Abstract: The subject of this research is the modern system of social governance, which has been transformed in the conditions of digital environment. Particular attention is given to the definition of electronic-digital civilization and its criteria. The concept of “electronic-digital civilization”, with emphasis on the transitional state of society, was introduced into the scientific discourse by the Academician of the Russian Academy of Sciences G. V. Osipov. The goal of this article is to determine the criteria of this concept. Description is given the innovative methods and techniques of social governance, namely those that depend on digitalization of the economy. The events of 2020-2021, related to the COVID-19 pandemic, demonstrated the increase of digitalization of human life and nonlinearity of social development. The shift of industrial era towards modern electronic-digital era entails qualitative transformations in the lifestyle of the entire humanity, which certainly requires the implementation of innovative methods in social governance. The author outlines the basic criteria of electronic-digital stage in the development of humanity. The analysis of scientific literature indicates a wide range of scientific research in the sphere of humanities are dedicated to examination of the effects of digitalization in the economy. However, the emerging social issues in the conditions of digital environment require expert evaluation of sociologists, psychologists, political scientists, and legal experts. The article determines the modern forms and methods of social governance, which are currently implemented by the industrially developed countries. The fundamental factor of transformation of the style of governance became the process of all-round “digitalization of the economy”. The statistical data on the “effects of digitalization” is provided. The author explores such modern trends in governance, such as “E–government”, transitioning to “Digital government”, “Soft–power” technologies, “Agile methodology”, transition to 5G, etc.

Keywords: electronic–digital civilization, E-government, digital economy, digitalization, transformation, management trends, digital development, social management, innovation, Social reality

Abstract: The subject of this research is the pressing scientific-practical task of how to ensure military-technical procurement of the country by improving optimality of management of the development of material and technical base of the enterprises of military-industrial complex in the conditions of their diversification, however avoiding the militarization of the Russian economy. The authors explore the essence of diversification of the enterprises of military-industrial complex and its economic consequences. It is demonstrated that it raises the competitiveness of enterprises, and thus increases their capitalization. The object of this research is the process of formation of mobilization capacities of the enterprises of military-industrial complex in the current context. The article employs the methods of economic analysis and economic and mathematical modeling of the process of formation of mobilization capacities of the enterprises. The novelty of this research lies in comprehensive examination of the processes of diversification of military production and the formation of mobilization capacities of the enterprises of military-industrial complex. The authors developed a toolset to be implemented in practice for optimizing the process of formation of mobilization capacities of the enterprises in the conditions of their diversification. The conclusion is made on the need and possibility for systematic optimization of the process of formation of mobilization capacities in the conditions of diversification.

Keywords: tools, models, optimization, military-industrial complex, enterprises, diversification, mobilization capacity, production, military products, civil products

Abstract: The successful implementation of the Minsk Protocol has been impugned from the moment of its signing due to ambiguous interpretations of its nature and intentions. The main issues pertain to understanding of the conflict in the Southeast of Ukraine as an intergovernmental, internationalized or domestic political one, the legitimacy and status of the parties to agreement, as well as the role of the international community in settlement of the conflict. The indicated contradictions are also reflected in the difference of approaches towards definition of the conceptual apparatus, as well as its interpretation. The problem at hand goes beyond the scope of political science or legal analysis, and requires comprehensive examination based on the variety of theoretical and methodological approaches. The author agrees with the characterization of conflict in the Southeast of Ukraine as a formalized political unsettled situation. From the political and legal perspectives, the agreements on halting the war demonstrate typical examples of challenges and problems that emerge during negotiations and implementation of the internationalized peace treaties of the post-Cold War period. The refusal of one of the parties, usually the country which territorial integrity is disputed by the non-state party, to meet the other party in the course of peace negotiations is a typical complication of the negotiation processes. Direct negotiations, i.e. meetings where the parties to negotiation make eye contact, can be interpreted as the acts of implicit recognition of non-state parties, their representatives, as well as respective claims. Such different perspective on the mandate, accountability, responsibility, and the status of “direct” and “third” parties in course of negotiation and implementation of peace treaties are typical contradictions. Throughout the entire period of elaboration, signing, and implementation of the agreements, the clash of interests virtually shifted towards the interpretation of terminology.

Keywords: parties to the conflict, Normandy format, Trilateral contact group, Implementation, formalized political unsettlement, Minsk agreements, civil conflict, international law, Russia, Ukraine

Abstract: This article examines the Western and Eastern parts of the Roman Empire during the Middle Ages for finding the evidence of implementation of food security policy therein. The object of this work is the cultural peculiarities and socioeconomic relations in the society, which determine and promote the process of implementation of food security policy. The subject of this work is the theoretical, practical and normative sources on ensuring food stability of the state, normative acts of the government institutions reinforced by the results of archaeological explorations. The author is one of the first within the Russian and foreign literature to demonstrate the facts that testify to the implementation of food security policy in the Middle Ages. Based on the historical example of France under the Capetian dynasty, it is demonstrated that the maintenance of food sustainability in the “mansion state” was implemented by the following means: restrictions on the goods for export, collection of special transit fees, establishment of the customs institutions. The success of the Byzantine food security policy was guaranteed by creating the large grain depots during the reign of Julian the Apostate; establishing the institutions that were accountable to the authorities and controlled the consistent procurement of essential food products; the order of Anastasios II on expulsion from the city of anyone who did not provide themselves with a yearly supply of food; consolidating trade regulations and distribution restriction in the in the “Book of the Prefect”.

Keywords: food aid, food supply, food threat, dependence on import, food self-reliance, food self-sufficiency,, food security, import substitution, food policies, food sovereignty

Abstract: The key goal of the article is to examine whether the domestic political instability associated with the “Arab Spring” caused the subsequent surge of global terrorism, which reached its peak in 2014. The author reviews six different types of domestic political instability: antigovernment demonstrations, national strikes, government crises, government repression, disturbances, and revolutions. Using the regression models, the author clarifies the impact of such factors as the level of education, Internet access, economic development, democratization indexes, and the degree of religious and ethnic fragmentariness. Analysis is conducted on the results of the models separately for different types of political regimes, forms of domestic political instability, and global regions. The results of construction and analysis a number of negative binomial regression models testify to the support of “escalation effect”, which implies that heightened intensity of domestic political instability leads to the surge of terrorist attacks. More severe forms of domestic political instability, namely repression and disturbances, generate a higher level of terrorism; however, revolution, as the most severe form of domestic political instability does not produce such effect. The formulated conclusions are also substantiated by the fact that certain forms of political instability have a different impact upon terrorism and its peculiarities, depending on the geographical region and the type of political regime.

Keywords: economic development, political regime, Middle East, regression analysis, the arab spring, the Internet, political instability, terrorism, region, escalation effect