Abstract:   The goal of this work consists in description of the key conceptual positions of just war in the works of H. Grotius, Michael Walzer and Hadley Bull. The author comes to a conclusion that M. Walzer and H. Bull share the idea of H. Grotius on the necessity of the rules for war, law and right to war, and thus counterpose themselves to both, the Hobbesian (political realism) and Kantian (liberalism in the theory of international relations) traditions. However, H. Bull cannot be unambiguously considered the supporter of the just war concept, due to the fact that there is no clarity in understanding of which criteria must obtain the just war. Thus, the lack of unity among the authors regarding the criteria of just war is the important issue for the theory. The article examines the history of emergence and evolution of the just war concept in the works of different scholars; determines the key moments in the works of Michael Walzer; demonstrates the evolution of just war concept in the ideas of English school and its founder Hadley Bull. Despite the expectations of such thinkers as Francis Fukuyama about the end of history, the wars around the world have not stopped, whether it is war in Iraq, Syria, or Ukraine. Each party involved in the conflict claims its fairness, which makes the topic of just war especially relevant at present time.  

Keywords: Hobbesian tradition, political realism, Grotianism, just war, English school, global politics, international relations, Kantian tradition, right to war, justice after war

Abstract: The subject of this research is the innovatization of the United States foreign policy instruments under the conditions of transformation of the multipolar world and solutions for increasing the level of influence and control of the country over other regions. The goal of this work consists in determination of peculiarities of the control tools, integration of the new instruments of increasing influence of the United States in the world by means of socioeconomic pressure upon certain territories, as well as integration of the principles of US development into the programs of socioeconomic balancing of other countries. The publication also demonstrates the generalized view upon the phenomenon of smart power. Results of the work imply the formation of the perception of proliferation of the “soft power” strategy, its terminological and project content, as well as possibilities to counteract this strategy by both, separate countries, as well as block communities. The author analyzes the place of the Russian Federation in creation of “soft power” strategy and transformation of the role after collapse of USSR and amendments to administrative policy of the United States due to changes in Russia’s geopolitical situation after 1991. The possible ways of for stratification of the situation are defined. Practical conclusion of the work consists in discovering the ways for overcoming the influence through “soft power” strategy for not only the United States, but Russia as well. The author suggest a discussion that  Russia manifests either as an aspect of influence in such strategy, or the key opponent of the United States in implementation of the strategy pursuing own benefits.

Keywords: Geopolitics, Foreign policy, Power, Global leadership, United States, Joseph S. Nye, Jr, Smart power approach, Concept of smart power, Soft power, Hard power

Abstract: The subject of the study is the current stage of Russian-Azerbaijani relations at the interstate level. The authors examined and analyzed the main spheres of cooperation between the two states, such as economic, energy, military-political, humanitarian and cultural, in order to track the evolution of the Azerbaijani-Russian relations from the moment of their formation, and also to show the transition to a new, higher-quality level of development , Reflected in the foreign policy strategies of the two states, in addition, the authors give a brief description of the state of bilateral relations in the post-Soviet period. The authors used general scientific methods, namely: analysis, synthesis, comparative analysis as the main method of studying specific foreign policy initiatives of Azerbaijan and Russia, as well as the principle of objectivity, which helped to identify the main trends in the development of bilateral Azerbaijani-Russian cooperation. Using the system-analytical method, the concrete results of the agreements on strategic partnership in various fields have been evaluated. Combination of these methods allow identifying that beginning from 2000's, Russia and Azerbaijan have systematically reached the level of strategic partnership. The importance of interstate cooperation is supported by the corresponding statements the leaders of both states, intergovernmental visits and meetings at the highest level, as well as particular foreign policy steps. Assessing the full extent of cooperation in various fields, it can be said that Russia and Azerbaijan have a good reserve for further development of bilateral relations, even despite some problematic areas.

Keywords: humanitarian relations, international cooperation, energy relations, political relations, economic relations, Azerbaijan, Russia, military cooperation, interstate cooperation, cultural relations

Abstract: The subject of this research is the consequences and factors of aging in social policy in the United States, China, and Russia. The authors discuss in detail such aspects of the topic, as the consequences of aging in the countries and their impact upon their social policy. The authors emphasize that aging is accompanied by the active social policy in the United States, selective approach in China, and the lack of funding in Russia, in which over the recent time, can be seen a positive dynamics in resolving the problems of the elderly. Scientific novelty consists in the fact that basing on acquired data the comparative analysis, the authors identified a variety of structures and forms of implementation of social policy with regards to the elderly in the United States, China, and Russia.  Among the main conclusions are the following statements:   1. The level of socio-economic and political development, national-cultural alongside the demographic, and urban factors affect the peculiarities of social policy of the countries;   2. There are priorities in social policy of demographic aging, which take into account the heterogeneity of the older age groups, development of the traditional and new forms of protection and services, as well as national and ekistical specificity.  

Keywords: social and economic consequences, Russia, China, USA, social policy, demographic aging, ageing crisis, socio-political process, current problems, state

Abstract: The goal of this article is the stateness of Kyrgyzstan at intrastate level within the framework of the Regional security complex theory of Barry Buzan. It claims that the binding ability of stateness is the fundamental condition of intrastate security, and the inadequate level of stateness usually shifts the state into the category of pre-modern, fragile, weal, and failed states. Among five countries of the Central Asia, Kyrgyzstan apparently is one of the most fragile, as evidenced by the serious of bloody conflicts that took place throughout the period of 1990-2010: Osh Riots in 1990, Tulip Revolution in 2005, and second Osh Riot in 2010 with the subsequent sedition. This article attempts to examine the level of stateness of Kyrgyzstan using the methods of qualitative and quantitative analysis. The data necessary for qualitative analysis is borrowed from the article “Fragile State Indexes. For qualitative analysis, the author applies the interpretation of discourses. The inner fragility of Kyrgyzstan is significant: the level of stateness has not been noticeably improved over the 10 years, and such factors as disagreements, activity of radical Islamists, and especially, clannish character of politics, decreased the level of Kyrgyzstan’s stateness. Being a country without a stable source of material wealth, institutional control, and strong ideological unity, it is necessary for Kyrgyzstan to improve the sociopolitical cohesion leaning on the economic development and stronger institutional control.

Keywords: fragile state, domestic security, Central Asia, Fragile States Index, pos-tmodern, modern, pre-modern, stateness, Kyrgyzstan, legitimacy

Abstract: The object of this article is the cultural and worldview determinants of Russian culture that affect the process of its modernization. The subject is it specificity of interrelation of the worldview patterns of Russian culture and scientific-innovation development of the country. The goal of the research consists in examination of the genesis of national spiritual culture with its regards to the major global trends of economic, political, and scientific-technical development. The authors thoroughly  analyze the institutional peculiarities of ongoing evolution of the Russian society under the conditions of state paternalism, which led to a strong dependence of the Institute of Science from the power-bureaucratic hierarchy. Theoretical-methodological basis leans on the attitudes of the “interpretive sociology of M. Weber and cultural sociology of J. Alexander, which in many ways is substantiated by the need for interpreting the worldview patterns of national culture as the independent determinants of scientific-technical progress; concepts of structural-functional analysis (T. Parsons, R. Merton, and others); and neo-constitutionalism (D. Norht, S. G. Kirdina) that allow reflecting the institutional practices, which strike all spheres of spiritual and material production; Marxist theory that are capable of infiltrating the essence of clannish conflicts in Russia and specificity of the national modernization through the analysis of revolutionary leaps. The main conclusion consists in the idea that the cultural and worldview determinants, common to the Russian culture and associated with historical memory, can form the orientation of social consciousness and affect the processes of scientific-innovation progress. It is noted that during all of the historical modernization waves, the country was in a state of certain institutional underdevelopment, justified by the authoritarian system of political control, absence of the developed institutions of civil society and private property. The prospects of Russia's scientific development are considered, taking into account the requirements for expanding civil control and formation of the country’s innovation image. Attention is paid to the fact that the innovation activity, carried out by the Institute of Science, implements a function aimed at humanization of the national culture and public consciousness.

Keywords: development, worldview, institutes, Russian society, cultural patterns, innovation, science, culture, scientific and innovation development, ethos of science

Abstract: This article is dedicated to examination of the impact of political culture upon the content and control character of political campaigns in the context of goals and tasks of political management. Viewing political culture as a subjective element of external environment of the political campaign, the author analyzes the mechanism of influence of cultural characteristics of certain social segments upon the models of civil behavior, formation of particular role position, expectations, and corresponding motivational structure within them. Using the examples of concrete campaigns carried out in Russia, Great Britain, and United States, the article reveals the normative regulatory influence from the side of political orientations towards the type of political behavior, assigned by political-cultural system of society. It is demonstrated that in development of the strategies of national campaigns, an important factor becomes the orientations of system level, which reflect such political-cultural values, as patriotism, national pride, and state identity. The article applies the societal interpretation of political culture, which includes the system of political ideologies, models of political behavior, and “examples” of functionality of the institutional structures. The author substantiates the importance of such approach by the ability of revealing the multidisciplinary influence of political culture upon the management process. Main conclusions are associated with the practical significance of a more precise concretization of the political-cultural space of political campaign for the purpose of development of the efficient ideological strategy of its management. The author also makes conclusion about the dilution within the modern societies of a unified political-cultural space and development of “political subculture” as a particular characteristic of political culture that must be taken into account in drafting political projects of various type.

Keywords: political orientations, public opinion, political values, political behavior, political traditions, political culture, political campaign, political management, stereotype, political subculture

Abstract: This article is written using the material of cohort sociological study on the reproductive behavior of families that have oncologically ill child. Oncological disease of a child causes crisis transformation of the entire family system aimed at adjusting of a family to the new living circumstances. The goal of the work consists in consideration of reproductive demands along with the conditions for their realization in families with onclogically ill child. Using the method of questionnaire, 1085 of reproductive age, who have a child with oncological disease in remission, have been examined. For  pursuing correlation, the author used data of the Russian Federal State Statistics Service acquired in 2009. Statistical processing was conducted through the Chi-squared test; for pairing was applied the Bonferroni correction. It indicated the substantially higher reproductive orientations and parenthood status, which quantitatively express the greater desire for children and fuller level of realization of present demand within the studied cohort. Such data positively correlates with the values of family-parenthood lifestyle, as well as confirmed by the high level of consolidation of families during the treatment period, and lower portion of extramarital relations or couples in such families with regards to the nationwide data. The author characterizes the specificity of medical and social conditions in such families, as well as socio-psychological processes that impede the realization of existing desire for children. It is demonstrated that among the respondents,  the desire to have three or more children is mostly associated with the transformed values, rather than living conditions. Demographic policy regarding the families that have children with disabilities must be aimed at improving the living conditions of this group of families alongside their general and reproductive health.

Keywords: medical and social problems, pediatric oncology, family crisis, sociological studies, reproductive needs, reproductive orientations, reproductive behavior, family values, dispositional regulation of behavior, disabled children

Abstract: Rapid modernization of Kazakhstan’s society at the brink of the XX – XXI centuries became the cause for the unique “religious renaissance”. However, the spiritual revival highlighted the issues, which have never been faced before. The article examines the peculiarities of religious revival in the Republic of Kazakhstan over the period of 1990’s – 2000’s. An attempt is made to analyze the reasons of large-scale desecularization, unprecedented growth of the supporters of one or another confessions (including the new religious movements), as well as identify the challenges of statehood in this regards. Attention is also given to the question of impact of the government executive authorities upon confessions in the context of the declared separation from of church from the state, as well as the implemented measures by the authorities pertaining to the establishment of the system of state-confessional relations under the conditions of dynamic expansion of religiosity of population and broad polycultural field.

Keywords: faith, religious conflicts, religious denominations, state-confessional relations, tolerance, revival of religiosity, desecularization, Kazakhstan, interconfessional relationship, interreligious dialogue

Abstract: This article is first to introduce the archive and document sources, leaning on which examines the Russian missionary policy and determines its role in sociogenesis of the North Caucasus region of the XIX century. Special attention is focused on the activity of Orthodox and Catholic missions in the context of ideological policy realized by the Russian state. It is proven that unlike the other Russian regions, the main objects of missionary work in North Caucasus were not the representatives of Islam, but rather Jews and pagans, dissidents and schismatics.  The conclusion is made that the North Caucasus missionary has gone a long path in its evolution. Its establishment was affected by the external and domestic determinants, and namely the policy of the Russian Empire. Spiritual pastors objectively played an important role not only in spread of the faith, but also consolidation of the national peripheries, activation of state authority in addressing the exigent cultural-educational and socio-economic challenges.

Keywords: Catholic propagandists, socio-cultural life, mountain peoples, political history, Christian mission, missionary organizations, North Caucasus, Russian Empire, pastors, educational policy

Abstract: The object of this research is the sociopolitical concept of P. N. Tkachev. The object is Tkachev’s idea about the driving force of revolution. Special attention is given to the thinker’s opinion regarding the revolutionary potential of the Russian peasantry and its role in the process of social reforms. The author examines Tkachev’s idea of “revolutionary minority”, its meaning and functions in case of liberating the nation and approaching the socialist ideal. The article also views this question in the context of the rebellious doctrine of M. A. Bakunin and propagandist doctrine of P. L. Lavrov. The fundamental theoretical sources of the research became the publications of P. N. Tkachev issued in 1876. The main conclusion consists in the fact that the populist movement led by Tkachev stood apart from a number of other populist doctrines. Its concept about the insignificant role of people in the revolutionary process aroused an acute criticism from the side of other radical thinkers. However, namely Tkachev’s concept became paramount in further development of the Russian revolutionary thought, which followed the indicated direction. The scientific novelty lies in the thesis that Tkachev’s idea of driving forces of revolution was viewed inseparably with his overall political concept alongside in the context of other populist doctrines.

Keywords: Effective populism, Socialism, Revolutionary intelligentsia, Revolutionary minority, Peasantry, Driving force of revolution, Russian Jacobinism, Russian Blanquism, Populism, Tkachev

Abstract: The subject of this research is the British political novel. The bject of this research is the British individualism. The article examines perception of British society in political novels, impact of the political novels on society and social changes in XIX century Britain. Novel as a subject of the research presents a unique possibility to analyze social and political processes perceived through personal judgement. The article covers four novels, which encompass the entire XIX century. These texts allow to track the pace of modernization of the British society, to study the transition of an individual's place within the society and to examine changes of an individual's perception of his mission towards the society. Among the main conclusions are the following statements: 1) British political novel had a profound impact on the formation of British identity; 2) British political novel carries elements of a cultural code within itself, decryption of those allows to present a qualitative analysis and prognosis considering political processes in Britain; 3) British political novel contains valuable conceptual elements, fit for reception and interpretation within the framework of other political and philosophical cultures. Scientific novelty of the research lies in the following: 1) Complex analysis of the novels reviewed in their relation to social modernization has been performed for the first time; 2) Political meaning of two of the four novels reviewed has been evaluated in Russian literature for the first time; 3) Several foreign sources on the problem have been introduced.

Keywords: Godwin, Disraeli, modernization, political economy, individualism, British philosophy, political novel, Dickens, Gissing, ethics