Abstract: This article examines how the ages of serfs' children (0–17 years) in the Simbirsk Uyezd were recorded during the poll tax census (the 3rd revision), and which errors and distortions arose as illiterate informants estimated children's ages. Special attention is paid to the extent to which these factors affect the use of revision lists for reconstructing trends of birth rate. The region and social group were selected as the southern borderlands of the Middle Volga region were actively colonized in the mid-18th century involving landlords that organized large-scale migrations of their serfs. In the future studies, it makes possible to calculate the demographic effect of these migrations, including their impact on birth rate. As for the research methods, the author had built a database containing information on 12,952 male and female serfs who were resettled between the 2nd revision and the 3d revision to the southern part of Simbirsk Uyezd (Zavalny Stan). Then the accuracy of children's age was estimated using statistical techniques, including mean absolute error and sex-age pyramid. The study shows that different informants usually estimated the ages of the same children in a similar way, with an average error of about 0.5 year, substantially lower than that observed for adult women. At the same time, this consistency produced systematic age heaping around a limited set of ages (3, 5, 8, 10, 12 and 15 years), which significantly distorted annual crude birth rates. These preferred ages largely correspond to major stages of child maturation and labor socialization known from ethnographic studies of the Russian peasantry. The article concludes that age heaping of revision lists must be statistically smoothed to reconstruct trends of birth rate.

Keywords: age heaping, population pyramid, age groups, birth rate, peasant children, colonization of frontier, smoothing techniques, revision lists, Middle Volga region, Simbirsk Uyezd

Abstract: The subject of the study is the infant mortality rate of the rural population of the Krasnoyarsk Territory in 1991-2000 as a historical and demographic indicator of the state and limitations of population reproduction in the context of the post-Soviet transformation. The object of the study is demographic losses under the age of one year in rural areas of the region and their place in the overall mortality system of the rural population. The author examines in detail the dynamics of absolute and relative infant mortality rates, identifies the features of its sexual differentiation, and analyzes the structure of causes of death, distinguishing between endogenous and exogenous factors of early age-related losses. Special attention is paid to the crisis fluctuations of the second half of the 1990s, the comparison of regional trajectories with nationwide rural trends, and the interpretation of the identified features in the context of an asynchronous and incomplete epidemiological transition. The paper uses methods of historical-demographic and structural-dynamic analysis, as well as a comparative historical approach. The data of the current mortality statistics of the rural population, published in the materials of Rosstat and Krasnoyarsk Statistical Service, were used as sources. It was found that, with a decrease in the absolute number of deaths of children under one year of age, infant mortality in rural areas of the Krasnoyarsk Territory in 1991-2000 remained high and unstable, with a greater range of fluctuations compared with national indicators. A steady excess of boys' mortality over girls' mortality was revealed, which noticeably increased during periods of crisis growth. Analysis of the structure of causes of death showed the dominance of perinatal conditions and congenital anomalies, while maintaining a significant role of exogenous factors such as respiratory diseases, infectious diseases and external causes, the contribution of which increased during the crisis years. It is concluded that the infant mortality rate of the rural population of the Krasnoyarsk Territory in 1991-2000 reflected the incompleteness and asynchrony of the epidemiological transition and can be considered as an informative indicator of the quality of the conditions of reproduction of the population in the post-Soviet period.

Keywords: mortality, infant mortality, rural areas, rural population, Krasnoyarsk Krai, post-Soviet years, gender differentiation, causes of death, exogenous causes of death, epidemiological transition

Abstract: This article examines the dynamics of status and activity among five English Protestant bishops—John Bale, William Barlow, Miles Coverdale, John Ponet, and John Scory—during their exile under Mary I Tudor (1553–1558). Although the broader chronological framework extends from the 1530s to the 1560s, the principal focus is on the 1550s. The study offers a diachronic analysis of the bishops’ positions and occupations, comparing their circumstances before and during emigration. Particular attention is given to their geographical mobility and, above all, to the social ties—including kinship, patronage, and other forms of connection—that shaped their status and activities in exile. Alongside traditional historical methods, the article employs a biographical approach combined with elements of network analysis. This methodological framework enables both a detailed examination of each bishop’s individual trajectory and their placement within the broader historical context and the web of social relations that influenced their conduct in exile. An analysis of the bishops’ status prior to emigration reveals that their highest positions within the English church hierarchy were attained during the reign of Edward VI, specifically between 1550 and 1553. With the accession of Mary I, they lost their formal ecclesiastical standing; nonetheless, they continued to claim leadership roles within the expatriate communities in Emden, Wesel, and Strasbourg. However, they did not emerge as the principal organisers of religious life in the communities of Frankfurt (and subsequently Geneva and Aarau), ceding leadership to figures such as John Knox, Richard Cox, and Thomas Lever. As the cases of Coverdale in Bergzabern and Barlow under the patronage of Catherine Willoughby demonstrate, connections within the wider evangelical network played a decisive role in shaping the nature of their emigration. Finally, the article argues that the period of exile proved to be exceptionally productive for the emigrant bishops as scholars, publicists, and polemicists.

Keywords: English Reformation, Marian exile, Émigré communities, Puritans, Geneva Bible, John Bale, William Barlow, Myles Coverdale, John Ponet, John Scory

Abstract: The subject of the research is the TASS agent during the interwar period (1925–1939) as a special type of Soviet journalist who combined the functions of a reporter, diplomat, and political analyst. The object of the study is the Soviet information system and the place of the Telegraph Agency of the Soviet Union within it. The author examines various aspects of the topic in detail, such as the theoretical foundations of the agent's work, which trace back to Lenin's concept of the press and were developed by Y.G. Doletsky and N.G. Palkin; the criteria for professional competence and personnel selection for domestic and foreign correspondents; the organizational structure of the central apparatus and foreign bureaus. Special attention is given to the differences in accountability, material conditions, and social and living conditions of domestic and foreign agents, the participation of TASS representatives in international conferences of information agencies, particularly the Geneva Conference of Press Experts of the League of Nations in 1927, and contacts between TASS personnel and Western correspondents through official and personal channels. The methodological framework of the study comprises the principle of historicism, which allows for considering the figure of the TASS agent in development and in the specific historical conditions of the interwar period. These approaches are implemented through the analysis of archival administrative materials, sources of personal origin (memoirs of Soviet and Western correspondents), and others. The novelty of the research lies in the fact that the figure of the TASS agent, especially that of the foreign correspondent, becomes an independent object of comprehensive analysis for the first time, filling an existing historiographical gap. A significant contribution of the author to the study of the topic is the introduction of archival materials from fund 4459 of the Russian State Archive into scientific circulation. The main conclusions of the conducted research assert that the TASS agent represented a fundamentally new figure in international journalism, combining the roles of journalist, diplomat, and political analyst within a centralized party-state system. The internal and external correspondent networks were connected by a common ideological framework and unified accountability to the party-state leadership, which radically distinguished the TASS model from Western agencies (Reuters, AP, UP, Havas). The author demonstrates how the pragmatic interest of Western agencies in Soviet news was used to gradually dismantle the European information cartel and promote TASS to a position among the leading global agencies.

Keywords: TASS, Soviet journalism, news agencies, foreign correspondent, interwar period, League of Nations, press department of the People's Commissariat for Foreign Affairs, TASS employee, Soviet propaganda, information cartel

Abstract: The subject of this study is an analysis of Russian military personnel and officials' perceptions of life in the cities of the Kingdom of Poland and the Northwestern Provinces in the period immediately preceding the Polish uprising of 1863–1864. Russians stationed in these regions not only encountered a new everyday reality but also witnessed the growing political activism of the Polish population, driven by their desire for greater freedoms and the struggle for national independence. The study's chronological framework, from 1860 to the end of 1862, was chosen because it was during this period that the social life of "Polish" cities underwent significant changes. The aim of the study is to identify Russian authors' views on political events and everyday life in "Polish" cities and to analyze the factors that influenced the formation of these perceptions. The research method and methodology are based on an analysis of the memoirs of people who were relatively temporary residents of the cities in question. The authors of the memoirs were identified in the study as actors for whom the sociocultural environment of "Polish" cities was primarily social and political. The main conclusion of the study is that officers and officials stationed in the Kingdom of Poland and the Northwestern Provinces developed a rather ambivalent view of cities and urban life. On the one hand, "Polish" cities attracted them with their developed cultural and social life, and the opportunity to interact with each other and with local residents in convenient public spaces. On the other hand, the political environment was becoming increasingly hostile, and its sophisticated nature made the officers' and officials' stay in this environment at times unbearable. The novelty of the study lies in its examination of how urban life in the Kingdom of Poland and the Northwestern Provinces influenced the formation of the image of the entire region among Russians who found themselves there during such a difficult period. Although they saw many interesting and unusual things in local life, the political situation had a huge impact on their overall impression, and they felt that they had found themselves in a foreign land.

Keywords: the Kingdom of Poland, the Western Provinces, Polish cities, Warsaw, patriotic manifestations, public space, officers and officials, Roman-Catholic churches, image of the other, Russian-Polish contradictions

Abstract: The article characterizes the activities of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) – one of the most important organizations that continues to advocate for the rights of people of color in the United States. The subject of the study is the work of the NAACP during the 1950s to the 1970s. The object is human rights activism as a form of fighting racial discrimination in the U.S. The research aims to analyze the legal strategy of the Association and characterize its main methods of operation. The civil rights movement was marked by a rise in the protest activity of African Americans, with active and extralegal forms of protest, such as rallies, strikes, and sit-ins, coming to the forefront in public discourse and later in historiography. Human rights work, meanwhile, took a back seat, although it was one of the key factors in achieving legal equality. The study is based on the historical-genetic method, which involves examining historical phenomena and processes in their development and identifying the causes of changes. This method was used to analyze the transformation of the legal status of African Americans and assess the role of the NAACP in this process. A structural method was also employed, which reveals persistent connections within the system. The scientific novelty of the research lies in analyzing human rights activities as a significant part of African American protest in the U.S., primarily carried out through the NAACP. This issue has not received adequate coverage in either foreign or domestic historiography, despite its role in the fight against discrimination. The study also demonstrates the connection between the work of the Association and the changing legal status of African Americans. The main conclusion is that the work of the NAACP played a crucial role in transforming the legal standing of African Americans. An important feature of the Association's activities was that it used existing legislation and lobbying tools to achieve changes. The strategy of filing collective lawsuits proved effective in the Anglo-Saxon legal system, as it created positive judicial precedents that became the basis for the evolution of the legal status of African Americans. Moreover, the work of the NAACP had a consolidating effect on the colored community in the United States, contributing to the growth of their civil consciousness.

Keywords: NAACP, methods of African American protest, racial segregation, affirmative action policy, human rights activism, African American protest, legal status of African Americans, desegregation of education, Thurgood Marshall, integration of public spaces

Abstract: The article presents materials about the life and activities of Professor A. L. Lyubushin, MD, a graduate of the Medical Faculty of Moscow University in 1894. He made a significant contribution to the development of Russian psychiatry. The main area of his scientific activity focused on psychiatry and neurology. Being the author of works on nervous and mental illnesses, he was one of the first in Russia to describe microscopic changes in the cerebral cortex in early dementia. He paid special attention to the organization of psychiatric care. His work at the Preobrazhenskaya Psychiatric Hospital gave him the opportunity to write a number of works on the organization of hospitals, their management and the organization of staff. As a senior resident and then the chief doctor of the hospital, A. L. Lyubushin took an active part in the establishment of new hospital departments. During the First World War, the psychiatrist was actively involved in helping mentally ill soldiers when he worked for the Russian Red Cross Society. He was a talented teacher. After he was elected a privatdozent of Moscow University in 1905, A. L. Lyubushin passed on his knowledge and love for science to young doctors until the last days of his life. The methodological foundation of the research consisted of a combination of three approaches: source analysis, historical‑contextual approach, and biographical method. The scientific novelty lies in the fact that, based on archival materials and the physician’s publications, his intellectual portrait has been reconstructed, and the key stages and directions of his professional career have been identified. The obtained results fill a gap in historiography and expand the understanding of A. L. Lyubushin’s role in the history of the Preobrazhenskaya Hospital in the late 19th – early 20th centuries. The set of materials introduced into scholarly circulation expands the source base and creates favourable conditions for further research in the field of the history of Moscow’s municipal psychiatric service. The results of the study have practical significance as a source of previously unknown historical facts about the resident physician and later chief physician of the Preobrazhenskaya Hospital (now PKB No. 4 named after P. B. Gannushkin) and hold practical value for the institution.

Keywords: A. L. Lyubushin, psychiatry, history of medicine, Preobrazhenskaya Psychiatric Hospital, Moscow psychiatric service, history of psychiatry, intellectual portrait, are for the mentally ill, the psychiatrist’s biography, Moscow psychiatrists

Abstract: This study focuses on the formation and evolution of originalism as a key method of constitutional interpretation in the practice of the U.S. Supreme Court. It examines the historical dynamic of the shift from an intuitive reliance on the Framers' intent in the early Republic to the institutionalized methodological paradigm that dominates modern American constitutional jurisprudence. The objective prerequisites for the rise of the judiciary within the separation-of-powers system are analyzed, stemming from the succinctness of constitutional language and the reception of English common law. Special attention is given to the contradictory nature of originalism: despite its commitment to fixing a provision’s meaning, it can yield diametrically opposed conclusions from the same historical sources, as demonstrated through landmark precedents. The work also engages the debate over the relationship between originalism and teleological and historical modes of interpretation. The methodological framework rests on a historical-legal analysis of judicial precedents, constitutional documents, and doctrinal sources, situated systemically within the political and economic context of their respective periods. The study’s novelty lies in its periodization of originalism’s genesis, distinguishing a phase of spontaneous, intuitive application (late 18th century to the first half of the 20th century) from a phase of doctrinal crystallization (second half of the 20th century to the early 21st century) as a conservative reaction to judicial activism. Contrary to the common perception of this method as monolithic, the author concludes that it is internally fragmented, given the divergent readings the same historical artifacts can support. The argument is advanced that originalism is an integrative method, combining features of historical and subjective-teleological approaches, and serves not only as a tool of legal hermeneutics but also as a significant political myth that consolidates the American nation. The practical relevance of the work lies in the possibility of extrapolating the identified patterns to analyze current trends in the U.S. Supreme Court’s activity, particularly in the context of the consolidation of a conservative majority in the 2020s.

Keywords: originalism, U.S. Supreme Court, U.S. Constitution, judicial review, constitutional interpretation, Founding Fathers, judicial restraint, historical interpretation, stare decisis, living constitution

Abstract: The subject of the research is the uprising at the "Krasnaya Gorka" fort from June 13 to 16, 1919. The object of the research is the spring-summer defense of Petrograd in 1919. The author examines in detail topics such as the social composition of the grassroots masses and the leadership of the "Krasnaya Gorka" fort. Special attention is paid to the political views and sentiments among the upper and lower ranks of "Krasnaya Gorka." The author's goal was to reconsider the established interpretation of the white guard character of the origins of the Krasnogorsk rebellion. The main emphasis is placed on the dissatisfaction with Soviet power among the garrison, which was predominantly composed of mobilized peasants, as well as the influence of representatives of left-wing non-Bolshevik parties – Mensheviks, right Social Revolutionaries, and especially left Social Revolutionaries, who were part of the upper echelons of the fort. The methodological basis of the work is a complex of general scientific and public historical methods, based on the principles of scientific objectivity, systemacity, and historicism, originating from the prioritization of facts, the analysis of events and phenomena in accordance with historical trends and realities. The research primarily focuses on the study of source materials, relying on the method of systemic analysis of the materials under investigation. The main conclusion of the research is that the uprising was primarily composed of peasants dissatisfied with the policies of Soviet power and weary of years of military conflicts, as well as former representatives of other left-wing parties. The left rebellion was largely led by the right-leaning views of the fort's commandant, N. M. Neklyudov. The author's special contribution to the study of the topic is the development of the idea that the uprising at "Krasnaya Gorka" was a precursor to the Kronstadt rebellion of 1921 and could have served as a lesson for the Bolsheviks. However, by suppressing the uprising from June 13 to 16, 1919, the Bolsheviks drew not entirely correct conclusions. The scientific novelty of the work is determined by the involvement of a wide range of archival materials, many of which are introduced into scientific circulation for the first time in this work.

Keywords: Civil War, spring and summer defense of Petrograd, North-West of Russia, Krasnaya Gorka, N. M. Neklyudov, Left Socialist Revolutionaries, uprising, The sailors, peasantry, Kronstadt rebellion

Abstract: The article identifies the mechanisms of implementation and assesses the effectiveness of the German model of "soft power" through the actions of political foundations in Germany (Konrad Adenauer Foundation (KAS), Friedrich Ebert Foundation (FES), Hans Seidel Foundation (HSS)) in the former German colonies - Namibia, Tanzania, and Togo - during the period from 1990 to 2025. It has been established that the foundations' strategies have evolved from promoting democratic transitions in the 1990s to comprehensive support for decentralization, digital governance, and the moderation of historical memory politics. Findings: In Namibia, KAS and FES serve as key moderators of post-colonial dialogue, attempting to legitimize the 2021 agreement on recognizing the genocide of the Herero and Nama; in Tanzania, FES is forming a talent pool for the political elite through the "Young Leaders Forum," while KAS is mitigating risks of religious extremism by supporting the Interfaith Council; in Togo, HSS has taken on the functions of state-building at the municipal level under authoritarian conditions, training over 1,500 local officials. The methodological framework of the study includes an analysis of the foundations' official reports, regulatory documents from Germany and partner countries, as well as the concept of "soft power" and the neo-institutional approach. The scientific novelty lies in the systematization of the foundations' activities in the areas of local self-government and interfaith dialogue in African countries, as well as in the analysis of the adaptation of German public diplomacy to the challenges of the digital age and geopolitical competition with China and Russia. Thus, the conclusion is that German political foundations function as a highly effective mechanism of Germany's "structural power," ensuring comprehensive coverage of the political spectrum through ideological specialization (KAS - conservatives, FES - social democrats, HSS - Bavarian conservatives, HBS - "greens," FNF - liberals, RLS - leftists), while in response to digital transformation and geopolitical competition, the foundations are forced to shift the focus from normative "export of democracy" to pragmatic technology transfer in governance.

Keywords: Germany's foreign policy, German political foundations, German soft power, German colonial territories, Namibia, Tanzania, Togo, postcolonial dialogue, historical memory, political elite formation

Abstract: This article is dedicated to the issues of reorganizing the urban psychiatric service in Moscow from 1900 to 1914, a period when the expansion of hospital facilities was an urgent necessity. The study examines the process of collaboration between the Moscow City Administration and the Medical Commission in addressing the overcrowding problems of the Preobrazhenskaya Psychiatric Hospital, now known as the Psychiatric Clinical Hospital No. 4 named after Petr Borisovich Gannushkin. The subject of the research is the process of developing the former factory territory allocated for the needs of the Preobrazhenskaya Psychiatric Hospital. An important aspect of this study is the analysis of the architectural ensemble of the new hospital facilities in the context of their compliance with the advanced requirements set by psychiatric science for the care and treatment of mentally ill individuals in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. The aim of the research is not to analyze the content of psychiatric knowledge in its entirety but to demonstrate how, in relation to specific historical conditions within the everyday and professional environment of the psychiatric hospital, the program for reorganizing psychiatric care was implemented, including the architectural transformation during the construction of new wings of the Preobrazhenskaya Hospital from 1900 to 1914. To date, there has been no comprehensive historical study in domestic science addressing both the general problem of expanding the capacity of this medical institution and its specific aspect—designing specialized departments according to the individual characteristics of patients with the aim of implementing advanced methods of care and treatment for the mentally ill. The study attempts to show how the main requirements proposed by psychiatric science for the care and treatment of mentally ill patients were introduced into practice during the construction of the new hospital facilities. The article emphasizes the importance of incorporating perspectives on the medically appropriate arrangement of hospital departments for patient accommodation in the early 20th century while adhering to the fundamental principles of specialized division, individual approach requirements, and ensuring freedom for patients, as well as designing therapeutic specialized facilities (for fragile and unkempt individuals, isolation, observation, day-stay rooms, etc.).

Keywords: Moscow psychiatric service, reorganization of psychiatric care, design of hospital wards, treatment methods, Preobrazhenskaya Hospital, Moscow City Administration, care for the mentally ill, principles of treatment, psychiatry, history of psychiatry

Abstract: The subject of this study is a largely under‑researched phenomenon in the history of industrialisation in the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics during the 1930s – factory‑based science in the heavy industry sector of Leningrad. The object of the study is the process of interaction between Leningrad research institutes and factory laboratories subordinate to the People’s Commissariat of Heavy Industry (NKTP), the largest agency of its time. The chronological scope of the research is limited to the period from 1932 to 1939, as this was the period during which the NKTP existed. The geographical scope is confined to Leningrad, as the city was a hub of advanced heavy industry, a major educational and cultural centre of the socialist project, and a leading design laboratory whose capabilities surpassed those of other industrialisation centres across the vast country. The methodological foundation of the study rests on the principle of historicism and scientific objectivity. The historical‑comparative method played a decisive role, enabling an analysis of the state of interaction between research institutes (RIs) and factory laboratories across different years. The main part of the study provides a detailed account of administrative decisions aimed at bringing research institutes closer to industrial research facilities, as well as the outcomes of these initiatives. Extant historical sources suggest that the commissariat’s leadership failed to establish a widespread and sustainable connection between factory laboratories and research institutes until 1939, when the NKTP ceased to exist. The main reasons for this failure were a lack of motivation and opportunities among the heads of branch institutes, exacerbated by the poor condition of most laboratories in Group A industries. At the same time, the author highlights occasional successes achieved by the All‑Union Institute of Cements, the State Optical Institute, and the All‑Union Institute of Refractory and Acid‑Resistant Materials in their efforts to collaborate with the city’s factory laboratories.

Keywords: factory science, industrial research, factory laboratories, heavy industry, industrialisation, research institutes, soviet science, history of Soviet Union, history of Russia, science of Russia