This article delves into specific aspects of complex political processes that unfolded in the interwar decades in British India, serving as the foundation for the subsequent decolonization of Hindustan. Drawing from an analysis of documentary sources and literary works, a comprehensive overview is provided regarding the factors shaping Indian communalism and the conceptual perspectives of its proponents during the period under review. The study concludes on the contradictory nature of colonial policy during this period. On one hand, it contributed to the formation of elements of political culture within Indian society and to some extent laid the groundwork for India’s future federative system. On the other hand, its aim was to deepen divisions among various ethno-confessional and social groups of the Indian population to solidify control over a key segment of the British colonial system. The actions of colonial authorities significantly exacerbated relations between key ethno-confessional groups of the Indian population by the late 1930s, setting the stage for the dramatic post-World War II processes leading to the partition of British India into two sovereign entities. The complex relations between these entities largely shape the contemporary character of international relations in South Asia.

This article focuses on the socio-political life during the terms of the II, III, and IV State Dumas, specifically examining the career and kinship connections within the “Stolypin administration” and the deputy corps. The study covers the period from April 26, 1906, to September 5, 1911, when P. A. Stolypin held the position of Minister of Internal Affairs. It also explores the period from the election of the II Duma on February 20, 1907, to the election of the IV Duma on November 15, 1912, to identify former or future governors or vice-governors among the deputies of the Stolypin era. The geographical scope of the study includes the provinces of European Russia. The authors aim to analyze the relationship between bureaucratic and political elites during the Stolypin era. The article examines the career biographies and factional affiliations of Stolypin administrators connected to the Duma, as well as the kinship ties between the governor corps and Duma deputies. The authors conclude that provincial administrators were predominantly associated with the Union of October 17 and right-wing factions, with most not seeking to pursue parliamentary careers. Typically, these were public figures who had previously held positions in local government and nobility self-government before serving in provincial administration.

The article explores the issue of public attitudes of Soviet citizens towards measures of state financial policy. It examines the sentiments of USSR citizens after the cessation of campaigns related to the issuance of government bonds from 1946 to 1957. The primary sources of information were letters from citizens addressed to Soviet government bodies, as well as diary entries. The study relies on methodological achievements in the “history of emotions.” It was revealed that after the abolition of compulsory subscription campaigns for domestic state loans, the key issue became the repayment of the state debt. It is shown that citizens placed high hopes on the revision of decisions by N. S. Khrushchev after his resignation in 1964. Their attempts to engage in dialogue with authoritative structures and leaders were made repeatedly before the official redemption began, but they did not contribute to a review of earlier decisions until 1974. The study demonstrates that the gradual redemption of bonds in the 1970s-1980s contributed to the establishment of a social compromise, and the practice of mass loans transformed from a measure of current financial and social policy into a subject for historical reflection, discussion, and nostalgia.

This article explores the formation and development of transregional relations of territorial communities of France with Eastern countries and regions. It examines the interplay of centrifugal and centripetal tendencies in the “center-regions” relationship of the French Republic. The analysis focuses on the normative framework of international and foreign policy activities of French territorial communities based on national constitution and legislation. Traditional close ties of French regions with partners from European countries are discussed, with a special emphasis on collaborations with countries in Eastern and Southern Mediterranean, as well as North Africa. Partnership with distant Eastern territories is separately examined. The study is based on a comprehensive methodology incorporating principles of historicism, objectivity, comprehensiveness, historical-systemic and historical-comparative approaches, as well as theoretical foundations of multilevel governance theory. It includes an examination of the activities of various administrative units in France: regions, departments, municipalities, cities, and metropolises. The conclusion drawn is that the international activities of French regions are currently less active than those of regions in other European Union countries; however, in the 21st century, they have significantly intensified compared to previous periods.

This study examines the leisure activities of Nizhny Novgorod residents during the NEP era. Various forms of urban leisure and their connections to state ideology are characterized. A total of 31 sources were analyzed, including legislative sources, statistics, and periodicals. Sources included articles from criminal and administrative codes, statistical data, and Nizhny Novgorod press. An overview of Nizhny Novgorod periodicals from 1921-1924 is provided. Results of a comparative analysis of legislative materials, statistical data, and periodicals are presented. Emphasis is placed on the ways and methods of shaping urban culture in line with state ideology. The issue of deviant behavior among city dwellers and its causes is raised. It is highlighted that new holidays aimed to replace religious celebrations. The study shows that the values of the urban community were influenced by ideological beliefs and spread through new leisure forms. It is proven that the structure of urban festivities contributed to the establishment of new societal values. The authors conclude on the significance of organized leisure in creating a socio-cultural urban environment. The role of periodicals in popularizing urban leisure forms is demonstrated. The relevance of the study lies in exploring the connection between ideology and the organization of urban leisure.

This comparative analysis examines data on the workforce in two regional economies (Bashkiria and Udmurtia) during the years 1940-1955. The selected period is unique due to the extreme transition from peacetime to wartime economies and back. Special attention is given to analyzing the indicator of “average monthly wage levels”. Materials from leading federal archives and one regional archive were utilized. A detailed comparison of indicators between the two regions is conducted. It was found that before the war, industry played a significantly larger role in Udmurtia's economic structure compared to Bashkiria, but during the war years, the proportion of industrial workers in Udmurtia only slightly increased, while in Bashkiria it more than doubled (a consequence of evacuees being relocated). The study reveals that during the examined period, sectors such as construction and geological exploration developed at a significantly faster pace in Bashkiria compared to Udmurtia. In 1940, the largest sector by number of workers and employees was the industrial sector, with the educational system coming in second place, playing a key role in preparing the workforce. The conclusion drawn is that by the end of the study period, a positive outcome was achieved with living standards surpassing pre-war levels.

This study presents an analysis of the content of handwritten records from Muslim metric books of the mid-19th century at the Komarovskaya Yurt Mosque in Tobolsk Province. The analysis focuses on the second part, which includes information on marriages and divorces. Building upon previous research analyzing birth data from the first part of mosque records, this work introduces, for the first time, data on marriages and divorces of residents of Western Siberia belonging to a single ethnic group: the mosque’s parishioners were Bukharans — migrants from Central Asia. A total of 116 marriage records and six divorce records were analyzed. The statistics suggest that the institution of marriage was stable. The study reveals the ages of those getting married, marriage conditions, dowry amounts paid, reasons for divorce, and polygamy practices. It is proven that despite the lack of surnames among the Tatar population in the 19th century, recording the names of marrying individuals, their fathers, witnesses, and social status in mosque records allows for the identification of each individual. Interfaith marriage contacts were not recorded during the analyzed period. The relevance of this research lies in providing new insights into Muslim marriage customs and social processes in a specific territory during the specified period.

The article analyzes the works of Vyacheslav Ivanov on Fyodor Dostoevsky. Using the material from the book “Dostoevsky: Tragedy — Myth — Mysticism” (1932), the research principles and interpretive strategies implemented by Vyacheslav Ivanov in interpreting the female characters in Dostoevsky’s novels “Crime and Punishment,” “The Devils,” and “The Idiot” are identified. It is shown that Ivanov’s conception of the artistic features of characters such as Sonya Marmeladova, Alena Ivanovna, Maria Timofeevna, and Nastasya Filippovna are revealed in the context of the “main myth” of the works. The mythopoetic and functional aspects are highlighted as the most significant in Ivanov’s interpretations of the female characters. Additionally, it is argued that the psychological and spiritual characteristics of the heroines are not overlooked by the hermeneutist, as understanding the nuances of their inner world was necessary for him to reveal the mythopoetic functions. Through Ivanov’s interpretations of Dostoevsky’s female characters, it becomes evident that the poet-thinker’s approach to the writer’s works represents a synthesis of philosophical conceptualization and historical-literary perspective.

The concept of rhetorical risk is introduced and actualized within the framework of the rhetorical decoding of the text concept aimed at studying the mechanisms of effective text formation. The phenomenon of textual effectiveness gains particular significance in turbulent periods of human existence. The research material consists of a corpus of mediatexts created during the COVID-19 pandemic and in April 2024 during the devastating flooding in the Southern Urals and Western Siberia. The aim of the article is to identify the zones of rhetorical risks in the text and to identify their indicators. In accordance with the methodological principles of linguorhetorical reconstruction, the zones of rhetorical risks in the text were identified as inventive, dispositival, and elocutive. Indicators of the inventive zone include the implicitness of the speaker’s practical goal-setting and the orthodoxy of the thesis put forward. Indicators of dispositival risk zones include one-dimensionality of argumentation, excessive use of statistical data as arguments, and frequency of related reasoning. The elocutive zone of rhetorical risks arises due to the speakers’ neglect of such a significant communicative criterion for turbulent times as dialogism. The research results can have broad professional applications — from educational activities to mass media and linguo-expert practices.

This study conducts a comparative analysis of the state of the scientific and technical complex of the USSR and leading Western countries in the 1960s based on declassified archival materials. It identifies the main trends in science and technology during this period and the factors that led to the lagging behind of the USSR. Previously unpublished archival documents are introduced into scholarly discourse. It is demonstrated that the data sent to the country’s leadership by leading specialists and scientists of the Academy of Sciences indicated the USSR’s lag in several crucial directions determining the pace of scientific and technical progress. Key hindering factors cited by experts included insufficient funding, lack of coordination among various agencies, absence of interaction between the defense and civilian sectors of science, and planning miscalculations. The conclusion is drawn that this list can be supplemented with reasons such as inadequate competence of some top-level government officials, departmental approach, shortage of specialists in key areas, and disregard for recommendations from leading scientists. Meanwhile, trends in the development of the scientific and technical sphere in the USA and other leading countries indicated the establishment of national innovation systems as highly effective mechanisms for accelerating scientific and technical progress.