even in government securities. Such situation influences financial markets in a negative way. If we go up to a higher level of abstraction and imagine an economy as a live organism, which tries to rehabilitate itself, then the negative rates can be considered as a way through which the economy tries to solve the task of reducing liquidity. Studies show that so far the introduction of modestly negative rates have not affected the functioning of money markets much. In anticipation of the forthcoming cyclical crisis it is possible to give advice to the central banks to make one more step in the issue of the development of new tools of monetary regulation. Such new tools could be represented by futures contracts on interest rates securities.
NEW LABOUR 'ETHICAL' FOREIGN POLICY
Authors: Stepanova N. A.
Published: May 2021

The article discusses problems and contradictions associated with the attempt of the Labour Party under the leadership of Tony Blair to start a 'new era' in international relations by putting the 'ethical dimension' into the heart of their foreign policy. Indeed, having come to power and possessing great credibility among the British society, New Labour undertook a number of actions, which marked the formal break with the practices of the previous governments. Thus, they shifted the focus from the foreign trade interests to human rights considerations on the international arena, introduced innovations in the field of international aid and development of poor countries, declared the priority of so-called 'advanced' national interests. These solutions, however, have led to some ambiguous results. The author argues that, on the one hand, the Labour Party 'new' foreign policy was a tribute to the historical tradition and continuity and on the other - the spirit of the times, as other Western countries leaders claimed similar statements, and that, in fact, it contributed to the moral authority of the government in the eyes of the British society. The article contains examples proving how ambiguity and contradictoriness of certain decisions have been the conscious choice made by politicians, when declared altruistic goals actually proved to protect interests of certain business structures and direct opposite of the stated ethical principles. It is suggested that the divergence between word and deed had been initially present in the New Labour international doctrine and that the 'ethical foreign policy' can be considered as one of the tools of Realpolitik. The author concentrates on such aspects of the New Labour foreign policy as development, aid, debt relief, and arms trade, rather than on Blair’s just wars’ that are widely discussed in the Russian language historical literature and press.
THE POLITICS OF HUNGARIAN SOVEREIGHTY
Authors: Yurasova L. A.
Published: May 2021

The article analyzes main aspects of V. Orban's policy of strengthening Hungarian economic sovereignty. The Hungarian leadership had to find out balanced and reasonable approach to tackle the world economic crisis. Hungarian ballot package included reform of economic regulation on a state's level, taking moderate protectionist measures and foreign trade diversification. V. Orban's government succeeded in constitutional reform that allowed to consolidate power to deliver coherent economic policy and to harmonize separation of powers with that goal to be reached. Moreover, transferring of economic regulation to constitutional level lead to stabilization of monetary sphere. V. Orban's government enhanced state sector of economy in vulnerable areas, rose taxation on large business and shrank loans' burden of citizens in order to maintain positive economic growth. This measures ensured potential to advance further inside demand rates and to galvanize market capacity. Finally, V. Orban announced "openness to the East" policy aimed at diversifying foreign trade of Hungary. The main focus of the policy was trade with China and Russia. However, supranational authorities of European Union objected this policy goals on the grounds of economic and political consideration. But Hungarian leadership advocated its policy in a very tough way, which is a good example of self-reliance and pragmatism for the future of Europe.
THE SUPPORT OF SCIENCE IN JAPAN: ORGANIZATIONAL FORMS AND FINANCIAL MECHANISMS
Authors: Pronichkin S. V.
Published: May 2021

Recent organizational and structural changes have significantly changed the relative importance of research funding mechanisms in Russia. There is a need for understanding the possible effects of changes to Russian science. In this context, particular important to research a foreign experience of research funding. For example in Japan have developed a new approach to research funding. It is important to consider the essence of the new approach to research funding, in the aspect of national characteristics of research policy in Japan. It is also necessary to take into account the specific activities of the research funding institutions. The article highlights the advantages and disadvantages of the traditional mechanisms of research funding in Japan. The author draws parallels between the approaches to research funding by the Japan Society for the Promotion of Science and the Japan Science and Technology Agency. The recent changes in research policy, which led to development of the new funding scheme are described. The new research funding scheme is analyzed. The necessary conditions for effectively functioning of the new research funding scheme are identified. These conditions include adequacy of funding, mobility of research personnel, advanced research infrastructure, high absorption capability of the private sector.
EVALUATION OF THE INTERNATIONAL SYSTEM IN RUSSIAN OFFICIAL DISCOURSE AND ACADEMIC ANALYSIS
Authors: Istomin I. A.
Published: May 2021

The article draws a comparison between Russian official and expert foreign policy discourses, focusing on representations of the power balance and relations between major states as the defining features of international system. The author attempts to identify actual and potential contribution of academics in the Russian foreign policy thinking. Conceptual documents and programme statements of national leadership elevate the notion of 'polycentric world' as a value in itself, which guides national actions on international arena. Although, until the late 2000s its rise was perceived as a welcome, but remote prospect, since the U.S. failures in Iraq and Afghanistan as well as global financial crisis expectations regarding it construction increased. They are accompanied, however, by a more critical appraisal of the concept. The mainstream Russian expert community shares normative appreciation of the polycentric global system as an intrinsic good. It also nourishes expectations of its emergence with almost inevitable certainty. Most of the time, it does not take into account concerns incorporated in the Western IR theories, regarding destabilizing effect of competition between multiple centers of power. The article demonstrates that both Russian political leadership and expert community perceive polycentric system as an international 'great power concert', which is just one and relatively rare form of it. It requires not only virtual parity in capabilities of several players, but also the lack of serious disputes among them. Meanwhile, in the Russia academic community there is a place for a critical tradition, which associates current decentralization of the international system with its chaotization and weakening governance. In recent years this approach gains additional prominence. However, the Russian debates on global order lacks more elaborated discussion regarding sources of power in international system as well as explanation of the binding ties, which would facilitate creation of concert rather than competition among emerging powers.
EVOLUTION OF CONFLICT STUDIES IN THE INTERNATIONAL SECURITY CONTEXT IN POST-SOVIET RUSSIA
Authors: Nikitin A. I.
Published: May 2021

Article analyses formation and development of the conflict studies in Russia as a sub-discipline within political sciences, on the edge between political theory and studies of international relations and international security. Article defines stages of formation of conflict studies in Russia, analyzes social request for studies of conflicts, considers influence of foreign and international institutes and research, both form the CIS and from other foreign countries, onto the conflict studies in Russia. Author postulates turning of the "New Political Thinking"paradigm elaborated by Gorbachev that allowed reconsidering Moscow's attitude towards various conflicts and rethinking of theoretical principles of conflict analysis, that are not anymore limited to class struggle and ideological contradictions. Introduction of more pluralistic concepts of "socio-political model" and "world order" instead of Marxist category of "socio-economic formation" led to remodeling of international relations along new lines, as well as study contradictions within one social system. Splash of inter-ethnic and separatist conflicts in the first half of the 1990s led to shaping of "practically oriented conflict studies" reflecting political interests of conflict sides in conflicts in Karabakh, Georgia/Abkhazia, Georgia/South Ossetia, Moldova/Transnistria. On the eve of 1990s-2000s formation of theoretical systemic conflict studies as a discipline took place, and this discipline was already quite strongly interfaced with international and foreign conflict studies theory. Article considers role of various institutes of the Russian Academy of Science, research centers including Russian Council on International Affairs, Council on Foreign and Defense Policy? Russian Pugwash Committee, Center for Political and International studies, Moscow Carnegie Center, Russian institute for Strategic Studies, Institute for the USA and Canada Studies, etc. As a separate direction of studies article tackles studies of post-soviet conflicts by foreign institutes and centers, like UNIDIR (Geneva), SIPRI (Stockholm), EU ISS (Paris), British Royal institute of International Affairs. Interaction of Russian and Swiss scientists on the basis of Geneva-based GCSP and DCAF attracts special attention. In conclusion typical issues in focus, as well as theme fields of the Russian conflict studies as a sub-discipline within political sciences are formulated.
RUSSIAN RESEARCH AND HIGHER EDUCATION SYLLABI ON POST-SOVIET SPACE: PRIORITIES IN TERMINOLOGY AND STRUCTURE OF COURSES
Authors: Nikitina Y. A.
Published: May 2021

The article is devoted to the analysis of the key concepts used in the undergraduate and graduate courses on the post-Soviet region, of the link between these concepts and the official rhetoric based on the foreign policy documents. Major research questions of the article are: how is the international political region on the ex-Soviet space is called? Are there any subregions in this region? Is more attention paid to the analysis of regional organizations compared to the analysis of national specificities or bilateral and multilateral relations not related to regional institutions? Does the structure of the Russian courses correspond to the structure of courses taught at Western universities? The results of the analysis demonstrate that the structure of the academic courses and, partially, of the PhD dissertations on economic and political processes on the post-Soviet space correspond to the priorities in the Russian official documents: for instance, the same terminology is used to describe the whole international political region (the post-Soviet space) and subregions (Central Asia and Caucasus); more priority is given to the analysis of institutionalized cooperation in the framework of international organizations (first of all, the CIS); the role of Russia in the region, its interests and its participation in regional processes are usually understudied, or is absent from the academic courses. The analysis showed that currently there are no so many textbooks on the post-Soviet space, despite the fact that the course "Economic and political processes in the CIS" is included in the basic part of the Professional cycle of the Federal State Educational Standard on the International Relations. However, it should be noted that in the federal educational standards the content of the courses is not specified, that is why universities have an opportunity to create their original content, even if the title of the course is pre-determined.
K. SCHMITT’S THEORY OF PARTISAN: SOCIO-POLITICAL EVENTUALITY OF PARTISAN
Authors: Ostromenskij M. P.
Published: May 2021

Eventual socio-political conditions of the appearance of a partisan are considered. It is shown that the appearance of the partisan becomes possible when the socio-political uncertainty in the state and social anomie in society caused serious set into question the legitimacy of the sovereign. In such circumstances, falling value of public institutions, the rule of law and the rules of the routine, but the role of the individual and adopt independent decisions, in each case, increases. And increasing the area of independent ad hoc decisions. Such conditions arise in the occupied territory, especially in a situation of the continuing war. Besides, here indigenous people without taking any illegal actions, from the point of view of both clashing sovereigns, it is struck in the rights. All this makes a real opportunity to show the political subjectivity of the citizen, even with low social status. The behavior of the occupied population can follow three models: expectations of the solution of the conflict between sovereigns and the subsequent acceptance of its results as due - absolute majority population, the active help to the occupying sovereign for the purpose of the statement new political - the collaborator, active opposition of the occupying authority for the purpose of return former political - the partisan.
Economic Aspects of the Indigenous Experience in Canada
Authors:   Queen's University, Hageman Anya , Galoustian Pauline
Published: May 2021

This text explores the economic history and economic potential of Indigenous peoples in Canada. It discusses which institutional arrangements hold them back economical and which institutions assist them going forward, and considers which norms do Indigenous communities hold that inform their priorities and economic behaviour. <> Chapters 1 and 2 introduce the Indigenous Peoples of Canada – First Nations, Métis and Inuit – and their current demographic and income statistics. Chapters 3-12 describe their cultures, economies and geopolitics up until the late twentieth century. Chapters 13 and 14 discuss how discrimination against minorities can be modeled and measured. Finally, Chapters 15+ describe present-day issues in the economic development of Indigenous communities. <> Note for Instructors: Instructors may wish to begin the term of study with presentations or readings on the peoples indigenous to the school’s location. As the course progresses, instructors can lead students to discover how the topics covered in the book apply to local communities past and present. Instructors can also make students aware of local opportunities for Indigenous – non-Indigenous interaction and cooperation. This text flows in chronological order until Chapter 12. Instructors should use their own discretion about whether and when they want to use Chapters 12-14. Chapter 15 picks up the historical thread. The use of talking circles and other discussion forums is recommended, as conversation is a traditional Indigenous teaching method, and the issues covered in this book are emotionally weighty.
The Barad's Tale, oder: Ist Doom ein Ding? Digitale Spiele aus der Perspektive des Neuen Materialismus
Authors: Fröhlich Gerrit
Published: May 2021

Sind digitale Spiele Dinge? Die Materialität des Digitalen wird in der Theorie insbesondere von hardware- und softwareorientierten Strömungen jeweils unterschiedlich aufgegriffen. Die umfassend aufgearbeitete Geschichte des Spiels Doom gibt dabei jedoch Hinweise darauf, dass die Frage nach seiner Dinghaftigkeit nicht allein wegen seiner multiplen Materialisierungen, sondern vor allem wegen seiner Fluidität und der nicht ziehbaren Grenzen seiner Produktions- und Rezeptionsgeschichte mit Verweis auf seine Soft- oder Hardware alleine nicht zu beantworten ist. Deshalb wird im vorliegenden Beitrag unter Berücksichtigung des Agentiellen Realismus nach Karen Barad der Vorschlag unterbreitet, die Produktion und das Spielen digitaler Spiele wie Doom als Teile eines Apparats zu verstehen. Dabei ist weder der Prozess des Schaffens digitaler Spiele noch der ihres Spielens als Interaktion digitaler Dinge mit menschlichen Akteuren zu verstehen; vielmehr gehen diese aus vielfältigen Intraaktionen in einem Möglichkeits- bzw. Unmöglichkeitsraum erst hervor und gewinnen hier ihre Differenz zueinander. Kreatives Schaffen sowie die Spielbarkeit selbst stellen Qualitäten dieser intraaktiven Beziehungen dar. Bei Spiele-Apparaten handelt es sich aus dieser Perspektive um nicht fest eingrenzbare Sets an materiell-diskursiven Verschränkungen, die sich fortwährend immer wieder in medialen Dingen niederschlagen.
Objektivation online. Subjekte und Objekte sozialer Medien
Authors: Paßmann Johannes , Schubert Cornelius
Published: May 2021

Statt nach der Materialität sozialer Medien zu fragen, werden wir in diesem Beitrag deren Objektivationspraktiken untersuchen. Dass Materie immer mitspielt, steht kaum noch in Frage. Eine starke Betonung der bloßen Materialität hindert einschlägige Untersuchungen aber daran, über die bekannte Feststellung des matter matters hinauszugehen. Wir erarbeiten daher in Anschluss an Berger und Pullberg einen Begriff von Objektivation, den wir in zwei Prozesse unterteilen: Objektivation als Bedingung von Praktiken (als Gegebenes) und als Ergebnis von Praktiken (als Gemachtes). Vor allem letzteres bietet analytische Potenziale für rezente Social-Media-Praktiken: Gemeinsam gemachte Objektivation gehört zu den zentralen Praktiken der Social-Media-Plattformen.
La organización de las Fuerzas Armadas Españolas y el régimen retributivo del personal militar
Authors: Teruel Fernández Carlos
Published: May 2021

El presente artículo comienza retratando y analizando de forma completa la organización de las Fuerzas Armadas españolas. Se representa de forma detallada la jerarquía militar, las competencias que ostenta el Rey de España, como Capitán General de los Ejércitos españoles y las ejercidas por los poderes públicos estatales. Se profundiza sobre la estructura orgánica y operativa y las distintas categorías, empleos, cuerpos y escalas militares. Por otro lado, el artículo examina el régimen retributivo de cada uno de los diferentes empleos militares, reflejándose todos aquellos aspectos generales y legales, y haciendo hincapié en cada uno de los conceptos retributivos de los que el personal militar puede ser acreedor.
Strategy in the making: Russia-NATO Relations under Strategic Competition
Authors: Montero Moncada Luis Alexander , Velandia García Maria Paula
Published: May 2021

In this article, we examine the elements that are being developed by NATO and Russia in a strategic competition in Europe. Having analysed these elements, each sub-system, as described by the Realist Theory of International Relations, is facing major changes in today’s world politics. From Northern Europe to the Balkans and the Black Sea region, the analysis focuses on areas of tension that could potentially become problematic for the interaction between the two actors. Besides, the Baltic region is explained further due to its continuous activity regarding either hybrid or tradition war tactics. Finally, we draw a parallel between NATO, the EU and the USA as main actors in European Security and how the latter has been changing drastically since Donald Trump took office. We conclude by analysing potential risks, scenarios and conflicts between NATO and Russia in short range projections.
Investigation of water quality in wet and dry seasons under climate change
Authors:   Water Resource Engineering, University of Birmingham, B152TT, UK, Javadinejad Safieh , Dara Rebwar , Hamed Masoud Hussein , Saeed Mariwan Akram Hamah , Jafary Forough
Published: May 2021

Providing fresh water suitable for drinking and farming and living organisms in the ecosystem is essential. To evaluate water quality, qualitative indicators are often employed for managing water resources and water quality protection and pollution abatement. This study evaluated the quality of Borkhar basin water resources using three different water quality indices, including National Institutes of Health Water Quality Index (NIHWQI) having nine parameters, the Oregon Water Quality Index (OWQI) having eight parameters, and the Canadian Water Quality Indices (CWQI) with 22 main parameters. Using data for a period of 30 years, NIHWQI, OWQI and CWQI were used. To analyze water quality of the entire basin for current and future time. Results showed that water quality of the basin was in a very moderate range according to NSFWQI, and was in a very bad range accordingly to OWQI. Water quality forecasts showed that future water quality would be bad, based on OWQI and moderate based on NSFWQI, whereas based on CWQI, it will be good for drinking, and bad for aquatic animals, recreation, irrigation, and livestock use.
Desolação, dor e agonia nas paisagens e no eu de Cassiano Ricardo
Authors: Balbino Evaldo
Published: May 2021

Este artigo discute sobre a poesia de Cassiano Ricardo. Mais especificamente, sobre a representação das paisagens e do eu na obra do autor. Os versos do poeta apresentam desolação, dor e agonia. A poética de Cassiano representa um espaço mítico do Brasil, transformando-o numa paisagem nos moldes do grupo Verde-Amarelo constituído nos anos de 1920 na literatura brasileira, mas também apresenta um olhar agônico sobre o Brasil e o mundo através de densas e contundentes imagens poéticas. Para a minha abordagem, uso teóricos que discutem o conceito de paisagem e principalmente faço leituras de poemas do autor paulista.