Changing Functions of a Border Festival: Insights from Friendship/Slavic Unity Festival at the Triple Border of Ukraine, Russia and Belarus

Digital transformation of socio-economic processes is the basis for sustainable development of regions in the digital age. The foundation for such a transformation is the information and communication infrastructure and, first of all, the mobile Internet. The technological growth of mobile networks has provided a rapid increase in the number of users around the world, contributing to further digitalization. With the development of digital technologies, research in the field of human geography has received a new impetus. The impact of the Internet on all spheres of life has necessitated a rethinking of the existing geographical approaches to the study of physical space and the emergence of a new object of research — digital space. On the one hand, the latter is closely connected with traditional institutions and systems. On the other hand, it is characterized by its own patterns of construction and functioning. The problem of delimiting the boundaries of cyberspace makes it difficult to manage digital processes taking into account territorially determined needs and interests, while the current socio-economic unevenness of regional development results in the digital divide. Border regions, maneuvering within the dichotomy of ‘frontier — integration bridge’ models, can gain additional benefits from the development of digital infrastructure in the context of realizing their integration potential. This article assesses the geography of the mobile internet in Russia and its connection with the development of border regions. The authors use geo-information, statistical, and econometric analyses to assess the impact of mobile technologies on interregional information transfer, commodity-money flows, and migration. The study demonstrates the diversity in the availability of mobile internet access among residents in various categories of border and interior regions. Furthermore, the research establishes a link between the quantity of transmitted digital data, the import-export of goods and services, international migration, and two key metrics: the accessibility of 4G mobile internet and the number of mobile subscribers. The article pinpoints specific border regions within the Russian Federation, including Krasnodar Krai, Leningrad, Kaliningrad, Novosibirsk, Smolensk, Rostov, Chelyabinsk, Voronezh, Samara, and Kursk regions. These regions exhibit pronounced potential for executing integration functions through the advancement of digital technologies, particularly under favourable geopolitical conditions.

Subject. The importance of foreign trade for the border regions. Objectives. Assessment of exports and imports by the main commodity groups in relation to the border and inland regions of Russia. Methods. Methods of synthesis, analysis and generalization were used. Results. The Grubel-Lloyd indices were calculated for the main commodity groups and on average for the border regions. It is shown that the existing commodity structure of exports and imports of border regions is unfavorable for their economic development. Quantitative characteristics of the participation of border regions in Russia's international trade can be assessed as significantly lower than those of inland regions. Conclusions. To increase the effectiveness of the participation of border areas in Russia's foreign trade, a differentiated approach to regional policy is needed, in which border areas are considered as a specific object.

Cross-border development is significantly influenced by global events, such as 1990s transformations, when different inland areas across the world became borderlands. Further, due to 2014 geopolitical changes, the Russian Federation had to establish a new institutional framework regulating the border regional development. The research aims to assess the impact of strategic factors on socio-economic development of these regions. For that purpose, we analysed 47 of 50 Russian border entities divided into two groups of old and new (established after the collapse of the USSR in 1991) border regions. We hypothesise that the factors considered as strategic in these territories manifest differently in old and new border regions. Empirical data, obtained from the Federal State Statistics Service and Unified Interdepartmental Statistical Information System, cover the period from 2000 to 2018. The simulation was conducted using the statistical package Stata 14. We analysed five groups of factors (transport infra- structure, small business, foreign trade, tourism, ecology) as well as corresponding indicators. Gross regional product per capita in comparable prices of 2018 was considered as a dependent variable. Then, we assessed three models explaining the impact of the examined factors on old and new border regions individually and in combination. For each model, pooled regression, as well as random and fixed effects models were constructed. Conducted simulations revealed that the fixed effects models best describe the analysed data. The research results confirmed the hypothesis, showing that transport infrastructure and tourism are more important for new border regions, while the factors of ecology, small business and foreign trade have a greater impact on the development of old borderlands.

The article analyzes Russian perceptions of the Chinese threat to Siberia and the Far East and addresses the questions of who, how and why posts content related to China's negative influence on Russia's border regions on Youtube. The author collected the most popular videos on Youtube using the keywords "China" and "Siberia"/"Far East". Then, on the one hand, the video's producers, themes and images of the present and future were classified, and, on the other hand, there was analyzed what kind of subject they create and what they criticized through statements about the Chinese threat. The analysis shows that knowledge about the Chinese threat is performative, i.e. it creates a new reality and stimulates the production of new content on Russia, Russian foreign policy and policy on the development of the eastern territories. Statements about the Chinese threat cannot be attributed to any ideology and, due to their high political potential, can be mobilized by any political forces. Three variants of the Chinese dystopia of Russia's eastern regions can be distinguished: 1) China has already secretly occupied these territories, 2) Russia is gradually losing these territories, and 3) China is preparing a rapid military invasion of Russia's border regions. The propagators of the China threat do not focus on China, the Far East, or Siberia. They create a completely different subject - either the Russian state with a dysfunctional central government and corrupt bureaucracy, or the enemies of the Russian state, including the Russian opposition. China is at best imagined as an ideal Other that enjoys geopolitical advantages over a weak neighbor due to the cohesion and industriousness of the nation, the capacity of the government and good leadership, i.e., all the characteristics that the video's authors believe Russia lacks.

. Religion is still an important sociocultural phenomenon, and religiosity continues to be an important context for understanding social processes. There are numerous studies in foreign literature that focus on gender specifics of religiosity, but in Russia this topic is less explored. Specific socio-economic and cultural conditions in the Russian border regions form the need for in-depth analysis of the population's religiosity. All this determined the purpose of this article – to assess the general trends and regional specifics of religiosity of women living in the border regions of Russia. Based on a survey of 1000 women living in the Republic of Altai, the Republic of Tyva, Altai Krai and Novosibirsk Oblast, the characteristics of women's religiosity in the border regions were analyzed. The study showed that, in general, women in Russia's border regions are not highly religious and are not inclined to demonstrate religious behavior. The specific regional characteristics are that the most religious women live in the Republic of Tyva, and close to them, but slightly less religious, women from the Republic of Altai. The lowest level of religiosity in all parameters was recorded among women living in the Novosibirsk Oblast.

Relevance. In the attempt to withstand sanctions pressure and the continuing decline in the relationships with European states, the Russian government has switched the focus of its foreign economic policy to the south-eastern partners, including Kazakhstan. Research objective. The study aims to evaluate the readiness of the Russian border regions for more active cross-border cooperation with regions of Kazakhstan; to draw an inventory of the main forms such cooperation can take; and to describe the prospects of this cooperation in the context of the increasing integration processes in border regions. Data and methods. The article compares the dynamics of socio-economic indicators and qualitative characteristics of Russian border regions and summarizes the experience of cooperation between Russian and Kazakhstani border regions. The study relies on the methods of systems analysis and comparative analysis and uses the official data of regional Kazakhstani and Russian governments on the socio-economic development of their territories. The study also uses the statistical data provided by the Bureau of National Statistics of the Agency for Strategic Planning and Reforms of the Republic of Kazakhstan and the Federal State Statistics Service of the Russian Federation (Rosstat). Results. The study has brought to light significant disparities in Russian border regions' socio-economic potential, more specifically, in their readiness to participate in the integration processes with regions of the neighbouring state. The proposed conceptual model of cross-border cooperation comprises three levels: transport communication, joint projects, and social services. This model underpins the typology of Russian border regions, highlighting the most promising areas for their cooperation with Kazakhstan and the main impediments to such cooperation. By applying this model, we have identified the main growth points and bottlenecks in interregional cooperation along the state border and described the key trends in the development of the given countries in the context of global risks. Conclusions. The cross-border cooperation model can provide a framework for the development of projects aimed at enhancing the productivity of the relationships between the two countries. These findings may be used to evaluate the readiness of border regions to establish productive, mutually beneficial relationships with regions of the neighbouring state. They may also be of interest to policy-makers, national and regional government agencies.

Community and individual considerations in legislation and test policy regarding HIV-infection in the Nordic countries--a cross national comparative study.

Community and individual considerations in legislation and test policy regarding HIV- infection in the nordic countries - a cross national comparative study

The article analyses the institutional aspect of cross-border cooperation on the Russian borders and considers various forms and types of cross-border interactions. The author shows how the geopolitical crisis in relations with the West and the Russian "turn to the East" have affected and may still affect the evolution of cooperation institutions. The author concludes that in order to intensify cooperation on the Russian borders, it is necessary to form a special Russian good neighborhood policy, which, using a programme and project approach, will make cross-border cooperation both a means of development of Russia's border regions and a mechanism for promoting the country's foreign policy interests in neighbouring countries.

The Russian Federation borders with 18 foreign countries. Seven of them are NATO members as of March 2024. The state border of Russia passes through the territory of almost half of the constituent entities of the Russian Federation. The shelling of the territory of the Russian Federation by the armed forces of Ukraine radically changes the situation in the sphere of not only of military, but also of socio-economic security, primarily in the border regions of Russia. The issue of their protection, elimination of weaknesses and organization of society’s life in a new, unstable, largely unfavorable external environment is especially acute. The formation of resources necessary for solving these issues largely depends on the current level of economic development of the country and its border regions. The author’s purpose was to illustrate some aspects of the economic situation in the border regions of the Russian Federation, given the current circumstances where Russia’s adversaries are attempting to create areas of tension near the Russian borders, exemplified by Ukraine, Poland, and the Baltic States. To achieve this goal, the author solved several tasks. They are: selecting the subjects of the Russian Federation to be studied, determining the set of statistical indicators to be analyzed, and determining the length of the dynamic range for each indicator. We also constructed the dynamics of change for these selected indicators. The results of the author’s analysis of seven statistical indicators that reflect the socio-economic situation in 36 selected border regions of the Russian Federation are presented below. The analyzed statistical data are taken for the period from 1995 to 2021. The economic and statistical research was carried out on the basis of data from the Federal State Statistics Service of the Russian Federation, most of which are published in statistical collections “Regions of Russia. Socio-economic Indicators”. The article shows that a number of the studied parameters indicate the need to strengthen the economic power of the Russian border regions in modern and possible future conditions. The obtained results can be useful for legislative and executive authorities of the Russian Federation and the subjects of the Russian Federation in the development and implementation of the development policy of regions that have a particularly important strategic importance.

Provision of primary care in different countries

The prevalence and correlates of alcohol use disorders in the United States and Korea—a cross-national comparative study

BackgroundInvolving mental health service users in planning and reviewing their care can help personalised care focused on recovery, with the aim of developing goals specific to the individual and designed to maximise achievements and social integration. We aimed to ascertain the views of service users, carers and staff in acute inpatient wards on factors that facilitated or acted as barriers to collaborative, recovery-focused care.MethodsA cross-national comparative mixed-methods study involving 19 mental health wards in six service provider sites in England and Wales. This included a survey using established standardised measures of service users (n = 301) and staff (n = 290) and embedded case studies involving interviews with staff, service users and carers (n = 76). Quantitative and qualitative data were analysed within and across sites using descriptive and inferential statistics, and framework method.ResultsFor service users, when recovery-oriented focus was high, the quality of care was rated highly, as was the quality of therapeutic relationships. For staff, there was a moderate correlation between recovery orientation and quality of therapeutic relationships, with considerable variability. Staff members rated the quality of therapeutic relationships higher than service users did. Staff accounts of routine collaboration contrasted with a more mixed picture in service user accounts. Definitions and understandings of recovery varied, as did views of hospital care in promoting recovery. Managing risk was a central issue for staff, and service users were aware of measures taken to keep them safe, although their involvement in discussions was less apparent.ConclusionsThere is positive practice within acute inpatient wards, with evidence of commitment to safe, respectful, compassionate care. Recovery ideas were evident but there remained ambivalence on their relevance to inpatient care. Service users were aware of efforts taken to keep them safe, but despite measures described by staff, they did not feel routinely involved in care planning or risk management decisions. Research on increasing therapeutic contact time, shared decision making in risk assessment and using recovery focused tools could further promote personalised and recovery-focused care planning.This paper arises from a larger study published by National Institute for Health Research (Simpson A, et al, Health Serv Deliv Res 5(26), 2017).

Border regions in modern conditions have a special status which is determined by the geopolitical position. The Russian-Finnish borderland was characterized by a high level of activity, which provided the border regions with opportunities for economic growth. The development of the border regions of Russia and Finland diff signifi by socio-economic indicators. A comparative analysis will make it possible to assess the existing gap between the territories and identify possible areas for cooperation between the territories. The object of the study is the border regions of Russia and Finland. The aim of the study is to assess the economic development and diff processes of the border regions of Russia and Finland. The study collected a system of indicators to analyze the development of border regions, which made it possible to assess the level of socio-economic development of border regions of Russia and Finland. The analytical work used the data of Rosstat, Finstat, on the basis of which the database on socio-economic indicators of development of border regions was collected. The comparative assessment was carried out by applying the method of factor analysis (L. Thurstone’s centroid method). Analytical work was carried out with the help of the package of applied programs Statistica. Based on a certain set of indicators refl the socio-economic development of the border regions of Russia and Finland, the characteristics were built based on the values of the regions in the space of latent factors and their heterogeneity was assessed. The construction was formed on the basis of the use of factor analysis of integral characteristics that include the socio-economic indicators under study. The conducted study of the assessment of the development of border regions of Russia and Finland has identifi a high level of lagging behind the Russian border regions from the Finnish border regions according to the majority of indicators. An important result is also a signifi diff between Finnish border regions by the cumulative factor “provision of territory with resources”, Finnish border regions showed a signifi gap in relation to each other.

Mongolia is one of the seven countries in Western Pacific regions with high burden of tuberculosis. The earlier research indicates that there is a difference in the distribution of some epidemiologically important subtypes of the Beijing lineage in Mongolia and adjacent Russian regions.Aim of the research: assessment of genotypic structure of M. tuberculosis (MBT) on the border of Russia and central regions of Mongolia.Materials and methods: The DNAs of 143 clinical isolates of MBT from Russian border (46.2%) and central (53.8%) regions of Mongolia have been genotyped by the 24-locus MIRU-VNTR and RD105/RD207. Strains of the Beijing lineage have been analyzed additionally according to the classification by Merker et al. (2015). Results. The study of MBT in Mongolia indicates significant predominance of strains of the Beijing lineage (79.0%) and Beijing MIT 17 subtype (72.6%). However, the strains of the Beijing subtype W148, widespread in Irkutsk Oblast and Buryatia, have not been noted in Mongolia. According to the classification by M.Merker et al., the majority of studied strains of the Beijing lineage (85.8%) relate to the clonal complexe CC4, infrequently detected in Russian border regions. Statistically significant differences between distribution of clonal complexes among border with Russia and central regions of Mongolia have not been detected.Conclusions. Strains of the clonal complex CC4 of Beijing lineage dominate in central and border to Russia regions of Mongolia, this allows assuming that the different geographical regions were sources of MBT strains, prevalent in Mongolia and adjacent Russian regions.