Abstract: The article examines controversial issues of the regulation of socially active behaviour under the circumstances of the establishment of the legal state and civil society. Sociological researches persuasively prove that social activity is based on the aspiration for self-fulfilment, which is manifested in different behavioural aspects. From the author's point of view, any social activity is a result of aspiration for the creative fulfilment, actualisation of talents and skills, aimed at the satisfaction of certain social demands. However, personal self-fulfilment is originally connected with the meeting of social and cultural demands of social, economic, political and ethnocultural kind. The article points out that such motivation is formed under the influence of the worldview attitudes and corresponding regulators of values, prevailing on a certain stage of social development. The work outlines that in democratic states the dominating idea of free personal development traditionally resides in the range of constitutional principles of state development. Any artificial obstacles resisting the processes of intellectual, spiritual and moral development create prerequisites for the formation of anti-culture which destroys state and legal institutions. The novelty of the research involves the determination of the prioritised directions of state policy that provide social activity of citizens in modern democratic society. From the author's point of view, the stimulation of rightful behaviour implies social ascent of the citizens who provide the support of the fundamental values and actively participate in public initiatives. An essential condition for the functioning of the civil society are the legal mechanisms aimed at the formation of a leading stratum, participating in the implementation of the most significant fields of the state policy. 

Keywords: legal state, civil society, social activity, personality, legal regulation, legal norms, Constitution, legal restrictions, moral, politics

Abstract: The author considers in detail the practice of the use of virtual social networks by the disabled persons. The work discusses the issues connected with social integration and adaptation of visually impaired people. The emphasis is made on the process of the integration of the disabled persons into the society by the means of opportunities provided by the Internet. The experience of the Russian Federation in this field is analysed. In particular, the attention is paid to the Russian Federation Government Programme "Accessible Environment". The article provides the examples of existing virtual social networks for the visually impaired people. The statistics of the World Health Prganisation has been used. The methodological basis of the research is comprised of classical and modern theoretical provisions of social and humanitarian fields of scientific knowledge, allowing to consider the basic regulation of the social processes involving visually impaired citizens. The research conducted by the authors significantly filled the gaps in the scientific knowledge regarding the processes of adaptation of the disabled persons into the society using the opportunities offered by the virtual social networks. Methodological significance is justified by the criteria and indexes of sociological monitoring and the evaluation of the level of adaptation and integration of the disabled people into public institutions, suggested by the authors. 

Keywords: World Health Organization, All Russia Association of the Blind, visual impairment, visually impaired, Internet, virtual social networks, social integration, adaptation, visual information, social processes

Abstract: The subject of the research is the issue of discrepancy between the existing documents of municipal strategic planning and the powers of local government bodies. It is stated that the majority of current strategic documents of Russian municipalities do not have any regulatory basis for their implementation, the budgeting system is not provided, not to speak of structural and functional violations in such documents (the lack of interrelation between problems, aims, objectives, measures and the indicators of their efficiency). Municipal strategies and strategic plans of social and economic development demonstrate connection and coordination of the announced measures and projects regarding the time of their implementation, resources and executives, which eventually leads to poor performance. The method of the research is legal and regulatory analysis of the strategic plans of municipalities (by the example of bigger city districts of the Far Eastern Federal District). The conclusion is drawn, that for the efficient development of strategic planning in Russia it is necessary to solve the issues of its legal regulation and methodological support. The author's contribution to the study of issues of the development of strategic planning in Russian municipalities is the evaluation of efficiency and quality of the strategic documents from the point of view of their accordance with the powers granted to the local authorities, which defines the opportunities for the implementation of strategies and strategic plans.

Keywords: powers of the authorities, local government, strategy of socio-economic development, municipal strategic planning, legal regulation, strategic planning, budget security, problems of strategic planning, questions of local meaning, municipal law

Abstract: The object of the study is the socio-cultural mission of the regional museums in its historical development: from the emergence of the local museums to modern times. The author emphasises the issue of the public significance of the museum institutions on periphery in the context of certain socio-cultural, economic, political environment. in which museums exist during a particular historical epoch. The researcher gradually examines the formation of the components of the studied concept, which contributed to the acquisition by the local museums of a special role that they first played in the life of the provinces, and then - of entire regions. The author of the article, having applied the historical-genetic method and having studied the works of domestic scientists and museologists, who had studied of the given problem during different time periods, identifies the aspects of the interpretation of the socio-cultural mission of the regional museums, relevant in a particular historical context. Conclusion of the article is the author's interpretation of modern components of the studied concept, based on the conditions of the development of personality, society and culture of the XXI century, which is proposed by the researcher together with the ideas, already established and identified due to the conducted analysis, about the directions of the mission of a regional museum as a multidisciplinary institution of the area where it is located.

Keywords: educational, cultural-educational, scientific, socio-cultural mission, regional museum, provincial museum, local history museum, local museum, ideological, culture-forming components

Abstract: The article reviews the collection of documents "Tambov — Tolna: sister regions. 1971-1989", edited for publication by the Soviet-Hungarian team consisting of Doctor of Historical Sciences, professor of the Tambov State G.R. Derzhavin University A.G. Ayrapetov, Candidate of philosophical sciences, associate professor of the Tambov state technical university G. M. Drobzheva, and the initiator of the project, the head of Archival Institute of Hungary in Moscow, doctor Attila Sheresh. From the point of view of the reviewer, the collection helps to objectively estimate the exchange of know-hows of the staff of enterprises, educational institutions, parties, trade unions, sport and cultural organisations, as well as to characterise the activity of the regional organisation of all-Union Society of the Soviet-Hungarian friendship. With the help of the materials of the collection, the author of the article is trying to remind of the positive features of the sociocultural phenomenon of sister regions in the former socialist countries. The author reveals the gnostic value of information contained in the documents of party bodies, reports of the delegations of labor collectives, and public organisations of two regions published in the collection. The article especially highlights the significance of the documents demonstrating the attempts to increase the efficiency of sister connections in the second half of the 1980s, unravelling the history of the youth movement.

Keywords: historiography, review, Komsomol, Tolna, Tambov region, USSR, Hungary, sister regions, source studies, socialist countries

Abstract: The object of the research is the statehood of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan. The subject of the research are the peculiarities of the formation of Afghanistan's statehood. The author examines in detail such aspects of the topic as religious and historical determinants of political genesis. The author outlines six logical stages of this formation, connected not only with the shift of power and government, but also with the religious factor, which significantly influences the life of the country. Special attention is paid to the dynamic changes in the political realia of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan. The research is based on a case study that involves analytical description of a particular situation as a part of the political process. It has been proved that the dynamic changes in the Afghanistan's political realia imply the new logic of interpretation of its political processes, the paradigms of its policy and government. The conclusions of the work can be interesting for the teaching of some disciplines within the courses on political problems and technologies; they can also be useful for understanding of the problems of the political processes in contemporary Afghanistan.

Keywords: disabled state, international relations, evolution, statehood, religious factor, Islamic Republic of Afghanistan, democratic experiment, M. Daoud, mujahideen, civil war

Abstract: The subject of the research are the fundamental documents of the Russian Federation, which define the policy of the country in the Arctic. The author of the article reviews and analyses the Russian state policy in the Extreme North, which is fixed in several state documents. Beside state documents, the author also brings up speeches of state leaders regarding the development of the northern regions of the country. Apart from the state documents, the author also cites the expert opinions about Russian Arctic state policy declared in the last years. During the research of the legal foundations of the Russian Arctic policy the author has applied qualitative analysis of documents, regulatory acts and speeches of the political leaders.The main conclusion of the research is that the Russian Federation has elaborated a significant legal base, which defines the state policy in the Arctic region. The Russian Federation, along with other Arctic states, currently pays more attention towards the Arctic region than before. This demonstrates the relevance of the topic of the development and exploration of the Arctic region in the international political agenda.

Keywords: national security, development, priority, strategy, Arctic policy, law, Russia, Arctic, resource potential, cooperation

Abstract: The article examines the main characteristics, particularities and political problems of integration within the framework of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation. An important subject area of the research is the analysis of the specific features of relations between the SCO members in the context of their relations with third countries and organisations.The article shows the prospects of the development of the organisation as a regional integrative association under the formation of multipolar world. The article provides a detailed analysis of the key areas of the SCO's activities and their significance for the harmonisation of interests of the states in Central Asia.Methodological basis of the research is comprised by a broad range of scientific tools: comparative analytical method, SWOT analysis, structural-functional and system approaches. To investigate the problems of the establishment of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation and the formation of polycentric world, it is necessary to generalise and systematise the facts, based on the study of legal, analytical, historical and other documents, as well as to conduct scientific observation and comparative analysis. The present study has shown that the success of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation under the conditions of formation of polycentric world depends on a complex of factors influencing the course of the political process at different levels of integration in Central Asia. Despite the asymmetry of development due to the pluralism of views and interests, as well as the diversity of the members of the organisation, the most important prerequisite for the SCO's favourable development is the aspiration for the provision of security in Central Asia. This area will be relevant in the long-term. However, for the successful development of the international authority of the organisation, it is necessary to add an economic dimension to the political cooperation within the framework of SCO, observing the principles of the optimal cooperation between Russia and China.

Keywords: Shanghai Cooperation Organisation, SCO, international organisations, international relations, integration, politics, Russia, China, Central Asia, globalisation

Abstract: The author examines closely the concept of (sub)regional leader. The leader should have such characteristic features as powerful resource potential, military capacity and political ambitions of leadership. The author has analysed statistical data and foreign policy concepts, and identified states that have become poles of power (gravity) in the region, or have the potential to initiate the integration processes in the future. This analysis allows to predict the medium- and long-term prospects of integration processes in Latin America. To classify the poles, the author has used factor analysis, comparative approach and statistical methods for processing time series to identify potential leaders. Special contribution of the author is elaboration of a methodology for identification of regional and sub-regional leaders based on quantitative assessment. The author presents the three-factor model of regional leadership: based on the resource potential (economics, demography and territory), military power (defence expenditures and size of armed forces), and leadership ambitions (political will).

Keywords: integration, Brazil, Latin America, political centre, military capacity, economic pole, resource potential, pole, regional leader, Mercosur

Abstract: The subject of the research are the legal provisions, which create the basis for the succession under the will, as well as the examination of the legal framework and theory of civil law, defining the essence, typology and peculiarities of implementation of the principles of the succession under the will alongside with analysis and systematisation of the problems of Russian legislation and legal theory regarding the systematisation and peculiarities of implementation of the principles of succession under the will.At the same time, legal theory lacks comprehensive research on the principles of succession under the will, which also adds relevance to the chosen topic.The methodological basis of the research is comprised by the latest achievements of the cognitive theory. General philosophical, theoretical, empirical methods (dialectics, systematic approach, analysis, synthesis, analogies, deduction, observation, modelling), as well as traditional legal (formal logical) methods were applied in the course of the research. At the same time, the  comparative law method has been used, which allowed to conduct the analysis of the foreign legislation and the experience of implementation of the principles of succession under the will. The academic novelty of the research involves the fact that the examination of the conditions of the legal theory and the peculiarities of the implementation  of the principles of succession under the will has provided the basis for a comprehensive analysis of the features of the studied field and the proposal of some theoretical and practical recommendations regarding the problems existing in the legislation, as well as author's own view of some debating points in the civil law theory.

Keywords: succession law, system, principles, civil rights, provisions of civil law, public relations, legal rights, testator, socio-economic vector, succession

Abstract: At present, the problems of people with disabilities have acquired special urgency. Around the world, the number of such people is growing, there is already more than a billion of them. Also, 9% of the population of our country are people with disabilities. In Russia there is no institution of ombudsmen for the rights of the disabled, therefore, protection of the rights of people with disabilities lies within the powers of the ombudsmen for human rights. The object of the study are the rights of the disabled in Russian Federation and its federal subjects. The purpose of the research is the analysis of the fulfilment of the constitutional rights of persons with disabilities in Russia and the development of proposals for its improvement. The subject of the study are the activities of the public authorities of the Russian Federation and its federal subjects on observation and protection of the rights of persons with disabilities, as well as the control over these activities on the part of the state constitutional human rights mechanism -  the Institute of Ombudsmen, which is relatively new for the Russian realia. The main research method is comparative legal analysis of activities on observation and protection of the rights of persons with disabilities in different regions. The novelty of the research involves the exploration of the new approaches related to the ratification of the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities by Russian Federation in 2012, as well as the analysis of  the subsequent recent changes in federal and regional legislation. A special contribution of the author to the research consists of both theoretical study of the problem in different regions of the Russian Federation, and practical participation in protection of the rights of persons with disabilities in author's own region.

Keywords: socially vulnerable strata, The UN Convention, accessible environment, social security, welfare state, rights of the disabled, human rights activist, human rights, protection of the disabled, the disabled

Abstract: The object of the research is the Russian youth, the subject is its political culture.The author examines in detail the typology of political cultures suggested by G.Almond and S.Verba, as well as domestic and international experience in the field of promoting participation in elections among the youth. Particular attention is paid to the results of the surveys (conducted in April 2012, October 2013 and November 2014) of the young generation of contemporary Russia on the basis of self-elaborated questionnaire in order to determine the political culture according to the typology suggested by G.Almond and S.Verba. Methodological foundation is based on the following methods: surveys in the form of a questionnaire; comparative, quantitative and critical analysis; synthesis; generalisation; classification, historical and logical methods, as well as graphical method (in the form of a table) for the visual display of the results of the research. The surveys of the Russian youth conducted in 2012-2014 on the basis of the created questionnaire showed that the patriarchal and subject types are inherent to the younger generation of contemporary Russia. The study on political culture showed that today's younger generation is not indifferent to the future of Russia and the processes in our political system. Many young people see themselves as active participants of these processes, they understand the significance of active political position, but somewhat underestimate its inherent rationality and responsibility. The obtained results of the study create a basis to propose measures aimed at developing the political culture of participation among the Russian youth, increasing its electoral activity. At the same time, it is necessary to consolidate the efforts of the family, state and municipal authorities, civil society institutions, using modern information and communication technologies, taking into account international experience, the historical development of the Russian state, the interests and initiatives of the youth.

Keywords: political parties, youth, electoral activity, elections, participant culture, civil society, political culture, electoral process, suffrage, youth policy

Abstract: The subject of the research is the analysis of clusters as a practical instrument of territorial development. In modern practice there is no unanimous opinion about what structures should be referred to clusters, which creates problems for the elaboration of regional development strategies based on the cluster initiatives. The aim of the present article is to evidentiate the distinctive features of clusters and to determine, whether territorial economic structures that are being actively implemented in Russia at the present time, can be referred to clusters. Our analysis allows to state that clusters, being network (hybrid) structures, possess important distinctive features. From our point of view, the key feature, together with the territorial base of formation, should be the fact, that while consisting of different organisations, they do not establish a common mechanism of coordination of cooperation. Instead, a vast diversity of partnerships is formed. Cooperating with each other, these partnerships become a basis for a cluster. Examination of territorial structures created in Russia demonstrates that they cannot be referred to clusters, first of all, due to the administrative voluntary mechanism of their formation.  

Keywords: clusters, territorial economic structures, hybrids, networks, territorial development, network structures, hybrid structures, mechanism of coordination of cooperation, different types of organisations, diversity of partnerships