International Scientific Relations Research Articles

Analysis of foreign scientific relations and business trips of the Riga Medical Institute from 1950 to 1991

Relevance. The relevance of the study lies in the fact that the role of foreign scientific contacts and professors' trips from 1950 to 1991 in the context of bibliographic sources underlines the tasks of the teaching character of the Riga Medical Institute. Since one of the least studied periods in the history of Latvian medicine with its ideological specificity is the period from 1950 to 1991, only individual studies can be found, including the history of the Riga Medical Institute and the Latvian State University in the monograph “From University to University”. The 60-year presence of Latvia in the USSR is often interpreted and idealized in two ways. Purpose. The purpose of the research is to consider the analysis of foreign scientific relations and business trips of the faculty of the Riga Medical Institute in the period from 1950 to 1991 in terms of bibliographic sources. For trips of scientific and teaching staff of the Riga Medical Institute outside the USSR, in the period from the establishment of the RSU until the restoration of the independence of the Republic of Latvia in 1991, is characterized by connection with the political situation of the USSR system in international scientific relations. Methodology. The modern world has great opportunities for international cooperation and freedom of movement. Results. Students and Western scientists lack an understanding of the complex possibilities of scientific and academic staff of the Riga Medical Institute for scientific communication with researchers outside the USSR. Therefore, this topic has already attracted the attention of other European researchers. Conclusions. Practical significance lies in the updating of problems of foreign scientific relations and business trips of professors and teachers of the Riga Medical Institute in the period from 1950 to 1991 on the basis of new primary sources.

International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) and its contribution to the development of Humanitarian Diplomacy

This article deals with the role of the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) in the development of humanitarian diplomacy. As one of the largest humanitarian organizations in the world, the IFRC plays a key role in coordinating and providing assistance in emergencies, as well as in strengthening international cooperation and advocacy. The article analyses the main areas of IFRC activities, including its efforts to provide humanitarian assistance in areas of armed conflict, natural disasters and other crisis situations. The mechanisms of the Federation's interaction with state structures, international organizations and non-governmental actors are considered, and their effectiveness is assessed. Special attention is paid to such aspects as resource mobilization, development and implementation of emergency preparedness programs, and support and protection of vulnerable groups. The author provides a detailed analysis of key initiatives and programs implemented by the IFRC, such as the “More Than Aid” strategy, the “Time for Humanitarian Action” initiative and climate change programs. The article uses general scientific methods and the method of situation analysis, which made it possible to determine the scope of scientific research and clarify the basic concepts and categories associated with the formation and development of the phenomenon of humanitarian diplomacy. In the process of preparing the article, such general scientific methods of cognition as analysis, synthesis, deduction, induction, comparison, analogy, abstraction and generalization were used. A comprehensive and systematic study of the topic of the article is missing in the science of international relations. The article concludes on the relevance of the IFRC's activities for the development of humanitarian diplomacy and gives recommendations for strengthening its role in the future. The author proposes strategic directions to improve the IFRC's engagement with various actors in the international arena and to coordinate humanitarian efforts better globally.

A little about international scientific relations

A little about international scientific relations

Концептуализация публичной дипломатии в конструктивистской парадигме

In this article the author based on the results of his research makes an attempt to conceptualize public diplo-macy through the prism of the constructivist paradigm, one of the main ones in the science of international rela-tions. The author explains the low demand for the recognized paradigms of international relations research in the analysis of public diplomacy (the emphasis on states in the paradigms and the practical orientation of most studies of public diplomacy); reviews the central tenets of constructivism (the priority of social factors and the subjective nature of the international system) and the works in which it serves as a methodological platform. The author comes to the conclusion that in constructivism public diplomacy is interpreted as a means of form-ing, maintaining and adjusting the image of a particular state in the international arena. Its substantive, spatio-temporal and organizational aspects, if we adhere to constructivism, depend on the identity and roles of the actor who develops and implements it.

Science Diplomacy, Global Catastrophic Risks, and Global Governance: A Required Interaction

This study is a focused literature review that looked at scientific papers and books on the link between science diplomacy and global governance in confronting global catastrophic risks and how it was reflected in the development of the contemporary discussion on science diplomacy. Its goal was to contribute to the recommendations on tackling global challenges. To this end, the study focused on the three dimensions of science diplomacy, the nature of the global risks in our hyper globalized world, and the gaps in global governance. The data were drawn from reliable sources and highlighted the qualitative approach to delve into the case. The study (1) defined science diplomacy and outlined its largely unexplored agenda of competition, (2) identified global systemic risks and the weak points in the structure of the complex international system, (3) described the urgent need to fill the gaps in global governance, and (4) explored the roles of both state and nonstate actors in using science in international relations. It thus addressed the interactions between science diplomacy actors and global governance actors. It uncovered aspects of interactions that may clarify the debate about science diplomacy and global governance and may help in tackling global challenges.

Versions of Social Constructivism and Perspectives of Neo-Constructivism in the Theory of International Relations

Social constructivism in the international relations theory (IRT) is the youngest paradigm, which, together with neorealism and neoliberalism, is one of the three most popular theoretical patterns among international specialists. This paradigm explains global transformations and regional noticeable changes by studying the social construction of international reality. Key concepts in constructivism are identity, which shapes the interests of international actors, and intersubjectivity in cross-border relations. Constructivism in IRT considers norms as a factor that constitutes the role and standards of behavior that influence the identity and choice of participants in the global political process. The understanding of norms changes over time, which causes the instability of international relations. However, anarchy in international relations for constructivists is not inevitable; instead it depends on different cultures and practices. The main variants of the classification of social constructivism in IRT are considered. Leading reviewers, as a rule, divide the constructivists into three conditional groups, separately mentioning the Copenhagen School. The first group, “neoclassical constructivism”, according to John Ruggie, included followers of Durkheim and Weber. The second group, “postmodern constructivism”, had roots in Nietzsche’s irrationalism and Foucault’s poststructuralism. The third group, “naturalistic constructivism”, rejected necessity of choosing between internal and external interpretations of social action and social order. Emanuel Adler identified groups of “neoclassicists”, “linguistic modernists” and “supporters of compromise synthesis” among the constructivists. Branching out in several directions, constructivism was very popular in IRT in the first decade of the 20th century, but in the last decade it lost a significant part of its supporters in the struggle with other theories for influence in the discipline. That is why the supporters of the development of the science of international relations at the expense of its further sociologization intensified attempts to renew constructivism. Efforts are being made to develop social constructivism due to the introduction of IRT based on relationalism, practice theory and actor-network theory, which David McCourt tries to use in the book “The New Constructivism in International Relations Theory”. The supporters of a new constructivism in IRT prefer to see the improvements in the appearance of a number of practical constructivist empirical studies tangential to the practice theory, among which the most recent books by Mark Raymond, Mark Shirk and Ayşe Zarakol, working mainly in the genre of historical sociology. The work of neoconstructivist enthusiasts deserves the attention of IRT specialists and the subsequent restrained demand of the public, because it needs the elimination of methodological inconsistencies and reinforcement with serious empirical data from related disciplines.

The Formation of the Chinese Theory of International Relations: A Review of Scientific Discourse

China's political philosophy has its own identity and intellectual tradition. In the science of international relations, China's national developments in the field of theory are gaining popularity. The schools of theories of the People's Republic of China combine traditional national developments with classical theoretical approaches. At the same time, there is a relationship between the growth of China in the international arena and interest in Chinese theories. The author analyzes the main schools of theories of China's international relations. When analyzing theories, the author uses a retrospective approach and compares the main stages of the development of theories with important historical events in the foreign and domestic policy of the People's Republic of China. The author examines the relationship between the dominance of various theoretical approaches of international relations and the foreign policy of the People's Republic of China. The author analyzes the Chinese experience of building national schools of theories of international relations, evaluates theoretical approaches in the context of foreign policy events. The author analyzes the current state of the national school of the theory of international relations in China and the scientific discourse on the assessment of its content in the political science community. The author reveals a pattern between the foreign policy course of the state and research in the field of international relations. The article highlights several reasons for emerging of the active scientific discourse that has developed around the national theory of international relations of China. The experience of Chinese researchers can be used to build theories of international relations in Russia.

Human Security Identification in Maqoshid Sharia Concept as Implementation in Debt Trap of Digital Finance

The aim of the research is to identify the relationship between phenomenon of digital finance, with the study of human security in Islamic concept. Today, cyber crime is one of the phenomena which were the result of globalization. One form of cyber crime is misusing personal data that can be accessed online illegally, for instance through the application of loan applications, digital shopping, or digital wallet. Then, this phenomenon will be analyzed through the study of human security in the science of international relations. The limitation of study focuses on the study of human security, namely personal security and economic security to analyze the phenomenon of people involved in cases of misused personal data through digital financial applications. This study concluded that the awareness of digital financial literacy will greatly help reduce economic inequality between communities which in Islam is studied in the Maqoshid Syariah law, namely Hifdz al Maal. One of the challenges faced by the community is the lack of socialization and important information about the dangers that threaten digital finance. The research used mix method approach with secondary and primary data. The primary data from questionnaire from 61 sample over 17 years old, then delivered in statistic descriptive to see the fact for real, while the secondary data obtained from journals, books, and articles. The analyses is used to determine the correlation between digital financial phenomena in the Maqosid Sharia Concept.

Historical sociology and its impact on international relations.

The challenges facing historical social studies in international relations are multifaceted and have different aspects. As the relationship between the science of social history and the science of international relations is deep, intertwined and interdependent because it relates to the history of societies and their social characteristics that determines its identity, lifestyle, and relationship with its peers from other societies. Therefore, the role that historical sociology plays in serving researchers in the field of international relations is essential. Most international relation theories are based on it.
 Also, the relationship of historical sociology with theories of international relations helps to understand generalizations in the field of international relations. It contributed to its interpretation, analysis and testing throughout history, in addition to the contribution of the science of social history in revealing the laws that control the conduct of events that societies go through during a certain period of time. Through research and analysis, it was found that historical sociology has a positive impact on international relations.
 By providing research material for specialists in this field, the interdependence and overlap between the social sciences makes it difficult to distinguish the boundaries and breaks between them. It also provides ample room for specialists in this field to cooperate with each other.

Понятие власти/могущества и его трансформация в политическом реализме

The article is devoted to the analysis of the transformation of the concept of power in political realism. In recent decades, the International Relations Theory has witnessed an emerging consensus about the nature of this transformation. According to an increasingly popular point of view, classical realists, primarily Hans Morgenthau, interpreted power as power relationships between two individuals that have psychological and normative dimensions. The reform of realism by Kenneth Waltz and other structuralists stripped power of these dimensions, turning it into quantifiable material might. Critics of structural realism interpret such a rethinking as impoverishment and erosion of the concept, fraught with dangerous consequences for the International Relations Science. In their eyes structural realism is nothing more than a disguised ideology of power politics, which could and should be overcome by returning to the roots of the realist tradition and using classical concepts, which are supposedly richer and deeper. The study shows that the transformation of the concept of power can be explained by the objective rather than ideological reasons: in the era of quantitative methods, attempts to define power as something immeasurable were perceived as a rejection of “scientific”. At the same time, classical realism itself already contained the prerequisites for such interpretation of power, which was largely viewed as a might. In comparison to the general theory, Morgenthau's approach to the definition of this concept slightly stands out, but is not fundamentally different. At the same time, Morgenthau’s concept of power in its original formulation is poorly applicable as an analytical tool, revealing a number of contradictions and difficulties associated with the ontological dimension of the project of political realism.

Introducing the New Editorial Team

Introducing the New Editorial Team

Empire, Hegemony, Hyperpower?

Empire and Hegemony are among the crucial notions of science of international relations. Many scholars were investigating those concepts, and attempted to define them and estimate whether they retain explanatory value in contemporary situations of accelerated evolution of international system. Within the system governed by anarchy, those two prepositions were considered partial resolution to destructive tendencies generated within the international environment. Albeit those resolutions, it seems similar, their application required different conditions in order to become effective. Every mentioned above system is a complex and adequate answer to challenge posed by different set of features and variables generated by particular iteration of international system. The question remains: preconditions to occurrence of which system will be generated by late-Westphalian and subsequent generation of international environment? Contemporary iteration projects many individual characteristics, with regard to complexity, globalization and historical acceleration. One of the possible solutions to this issue is the recently introduced concept of Hyperpower, which could be positioned as a system in between those mentioned above. However its creation embraces new quality of international relations not yet encountered during course of history. This paper will be dedicated to the investigation of this concept and its usefulness for scientific analysis of contemporary international relations. Hyperpower embraces geopolitics and transnational in equal measures. It is product of a so-called “virtualization of state” and encompasses tools for effective interaction in both spheres of international environment. It is a generally much more passive system than mentioned above. Its activation consumes astounding amount of resources. Therefore, its primary application is in most cases passive, strictly limited to the shaping of the perception of remaining elements of international system. Keywords: Hyperpower, Hegemony, Empire, late-Westphalian international environment

Permanent Structured Cooperation (PESCO): Expanding Defense Cooperation between European Union Countries

The main objective of the present study is to analyze the European Union defense policy on the example of Permanent Structured Cooperation (PESCO). It will be possible thanks to a comprehensive analysis of individual PESCO projects, participating countries, determinants and perspectives for the development of defense policy. The main hypothesis of the article is that although the strongest military European Union countries, relying on PESCO, seek to expand defense cooperation, this cooperation has no visible impact on increasing their armed forces. The article contains information about the genesis of the European Union Security and Defense Policy and the legal basis of Permanent Structured Cooperation, as well as a detailed list of all PESCO projects with the countries participating in them. An analysis of the implementation of PESCO projects indicates that they are dependent on external factors. This study uses methods appropriate to the science of international relations. Its research tools include an analysis of the literature on the subject, documents, and statistical data.

Energy Market in Contemporary International Relations: Main Threats and Challenges

The main objective of the present study is to analyze the main challenges and threats to the international energy market in the context of transformations in international relations. It will be possible thanks to a comprehensive explanatory and predictive analysis. The study verifies the research hypothesis that the evolution of energy security and the prospects for its development largely result from the relations on the global energy market. Analyses of energy security issues take into account long-term development trends as well as unpredictable events related to the functioning of international economic relations. Thus, the phenomena resulting from the dynamics of the international environment are gaining in importance. New energy systems and new technologies can lead the world towards new challenges and threats. The methodological framework of the conducted research includes research methods appropriate to the science of international relations. The factor method was useful in identifying the determinants of energy security market transformation in the contemporary world. The predictive analysis turned out to be helpful in the part of the thesis on the prospects for the development of the energy market. The research techniques used in the article include the analysis of literature, documents and statistical data.

Levels of Decision-Making Determinants in the European Council of the EU in 2010–2022

The European Union has been recognised as an international system whose decisions and actions are conditioned by environmental determinants, which is a dynamic process of change. The article attempts to explain the EU’s decisions based on the conclusions of the European Council in 2010–2022. 93 documents containing the conclusions of the European Council adopted during that period were analysed. It was found that the determinants of EU decisions and actions function – firstly – at the international system level and, secondly, at the level of the domestic systems of the Member States. In addition, the article: 1) reconstructed the discussion in the science of international relations on behavioural determinants, 2) reconstructed the perception of determinants in the conclusions of the European Council; 3) a model for organising the analysis of the determinants of the decisions of the European Council was proposed.

Архетипы власти

The article is focused on the author’s understand- ing of the phenomena that are the basis of the ideological picture of the world of different social group categories. The author presents the histori- cal stage-by-stage development of the fundamental ideas that are the essence of social identity and, consequently, influence the legitimization of power throughout the organized history of mankind and in modern times. This understanding of archetypes in political science is presented for the first time. The article is built around the concept of “arche- type” and expands its meaning to political and ideological dimensions. Thus, using the methodolo- gy of categories of archetypes, the following forms prevailing in the organized history of mankind were identified: archetypes of the Sun, Church, Nation and Law. Such forms can be a convenient meth- odology in conflictology, political science, and the science of international relations. The presented approach opens a new theoretical direction in these sciences.

Пропаганда антинаучных взглядов Т. Д. Лысенко на страницах французских периодических изданий в 1930-х ‒ 1940-х гг.

The article is devoted to foreign propaganda of T. D. Lysenko’s views on the nature of heredity and variability. Articles from French communist periodicals are used as an example. The article?s relevance is determined by understudied issue of the Lysenkoism promotion in France, although it is known that his doctrine, which was close to Lamarckism, was being implanted after 1948 in the countries of the socialist camp and criticized by the British and American biologists. The historical picture of purposeful promotion of anti-scientific views criticizing fundamental genetics has been reconstructed in materials of French periodicals and documents deposited in the T. D. Lysenko fond in the Archive of the Russian Academy of Sciences (fond 1521). To determine the political factors that influenced international scientific relations between Soviet and French scientists, the documents from the Political Bureau of the Central Committee fond of the Russian State Archive of Contemporary History (fond 3) have been used. When describing popularization of Lysenkoism in France, an integrated approach has been chosen, as it takes into account various factors (political, ideological, cognitive) that determined penetration and reception of scientific ideas. Using newspapers and magazines as historical source have permitted to detail the phenomenon, to supplement the available information with new facts, and to revise established notions. It is shown that T.D. Lysenko’s figure came into the spotlight in the French press as early as the late 1930s, when a campaign began in the Soviet Union against Mendelism-Morganism, called metaphysical-idealistic bourgeois science by the party elite. In those years, such scientists as N. I. Vavilov, G. D. Karpechenko, S. G. Levit, I. I. Agol were arrested and repressed. In 1948, with J. V. Stalin support, Lysenko organized the August session of the All-Union Academy of Agricultural Sciences, where representatives of classical genetics were accused of sabotage. Lysenko claimed that his experiments were aimed at increasing productivity of agricultural crops and solving food security issues. The Soviet bureaucracy saw innovation and bold struggle against old scientific dogmas in populist statements of the “People's Academician.” The fight against genetics was not limited the territory of the USSR, almost all socialist countries were involved. However, the leading scientific powers (the USA and Great Britain) actively resisted penetration of the works of Soviet Lysenkoists into scientific and popular publications. The exception was France, which had long-standing scientific contacts with the Soviet Union. Information on the “victory” of Michurin Biology over genetics at the 1948 Agricultural Sciences Session was widely presented on the pages of French liberal publications. It is shown that the French scientific community was not categorically opposed to Lysenkoism for a number of reasons, among them spread of communist ideas in the country, stability of Lamarckian traditions, cooling diplomatic relations between the USSR and the USA, desire of the Soviet leadership to make France its political ally.

Сущность и причины войн в социал-демократической мысли XX−XXI веков

This article deals with the problem of war and peace in the works of representatives of the social democratic thought of the 20th and 21st centuries. The focus is on the works of Marxists (K. Kautsky, A. Bebel, R. Luxemburg, F. Mehring, G.V. Plekhanov) and neo-Marxist I. Wallerstein, as well as their opponents: realists (C. von Clausewitz, R. Aron, and others) and supporter of liberal idealism W. Wilson, as well as on some studies of contemporary authors. Much attention is paid to defining the essence of wars, their causes, ways to achieve peace, and ideas about the ideal world order. Further, the evolution of social democratic theory on the issue of war and peace in the 20th century is traced. The views of Marxist theorists are compared with those of representatives of other areas of the science of international relations. It is concluded that socialist theory, which is based on the understanding of the essence of war laid down in the works of the founders of Marxism and has much in common with the realist school, has evolved towards liberalism in matters of peace and post-war world order. At the same time, it made a significant contribution to the theory of international relations and not only became the basis for neo-Marxism, but also enriched political realism and liberalism as well as modern science in general with some conclusions. Works of researchers of the 21st century develop and summarize the most important conclusions on war and peace made by representatives of Marxism and other schools of the theory of international relations, which indicates the aspiration of the world scientific community to solve this global problem through joint efforts.

Incorporated by the Mainstream: Constructivism in the Theory of International Relations

he article contains a critical surveying of social constructivism in the theory of international relations with the aim of clarifying the essence, peculiarities and contradictions of the constructivist approach to the analysis of world politics, to find out how social constructivism copes with the main functions of social science theory, to evaluate the productivity and further prospects of the sociologization of theorizing in the science of international relations. It is substantiated that the popularity of social constructivism in Western political science at the beginning of the 21st century is not so much related to the convinced reinterpretation of the dominant theoretical doctrines by its representatives, as to the sharp changes in world politics after the end of the Cold War, which were not predicted and convincingly explained by mainstream paradigms. The main concepts used by social constructivism are considered. Accor-ding to constructivists, the way to understanding changes, actions and behavior of actors in the international arena lies through understanding the intersubjectivity of key elements of global politics, as well as state identities and social norms, the combination of which forms interests. The main contribution of constructivism to international analysis is the theorizing around the structure–agency dichotomy, which leads to the conclusion that international anarchy is not inevitable or immutable. The practical development of the military-political doctrines of the leading actors of global politics takes into account those aspects of international relations that social constructivism is concerned with. In particular, traditional strategic deterrence is tried to reducing a competitor’s perception of the benefits of aggression relative to restraint, as well as to forming the opponent’s proper perception of the combat reliability of the actor and partners; their perceptions of their own ability to control the risk of escalation. Having managed to assert itself, social constructivism, for the sake of re-cognition among researchers and practitioners of international relations, was forced to somewhat moderate its original ontological radicalism. It is emphasized that after abandoning its own epistemology, the set of basic theses of canonical constructivism lacks originality, and it usually fails as a basis for an empirical research program. Concrete examples show that the conclusions of constructivists, as a rule, confirm or duplicate the conclusions of representatives of other paradigms, mostly (neo)liberalistic by origin. This refers to state-centrism, the conceptualization of international reality not as a system, but as a society, the analogy of state behavior with the behavior of an individual, making common cause in fact with soft power concept etc. Social constructivism with an emphasis on the sociologization of analysis has considerable heuristic potential, which the initiators of the renewal of constructivism hope for, but it is too early to talk about constructivism as an independent theory and one of the three main pillars of the science of international relations.

New challenges of international energy security: between continuation and change. Implications of the COVID-19 pandemic

The main research objective of the presented study is to analyse, in accordance with selected theoretical and methodological assumptions, the main challenges of international energy security. This will be possible thanks to a comprehensive analysis in the explanatory and predictive dimension. Analyses of energy security issues take into account long-term development trends as well as unpredictable events related to the functioning of infrastructure and energy technology. Thus, unexpected, sudden phenomena resulting from the dynamics of the international environment gain in importance. The energy security policy has been narrowly defined so far, and thus the issue of thinking in terms of various development opportunities in the raw materials industry is often overlooked. The dilemma related to “non-linear” thinking often ignores a variety of solutions that, taken together, can cause a radical turn in the energy market and its evolution. The methodological framework of the conducted research included research methods appropriate to the science of international relations. The factor method was useful in identifying the determinants of energy security redefinition in the contemporary world. The prognostic analysis turned out to be helpful in the part of the thesis on the prospects for the development of energy security.