Abstract: This article is dedicated to examination of the concept and meaning of the “public control of power” category in the Russian Federation. The author analyzes the notion of the subject of public control, as well as provides classification to the main groups of the subject of public control. The article describes the forms, principles, goals and tasks of public control and presents their original classification. The impact of public control upon the implementation of various constitutional legal principles is explored. The article applies a set of scientific methods, including the comparative legal studies, historical, formal-logical, and sociological surveys. A position is substantiated that public control in the Russian Federation allows ensuring the maximally effective preservation and development of the state on one hand; and on the other – concordance of the performance results the objects of public control to the interests and needs of people in terms of the implacable adherence to the right, freedoms and legitimate interests of the citizens and any combinations thereof.  

Keywords: public monitoring, public inspection, public examination, state, people, government, Russian Federation, public control, public discussion, public public hearings

Abstract: The subject of this research is the problem of correlation between the concept and types of power in the works of two thinkers – Alexandre Kojève and Carl Schmitt. The  methodological discrepancy in the works of these political theoreticians is revealed. The author suggests not only the formulated by the philosophers list of the types of power, but also finds the intersecting points in their representations on power for the purpose of unification of their approaches and acquiring certain synthetic typology of power. Special attention is given to the historical and contemporary examples that demonstrate the difference in understanding the various types of governing. The scientific novelty is defined by the fact that this article is first to provide a comprehensive comparative analysis of the two thinkers who differ in their methodological component. Comparing the four types of power, the author also suggests a certain synthetic theoretical construct, within the framework of which the pure types of power of A. Kojève are supported by representations on the basic styles of government administration by C. Schmitt.

Keywords: political theory, political regime, legality, legitimacy, power, Carl Schmitt, Alexandre Kojève, political philosophy, subject of power, state

Abstract: The object of this research is the political leadership in Ghana, while the subject is the consistencies and peculiarities of political leadership in the multicomponent society. In the early 2018, the author conducted formalized survey of the experts from three African countries – Nigeria, Ghana and Guinea-Conakry on the topic “Symbolic provision of political leadership in the crisis multicomponent society” for determining the usage pattern of symbolic resources of the current political leadership in African countries. This article focuses on the case of Ghana, analyzing the peculiarities of political leadership in the segmented society. Leaning on the concept of multicomponent society of Arend Lijphart, the author assesses the prospects for building democracy in Ghana. The following conclusions were made in the course of this work: the democratic success in this democratic country are way more stable than in other African countries; one of the problems is the excessive centralization of power that impedes the local talented leaders to shine.

Keywords: Ghana, Africa, cultural segmentaion, devided society, segmented society, multicomponent society, political leadership, democracy, Nigeria, political elites

Abstract: The subject of this research is Donald Trump’s activity during the first year of his presidency. The article analyzes the claims made by the candidate in the run-up to elections and their translation into action while already serving as the 45th President of the United States. Particular attention is given to Trump’s promises that caused public outcry. The goal of this work lies in determination of the motives that impelled the future President to assert himself so ambiguously, as well as in the attempt to grasp whether his promises were intentionally populist, geared towards the vast audience appeal, or rather well planned and thought through part of the actual events aimed at improving the economic wellbeing of the United States of America and quality of life of the American citizens. Relevance of this article is defined by the undying interest to the election campaign in the United States and the implemented technologies at the time of campaign. The analysis of tactical and strategic moves undertaken by D. Trump and his team contributes to identification of the common and separate peculiarities that affected the course of elections, as well as allows forecasting the political and economic decisions of the 45th President of the United States. The conclusion is made that multiple Trump’s announcements were justified by his personal peculiarities that fancifully combine strive for extravagancy with conservativeness, as well as precise business orientation.

Keywords: United Mexican States, China, trade war, tax reform, Obamacare, populism, presidential elections, Donald Trump, NAFTA, migration policy

Abstract: In light of the recent international legal documents, this article examines the paramount aspects of the problem of European security on the example of the gap between the EU strive for implementing independent policy and the strategic reality. In order to achieve this goal, the author explores the factors that affected the new paradigm of European security and escalating tension in the international policy; provides assessment of the European Union Global Strategy on foreign policy and security policy determines opportunities of the EU as an independent actor in foreign policy; and considers the possible scenarios of the current situation. The effective protection of EU requires the application of international law and political power in all of its forms. For reducing the gap between the fraught with risks reality and political intentions, the European Union must develop and adopt the integrated program of European defense oriented towards its own resources or further dependence on the United States. Creation of the European military power under these conditions is an extremely difficult task due to the strategic discrepancies between the partners, and as a result of the ability of the state to adjust to the evolution of complicated foreign political situation in terms of civilizational opposition.

Keywords: global security, the clash of civilizations, political reality, international law, war, European initiative, European Union, security, political science, globalization

Abstract: This article is dedicated to the problem of establishment of the institutions that pursue the Russian world policy in Mongolia. The goal of this research lies in analyzing the institutionalization of the Russian world policy in Mongolia based on the three key components: Russian diaspora, Russian language and Orthodoxy. The subject of this research is the process of establishment of the institutions of Russian diaspora in the historical context. An important place in this article belongs to the problematic of functional asymmetry of the indicated institutions. The author makes an assumption that the overcoming of such asymmetry will allow increasing efficiency of the institutions of Russian presence. The study is based on the methodology of historical institutionalism. In this context, the institutions are viewed as the structures that distribute power, and remain in a state of struggle within themselves, as well as with the historically preceding institutions. In light of this paradigm, the author analyzes the institutions in the context of their historical evolution. The article is first to trace the succession between the public diplomacy institutions of the Soviet period and the institutions former in the 2000’s. Herewith, the beginning of 2000’s is considered as a critical fork, in other words, the period that mark the emergence of new norms and deactualization of the old ones. The author believes that namely the institutional succession with the preceding period is the cause for double burden on the modern institutions of the Russian world policy. The main conclusion underlines that the overall performance of institutions that implement the Russian world policy in Mongolia is negatively affected by the functional asymmetry.

Keywords: emmigration, asymmetry, Asia, diaspora, ideology, policy, Russian world, institutes, influence, public diplomacy

Abstract: This article considers the problem of assessing effectiveness of the national healthcare systems. The author notes that the assessment of healthcare system as a complicated scientific-practical task must carry holistic character. Reference to the materials of sociological surveys allows significantly complementing the statistical dada with information on population’s perception of affordability and quality of healthcare. It is underlined that in examining social effectiveness of healthcare it is important to consider differentiation of assessment of the various population groups. The author reviews the statistical indexes of development of healthcare system of the European countries; points at specificity of situation in Russia, where the relatively high indexes correspond with the most pessimistic assessments of the population. The results of the eight wave of the comparative cross-country research “The European Social Survey” is analyzed. It was conducted in 2016 in the European countries in accordance with the population representative sample. It is stated that the European countries are differentiated based on the population’s assessment of the national healthcare system. It is determines, that the Russian demonstrate most pessimistic attitude with regards to assessment of healthcare if compared to residents of other countries that participate in the project. The author highlights that the Russians show strong, by European standards, differentiation in assessments depending on the income, age, retiree status, self-evaluation of health condition. In the context of affordability and quality of medical services it testifies to the existence of vulnerable population categories. It is revealed that the respondents’ overall assessment of healthcare depends on the scale of its funding. The author examines the causes of negativism in assessments of the Russians, including the low quality of medical services, facts of corruption in healthcare system, low affordability of medical services. A conclusion is made that the existing system of healthcare does not fully meet the needs and requirements of the Russians.

Keywords: modernization of health care, quality of health care, access to health care, medical services, health system evaluation, health system, healthcare, European countries, cross-country sociological research, sociological survey

Abstract: The subject of this research is the representations on the scope and content of the systems of Evangelical theological education recorded in the current Russian legislation, as well as the establishment of religious organizations of Evangelical denomination. In Russia, the theological education is simultaneously regulated by the two Federal Laws – “On Education” and “On the Freedom of Conscience and Religious Associations”. Dual subordination stipulates the emergence of the conflict of laws, as well as defines the specific vector of development of the sphere itself and the state-confessional relations. The expansion of participation of the religious organizations representatives in the area of higher education, as well as the consolidation of the specialty “Theology” in the national educational standards, determines the relevance of the active examination of this problematic. The scientific novelty lies in the fact that for the first time the Russian legislative norms regarding the regulation of theological education, including preparation of minister and religious personnel, undergo systemic analysis, considering the position, interests and practice of the representatives of educational organizations institutionalized by the Evangelical churches. The author demonstrates such aspects of law enforcement practice that reflect the positive aspects of state norms, as well as those, in which the Evangelical believers prefer using the precepts of religious organizations, and avoid the secular norms and rules when possible.

Keywords: religious policy, educational policy, higher education, Russian legislation, educational standards, religious education, theological education, educational law, freedom of conscience, evangelical churches