Abstract: The subject of this research is the federal electronic government of the United States. The article examines the diverse initiatives (development plans, concepts), as well as the federal normative acts of legislative level that regulate various aspects of electronic (digital) interaction of the United States citizens with the federal government authorities. The author considers the institutional framework of regulation of the electronic government in the United States (agencies, offices), which area of work includes the regulation of multiple aspects of electronic government. The achievements in the area of electronic government alongside the separate specificities of legal regulation of these questions at the federal level are observed. The scientific novelty consists in analysis of the block of normative and program acts of the United States federal government with regards to electronic government. The author determines the key directions in development of the federal legislation in the area of regulation of the various aspects of digital interaction of the citizens with the federal government authorities. A number of institutions (administrations, departments, offices, commissions) that directly affect the policy in the area of electronic government, as well as the cooperation of federal government authorities in terms of the indicated questions are examined.

Keywords: concept, telecommunication means of communication, the Internet, authorities, prospects, digital interaction, E-government, development prospects, USA, normative act

Abstract: This article examines the main types of symbolic resources of the modern political leadership. Having analyzed the concept of the renowned American political scientist Murray Edelman alongside the works of other contemporary researchers, the author demonstrates the correlation between he manipulative, symbolic-ritual, and cognitive aspects of the democratic institutions and practices. The symbolic resources and mechanisms of political leadership are considered in detail. Particular attention is given to the analysis of the impact of globalization upon the symbolic mechanisms of the modern political leadership, as well as the question of targeted influence of the government and its representatives upon the public consciousness, using of symbolic forms. Theoretical-methodological foundation of this work consists in the theory of symbolic politics of M. Edelman, which critical analysis allowed determining the level of heuristic value of this theory for studying the modern political leadership. In the course of this analysis the author also referred to the sociological data of Levada Center and Russian Public Opinion Research Center, as well as attracted the empirical material from mass media. In conclusion, the author define the following resources of political leadership in modern society: language, ritual, environment and collective historical memory; while the mechanisms are the formation of identities and symbolic politics with regards to the national holidays. The author underlines the increasing influence of the global political processes upon the symbolic legitimation of leadership.

Keywords: mechanisms of political leadership, ritualized conflict, symbolic conflict, leadership styles, political identity, political language, political ritual, symbolic politics, political leadership, democracy

Abstract: The question of literacy in modern Russian society holds a special place due to appearance of the new processes and phenomena in the sphere of education, as well as lack of their study. It is referred to the increase of requirements to the level and quality of the obtainable knowledge and skills of their practical application. Examination of the problem at hand allows determining the role of multi-literacy as social value and factor of social development. Based on the results of representative sociological survey, the article analyzes the attitude of the Russians to the presently existing state system of education as well as characterizes the practices of self-education and additional education. The theoretical-methodological base includes the complex of regulations focused on the activeness and motivation of students, individual preferences, and practical purposefulness of educational programs. It is demonstrated that despite the high level of reading and mathematical literacy, there exists a problem of functional literacy, particularly the low skills in solving the tasks. A conclusion is made that the distribution of multi-literacy considerably depends on the level of engagement of population in practices of self-education and additional education.  

Keywords: self-education, education, educational inequality, multi-literacy, skills, literacy, social development, sociology of education, additional education, educational practices

Abstract: The subject of this research is the dependence of the Unified State Examination results in the system of school education from the level of socioeconomic development of the regions. The study demonstrated that the accommodation of education requirements of the students is affected not only by the level of socioeconomic development of the region, but also other factors, among which are the natural, climatic, demographic, social and national specificities of regional development, extended infrastructure, and system of education in general. Inequality in presence and level of development of the indicated factors leads to inequality of accommodation of educational requirements of the schoolers, youth, and older generation in the regions. The alignment of the level of regional development as the basis for ensuring equality of educational opportunities for the population is the task of the state educational policy of the Russian Federation. The scientific novelty is defined by application of the complex methodology in analyzing the correlations between the indexes of satisfaction of educational requirements (based on the results of unified exam) and socioeconomic capabilities of the Russian regions, attraction of the ethno-sociological material that characterizes the peculiarities of ethnocultural and ethnopsychological development of ethnic groups populating the autonomies of the Russian Federation, comparing these regions with the central part of Russia.

Keywords: alignment of the level of development, quality of life, comprehensive schools, unified state examination, social and economic development, educational requirements, Russian Federation, educational policy, ethnocultural features, unequal opportunities of satisfaction

Abstract: The subject of this research is the degree of trust of the population of North Caucasian republics of the Russian Federation in government authorities of various level, as well as citizens’ attitude to parties and electoral institution. The object of this research is the political trust that is viewed as an essential factor for the effective democratic administration. The author reveals in detail the key approached towards examination of the phenomenon of political trust in foreign and national science. Particular attention is given to the dependence of trust in government authorities of population of the republics of North Caucasus from the economic indexes in the region and level of citizens’ content with their financial situation. Methodology includes the economic-statistical analysis based on the data of the Russian Federal State Statistics Service, as well as analysis of the results of sociological surveys conducted by separate scholars of political sciences and research groups among the population of North Caucasus over the period of 2010-2016. The scientific novelty is defined by the empirical proof that in terms of worsening of their financial situation, the citizens are not willing to trust the regional government authorities and administration. The republics of North Caucasus demonstrate the significant underrun in majority of socioeconomic indexes from other regions of Russia. The results of sociological surveys emphasize the higher level of trust in federal government authorities, particularly the institution of the President of the Russian Federation, rather than the regional political structures.

Keywords: socio-economic situation, North Caucasus, region, elections, parties, society, corruption, power, political trust, public consensus

Abstract:  In any state, the elite exerts significant impact upon the foreign policy course; at the same time, the elites of traditional societies are yet insufficiently studied. The article attempts to determine the peculiarities of Afghan elite, the features that it imparts upon Afghanistan’s foreign policy, as well as provide the corresponding examples from its history. The factors that triggered such peculiarities are analyzed through the prism of the country’s history and regional geography. The author pursues correlation of the elite and Afghanistan’s foreign policy course with the Pareto’s elite concept, Weber’s national state, and political realism.  A conclusion on discrepancy between the elite and Afghanistan’s foreign policy and the traditional European concept of the national elite, state and foreign policy, gives grounds for the more careful and meticulous establishment of relationship with this country. The search for such discrepancies admonishes the erroneous reliance on the mechanisms of market economy and exported democracy.

Keywords: Islamic State, Democratization, Central Asia, Social instability, National interest, Political realism, Traditional society, Foreign policy, National elite, Afghanistan

Abstract: The subject of this research is the origins of the current conflict in the South-Eastern Ukraine. The author examines the theoretical aspects of the conflict, as well as the main points of view upon the genesis and regulation of the conflict in general. From the general theoretical background, the author shifts towards the consideration of the special– conflict in the South-Eastern Ukraine. The article draws analogies between the psychology of the conflict and general psychology, views the theory of “ruins” in history of the Ukrainian statehood. For comprehensive examination of the situation, the author uses the structural-functional and socio-psychological methods of research. The main contribution of the author lies in the scientific review of the course of events of the current Ukrainian conflict, as well as the advancement of forecasts of future development of the events in the indicated territories, considering the enacted law “on Reintegration of Donbass”. The scientific novelty consists in the fact that the origins of this conflict are examined from not only the historical perspective, but the standpoint of the psychology of conflict as well.

Keywords: post-Soviet area, unrecognized states, reintegration of Donbass, theory of ruins, origins of the Ukranian conflict, Novorossiya, Ukranian conflict, history of Ukraine, geopolitics, political conflict

Abstract:   This article demonstrates the system and content of the registries of state and municipal services, as well as analyzes the prerequisites for the transition to registry model of rendering state and municipal services and its advantages. The author underlines the special relevance of such transition for the purpose of formation of the e-government infrastructure. The data on the citizens’ use of the state and municipal information resources is provided. The publication mostly carries methodological character and illustrates the structure of registries, their elements and interrelation between them. The scientific novelty consists in the comprehensive approach to examination of the system of registries of the state and municipal services. The author summarizes the interim results of digitalization of the state and municipal services. In conclusion, the article suggests the legal mechanisms that allow using the information and telecommunication technologies in rendering the state and municipal services more effectively.  

Keywords: Information control technologies , Electronic data processing, Information infrastructure of the state, Municipal order, Electronic document, Registry of municipal services, Registry of state services, Registry model , E-democracy, E-government