Abstract: In modern society, including Russian, the number of citizens expressing discontent with the forms of government’s response to social requests is constantly growing. The article attempts to analyze the levels of correlation between social conflicts and political protest. The corresponding analysis is conducted on the basis of extensive factual and scientific material, particularly considering the recent events in the indicated spheres; the focus is made on the countries with “transitional types” of social institutions, characterized by the absence of effective institutions for controlling political protest. The following methods were applied in the course of this research: historical (studying the dynamics of social conflicts in relation to the dynamics of political protests), institutional (studying the interaction between the government, social and other institutions on social conflicts and political protest), as well as system and sociological methods. The novelty and practical importance of this work lie in the attempt to reveal such correlation and its levels using the scientific tools, as well as explore possible application of the acquired information for controlling the political protest in modern society, including the use of innovative methods. The author draws a principal boundary between the concepts of “political subject” and “subject of politics”; examines the concept of “political poverty” and phenomenon of its “self-reproduction”.

Keywords: social infrastructure, political poverty, social deprivation, political protest, conflict management, civil society, power, Social conflict, political interest, social mediation

Abstract: The subject of this research is the ways to engage youth in social movements, primarily of political nature. The object of this research is the youth of Saint Petersburg. Group No.1 consisted of the students participating in social movement; while Group No. 2 consisted of the students not involved in the social movements. The author explores the factors that encouraged or hindered the participation of youth in social movements. Attention is given to the questions of representations of youth on the dialogue between the government and society, its aggravating and mitigating factors. This research examines four field focus groups, consisting of eight participant, varying in gender, social status and level of income.  The targeted audience includes the youth of Saint Petersburg, aged 18-28 years. The young activists of social movements comprise two of the focus groups; and the other two focus groups – students of Saint Petersburg not engaged in political processes. The conclusion is made that a young individual of Saint Petersburg (18 years old and above) makes a decision to participate in social movements for the following reasons: 1) to expand circle of contacts; 2) following family traditions; 3) influenced by a friend-mentor; 4) desiring to learn something new; 5) as a results of political protest and pursuing an opportunity to manifest themselves. Therefore, in order to attract more young people in social organizations, it is necessary to bring up activist, who would take on the role of a mentor and advisor for the younger participants of the process.

Keywords: young people, mentor, spontaneous decision, social circle, civic activity, focus group, sections of social movements, protest actions, self-realisation, government

Abstract: This article turns attention to the need for active advancement of problematic of the personal financial security. The problem of anticipation of threats of the personal financial security that inflict economic and psychological damage on a citizen remains open. The goal of this research lies in examination of the theoretical and practical aspects in transformation of psychological characteristics and tendencies in people’s psychology – spatial, time, information, energy under the influence of the state insurance and investment policy. The subject of this research is the psychological characteristic of the reflection insurance and investment policy of the state in citizens’ mentality. Methodology contains the two original multifactor scale surveys: “Citizens’ attitude towards the state insurance policy” and “Personal financial anxiety”. Factor analysis of these surveys defined the two crucial components: the problems of correlation between citizens’ stance on insurance and investment and the state national economy and psychological issues, associated with personal household financing. The expansion of financial literacy and actions aimed at the improvement of personal financial situation ensure the best spending predict and moneysaving in the first component, which leads to the growth of national economy.

Keywords: financial literacy, national consciousness, economical harm, psychological harm, financial risks, investment policy, insurance policy, financial anxiety, economic security of person, factor analysis

Abstract: The insurance sector is an intrinsic part of modern society and economy. Due to assuming insurance risks, accumulation thereof, control and partial transfer to reinsurers and financial markets, insurance became the primary method for protecting private and legal entities from critical events. The goal of this work is long-term observation of citizens’ attitude towards the state insurance policy. The subject of this research is the psychological characteristics of reflection of the state insurance and investment policy in citizens’ mentality. The object of this research is the consumers of insurance services – the clients of insurance companies of Saint Petersburg of different age, level of income and education. The selection consisted of the male and female consumers of insurance services of different age and level of income. The following psychological characteristics of citizens’ economic behavior served as the criterion for attributing the insured parties to one or another category: profit (benefit), rationality, trust, anxiety, and stance on risk. The article provides the results of longitudinal observation over the insurance and investment behavior of the insured of Saint Petersburg for the past thirteen years. Besides determining the genesis of citizens’ attitude towards the state insurance policy, the longitudinal survey revealed the typology of insured. Therefore, the insurance system must be viewed on both, state level and separate parties– insured and insurers.

Keywords: long-term investments, private investment, insurance system, typology of an insurant, economical safety of person, insurance risks, insurance behavior, longitudinal method, economic behavior of citizens, damages

Abstract: The subject of this research is the concept of ideological state in the context of the European civil war. The object of this research is addressing the impact of ideologies of National Socialism and Bolshevism upon the political processes. Special attention is paid to interpretation of ideology as a cognitive-discursive construct that allows viewing the ideological state through the set of characteristic ideologemes. The author meticulously examines and generalizes the functionality principles of ideological states; the framework for this study serve the works of the German historian Ernst Nolte, who describes the political-ideological aspects of the European civil war. Methodological foundation is the political conceptology, which turns ideological state into a concept; ideology is interpreted through the cognitive-discursive method and phenomenology of National Socialism and Bolshevism. The author’s special contribution consists in the suggestion of the historical influence of ideologemes upon the political processes and formation of international politics. The scientific novelty lies in mainstreaming the concept of ideological state, prospects of studying the trends of ideologizaiton of the society on the basis of cognitive-discursive approach to ideology. The conclusion is made that the elements of ideological state influence the formation of worldview and cultural-sociological code of individuals, as well as principles of establishment of the political system.

Keywords: Bolshevism, National Socialism, ideologemes, overcoming the past, European civil war, state, ideological state, ideology, political institution, ideological confrontation