Methodological Tools Research Articles

Critical Qualitative Inquiry: One Attempt to Actualize a Reconceptualization of Research

Critical qualitative scholar-activists’ work toward greater justice is always situated within the neo-liberal structures of the academy and society: even as we strive to reconceptualize research, we exist within its current conceptualizations that instantiate and reify the very oppressions we seek to disrupt. This paper chronicles one researcher’s attempt to reconceptualize research as sacred acts of relationships and relating through challenging the primacy of language, and traditional conceptualizations of disability. Calling on praxis as a complex dynamic of theory and practice—two indivisible parts of being human—I will discuss a research project involving a professional development experience for teacher candidates with disabilities or diagnoses, as a research endeavor that attempted to facilitate research as a sacred act occurring in the relationships formed and relating within, between, and among the people involved and employed methodological tools that do not rely on language as an only source of communication.

Социально-экономическое благополучие как условие формирования потенциального человеческого капитала

The materials of the article are a continuation of a series of the authors’ research devoted to the study of correlation relationship closeness between the level of socio-economic development of the countries and the development of national human capital. Quantitative relationship between the level of socio-economic well-being of the country and development potential of future human capital is the object of attention in the article. Based on the author's interpretation of the concept of "potential human capital" from the standpoint of correlation and regression analysis, influence of socio-economic well-being parameters on the current opportunities of formation and realization of human capital of future generations is considered. Within the framework of the methodological tools of regression analysis, based on calculations of correlation coefficients, there was an attempt to quantify the degree of influence on the dependent variable (potential human capital) of various parameters of socio-economic well–being of countries – per capita income, non-cost characteristics of social development (competitiveness of national economy, level of social progress, level of prosperity, and level of happiness).

Методы исследования психологических особенностей влияния организационного климата отдела караульной службы на исполнение обязанностей

The article is devoted to the methods of research of psychological peculiarities of the influence of the organizational climate of the guard service department on the performance of duties and the use of methodological tools, which allowed to conduct a qualitative research in this area of activity.

Methodological Frameworks and Dimensions to Be Considered in Digital Health Technology Assessment: Scoping Review and Thematic Analysis.

Digital health technologies (dHTs) offer a unique opportunity to address some of the major challenges facing health care systems worldwide. However, the implementation of dHTs raises some concerns, such as the limited understanding of their real impact on health systems and people's well-being or the potential risks derived from their use. In this context, health technology assessment (HTA) is 1 of the main tools that health systems can use to appraise evidence and determine the value of a given dHT. Nevertheless, due to the nature of dHTs, experts highlight the need to reconsider the frameworks used in traditional HTA. This scoping review (ScR) aimed to identify the methodological frameworks used worldwide for digital health technology assessment (dHTA); determine what domains are being considered; and generate, through a thematic analysis, a proposal for a methodological framework based on the most frequently described domains in the literature. The ScR was performed in accordance with the guidelines established in the PRISMA-ScR guidelines. We searched 7 databases for peer reviews and gray literature published between January 2011 and December 2021. The retrieved studies were screened using Rayyan in a single-blind manner by 2 independent authors, and data were extracted using ATLAS.ti software. The same software was used for thematic analysis. The systematic search retrieved 3061 studies (n=2238, 73.1%, unique), of which 26 (0.8%) studies were included. From these, we identified 102 methodological frameworks designed for dHTA. These frameworks revealed great heterogeneity between them due to their different structures, approaches, and items to be considered in dHTA. In addition, we identified different wording used to refer to similar concepts. Through thematic analysis, we reduced this heterogeneity. In the first phase of the analysis, 176 provisional codes related to different assessment items emerged. In the second phase, these codes were clustered into 86 descriptive themes, which, in turn, were grouped in the third phase into 61 analytical themes and organized through a vertical hierarchy of 3 levels: level 1 formed by 13 domains, level 2 formed by 38 dimensions, and level 3 formed by 11 subdimensions. From these 61 analytical themes, we developed a proposal for a methodological framework for dHTA. There is a need to adapt the existing frameworks used for dHTA or create new ones to more comprehensively assess different kinds of dHTs. Through this ScR, we identified 26 studies including 102 methodological frameworks and tools for dHTA. The thematic analysis of those 26 studies led to the definition of 12 domains, 38 dimensions, and 11 subdimensions that should be considered in dHTA.

Trial sequential analysis in anesthesiology and intensive care: a systematic review

Introduction: The reliability of statistical analysis and its results is becoming a focal point in scientific discourse, overshadowing concerns about statistical significance. Systematic reviews and meta-analyses are characterized by a range of serious statistical and methodological limitations, including insufficient statistical power, clinical and statistical heterogeneity, systematic errors, potential low quality of included examinations, limited data availability, and publication bias. In this context, “Trial Sequential Analysis” (TSA) emerges as a promising methodological tool used in combination with meta-analyses to enhance the precision and robustness of scientific conclusions. Objective: The study is aimed to demonstrating potential scenarios for the using TSA and its role in improving the reliability of scientific conclusions through meta-analyses published in Russian journals on anesthesiology-resuscitation, as well as the authors’ own meta-analyses.Methods: This study is a systematic review without a detailed description of the case studies. The search for meta-analyses was conducted using the keywords “meta-analysis”, “mortality”, “delirium”, “sedation”. Two researchers independently reviewed the titles and abstracts of the selected meta-analyses and extracted data. TSA was conducted for all meta-analyses using “TSA software” (Copenhagen, Denmark). Results: 6 studies were considered, and 7 TSA evaluations were performed. Six out of the seven TSA evaluations confirmed the conclusions of the pertinent meta-analyses. In one TSA, the cumulative Z-line did not reach the required sample size, highlighting the need for additional studies to definitively confirm the result. In two TSAs, the sample size in the meta-analysis was insufficient to draw definitive conclusions. The application of TSA in these cases could provide more substantiated and cautious conclusions.Conclusion: This study explores various scenarios for the application of TSA in meta-analyses published in both Russian and international journals in the fields of anesthesiology and resuscitation. The significance of TSA for enhancing the validity and clinical relevance of research findings was substantiated. Received 3 February 2024. Revised 18 March 2024. Accepted 20 March 2024. Funding: The study did not have sponsorship. Conflict of interest: The authors declare no conflict of interest. Contribution of the authorsConception and study design: M.Ya. YadgarovData collection and analysis: M.Ya. Yadgarov, L.B. Berikashvili, P.A. PolyakovStatistical analysis: M.Ya. Yadgarov, P.A. PolyakovDrafting the article: M.Ya. Yadgarov, L.B. Berikashvili, K.K. Kadantseva, A.V. Smirnova, I.V. Kuznetsov, A.A. YakovlevCritical revision of the article: V.V. LikhvantsevFinal approval of the version to be published: M.Ya. Yadgarov, L.B. Berikashvili, P.A. Polyakov, K.K. Kadantseva, A.V. Smirnova, I.V. Kuznetsov, A.A. Yakovlev, V.V. Likhvantsev

“Slippy with Rot”: The Irish Potato Famine and Neo-Victorianism’s Colonial Roots

Abstract In Paul Lynch’s neo-Victorian Famine novel Grace (2017), the protagonist’s encounter with the proverbial root of all evil marks a moment of Gothic horror. Much more threatening than a single dead body, the foul-smelling, rotten potato invokes the gigantic number of corpses the blight produced during the Irish Famine of the 1840 s. Rather than a natural disaster, this must be understood as a direct result of what is often broadly referred to as ‘ecological imperialism’. This article examines the ways in which Grace positions the Famine as both concrete reality and synecdoche of colonialism. The novel traces how the potato blight, caused by the pathogen oomycete Phytophthora infestans, transforms rural Ireland into an uninhabitable wasteland, populated by dehumanised creatures that are rendered disposable. In a second step, I consider the rotten potato as metaphorical of neo-Victorianism’s larger critical potential. As critics have argued, neo-Victorianism is well-suited to intervene in selective and largely nostalgic memorialisations of Britain’s imperial legacies. To do so, however, it must properly acknowledge that the soil on which it plants – the textualities, theoretical frameworks, and methodological tools upon which it draws – is saturated with imperialist ideology to an extent that precludes any critical re-readings of the past and its bearing on the present.

Idealistic Modification of the Materialistic Veda

This article explores the origin and the later developments of the Veda. The objective is to examine the materialist philosophical content of the early Vedas and contrast it with the idealistic readings of the text from later eras. This article discusses the research issues surrounding the historical roots of the Vedic literature and the idealistic changes made to it in later times. The study has used historical materialism as a methodological tool and examined several Vedic verses, relating them to the socioeconomic conditions of the period in which they were composed. The article has analyzed the roots of some terminologies frequently used in the text and their connections to the philosophy of the Veda. The terms bhagavan, rita, Dānam, Havana, Brahman, yajña and name of some gods are frequently used in the Veda and their meanings are analyzed in a particular historical contexts. The article reveals that the Vedic verses are the simple creations of Vedic Aryans and they are associated with the everyday desires of the Vedic people, such as those for food, cattle, rain, safety, prosperity, health, and progeny. The early creation of the Vedic verses are this-worldly and materialistic in content and they are in no way otherworldly and spiritualistic. The meaning of most of the terminologies found in the text has materialistic origin and in course of time, their meanings are converted into opposite. The philosophy of the Veda has its root in the collective mode of production and with the introduction of private property and classes, the text is made an ideological tool of the minority of governing classes. The Veda's original materialistic meaning is altered, and the book is transformed into a spiritual guidebook—an ideological weapon used by the ruling classes to deceive and repress the vast majority of laboring people.

Social Cartographies in Contexts of Violence(s): (Re)mapping Borders and Limits in the Peripheral Barrios of Guayaquil, Ecuador

The establishment and subsequent configuration of peripheral barrios in Latin America are phenomena intrinsic to the history of these nations. Despite the many years that have passed since the first informal settlements, we are far from being able to comprehend the complex realities of their inhabitants. Against this background and by producing two social cartographies, the purpose of this article is to examine the socio-spatial production of peripheral barrios in Guayaquil (Ecuador), particularly Bastión Popular and Nigeria. Drawing on the voices of the inhabitants, these cartographies captured shared experiences and trajectories, revealing the boundaries and bordering processes that (re)produce and condition their social practices in everyday neighborhood space. Social cartographies served as a flexible and suitable methodological tool for symbolizing abstract and concrete elements in the neighborhood territory, establishing connections between the meanings attributed to each neighborhood and the contextual features of the city. The originality of this research and article lies in its use of this methodological tool for understanding these realities in Guayaquil.

Познавательные возможности политологии: к постановке вопроса о российской политической науке

The purpose of the work is to raise the question of the cognitive capabilities of political science and to what extent, in this regard, the methodological tools of political science are an adequate means for studying Russian reality. The methodology of the research was a politico-philosophical approach, which used a retrospective method and discourse analysis. The specificity of the social sciences and humanities implies the existence of value positions of the subject of cognition and determines the practice-oriented orientation of his research activity. The model of reality reconstructed by the scientist is based on a value-colored picture of the world, which directly or implicitly influences the interpretation of facts. Political science, being a part of social and humanitarian knowledge, is not devoid of its specificity and is also based on a certain model of the worldview - a paradigm. The science of politics was formed in the bosom of Western society, taking as a basis the corresponding paradigm of thinking. At a certain point, comparative studies begins to occupy a central position in the study of politics, in fact identifying the whole of political science with itself. Its distinctive feature, which has not been overcome to this day, is the attitude to compare the entire diversity of the political world with its own "ideal" of due. Accordingly, everything that does not fit into this value picture of the world is recognized as hostile, backward, imperfect. On such paradigmatic grounds, the study of Russian political life has been carried out for a long time. By adopting such a way of explaining the political sphere of Russian society, we put ourselves in the position of catching up, trying to adjust our own reality to the standards that were formed in other cultural and historical conditions. Based on this, the question arises about the application of the methodology of political science to Russian conditions. Conclusions: the question posed in the work may affect the change of the paradigm in force in Russian political science or, at least, the clarification of its methodological foundations, which opens up a wide scope for research for domestic social scientists.

CORRELATION ANALYSIS OF THE INTERDEPENDENCE OF ECONOMY'S INNOVATION AND CREATIVITY INDICES

Creativity and the generation of innovative solutions are means of solving the problems of slow economic development and resistance to instability that have been observed in recent years. The key role of creativity of individuals and groups of workers as a defining feature of modern economic life is increasingly recognised. There is a consensus that people, as a source of creativity, are now a critical resource of the new era. In the new model of economic development, creativity, knowledge and free access to information are seen as powerful drivers of development and catalysts of globalisation. The subject of the research is to study the relationship between innovation and creativity in the economic sphere. In particular, the article examines how the creativity of various economic subjects affects the level of innovative indicators, which synthetically reflect the possibilities of achieving the goals of innovative development. The research methodology includes the use of global reports on innovation and creativity indices, as well as scientific sources on this topic. The study uses the methods of critical analysis of scientific papers and international rankings, comparison and correlation of interdependent indicators. The purpose of the research is to assess the relationship between creativity and the level of innovative indicators, which synthetically show the possibilities of achieving the goals of innovative development. Creativity of business entities and mechanisms for generating innovative solutions are determining factors of success of modern post-industrial societies. In most developed countries, long-term economic growth is supported by innovation and creativity of various economic entities. To create the research algorithm, the authors defined the chain of concepts "sustainable development – innovation – creativity". To assess and analyse creativity, the study uses methodological tools that can be applied in global and local contexts. The most well-known indices are the Global Innovation Index (GII), the Global Creativity Index (GCI), the City Creativity Index (CCI), and the Hong Kong Creativity Index (HKCI). The general correlation coefficients between the global innovation index and the creativity indices of some countries have been calculated. According to the results of the calculations, the correlation coefficients of creativity and innovation are very positive. They are closely related and belong to the group of significantly correlated indicators. This means that there is a very high correlation between innovation and creativity in the economies studied. Conclusions. The positive correlation between innovation and creativity indices confirms, in general and in specific terms, a close relationship between innovation and creativity in the economies of different countries. This may indicate that countries or regions with a higher level of economic development have higher rates of creativity and vice versa. The research demonstrates the importance of innovation for the development of creativity in the economy. Understanding this interaction can serve as a basis for designing strategies and policies aimed at promoting innovative development and the growth of creative potential. The economies of Poland, Bulgaria and Ukraine, which were studied in detail, are not innovative enough. The countries studied represent different levels of economic development and are in the phase of post-industrial development, which requires effective innovation policies and measures to support creativity. In order to increase the level of innovation and creativity, it is necessary to involve national governments and organisations (especially the European Union) that can contribute to this. The conclusions point to the need to develop comprehensive approaches to support innovation and creativity in the economies of the countries studied. This may include not only effective strategies to stimulate research and development, but also policies aimed at the cultural environment, education and other areas.

Economic and technological modernization and transformation of Russia in the context of a new reality

Purpose: through the prism of new knowledge generated by the author, to explore possible ways of modernization and transformation of Russia in the conditions of the new reality: conducting the special military operation, the sharp confrontation with the collective West, the series of sanctions and counter-sanctions, the new economic course – supply-side economics, the Concept of technological development until 2030 and development of neural network artifi cial intelligence. The article is a natural continuation and an integral part of the research conducted by the author over several decades and dedicated to finding ways to a future without crises and destructive wars for Russia and the global world. Methods: the article uses a complex of general scientifi c methods, including analysis, generalization, comparison, etc. The research is based on the results of the author’s previous works and is relies on the methodological tools formed in them – new knowledge, a new scientific paradigm (NSP). Results: the author analyzed the state of Russia in the context of the need to gain economic and technological sovereignty. It is shown that there remains a lack of eff ective ways out of the deepest crisis and understanding the future in economic, scientifi c and technological aspects. Analysis of Russian and foreign publications through the prism of new knowledge made it possible to once again prove that the future of the world does not lie in the development of artifi cial intelligence, but in the transition to a new development paradigm (NDP) and comprehensive human development in a new model of life. Conclusions and Relevance: the conclusions of the author’s previous research on the need to transition to a new development paradigm were confi rmed. New evidence has been obtained that Russia, in the conditions of the new reality that began in February 2022, has become even closer to switching to NDP, the meaning and goal of which is the person himself, within the framework of which his highest need is satisfi ed – to become perfect in the physical, intellectually and spiritually.

Научно-биографический метод в психологических и правовых исследованиях: от ретроспективного и многофакторного анализа до методологического инструментария оценки качества

<p style="text-align: justify;">The purpose of the article is to determine the scientific and applied potential of the biographical method, and its capabilities in solving a number of methodological and applied problems in the field of psychology and law. Scientific argumentation is based on the use of the key elements of substantive, retrospective, multifactorial, axiological and comparative analysis. An analysis of the phases of personal and social development is presented, each of which determines the composition and nature of the impact on the individual or social relations, depending on the specifics of their basic features in socially sensitive areas. The methodological indicators are identified that are correlates of the scientific and theoretical significance of modern research. The biographical method acts as an independent genre of studying the works of sciences that are significant for these sciences, and as a method of displaying the characteristics of the human factor and social relations. The method is aimed at solving an important methodological problem about the importance of the personality and social relations in the development of science. The applied significance of the method lies in the fact that it acts as an indicator of the quality and as the methodological tools of scientific research in the field of psychology and law.</p>

МЕТОДИЧНИЙ ІНСТРУМЕНТАРІЙ ОЦІНЮВАННЯ ЕФЕКТИВНОСТІ РОЗБУДОВИ ТЕРИТОРІЙ, ЩО ВІДНОВЛЮЮТЬСЯ

Statement of the problem. Assessing the effectiveness of the development of recovery territories is becoming relevant, especially in the context of the transformation of the state regional policy. That will necessitate the development of appropriate methodological support. The aim of the article is to form and test a methodological toolkit for assessing the effectiveness of the development of recovery territories in the context of transformation of the State regional policy on the basis of the developed triad. The object of the study is the territories subject to restoration in the context of the transformation of state regional policy. Methods used in the study: comparative analysis, detailing and generalization, comparison and grouping, etc. The hypothesis of the study was the assumption that the assessment of the effectiveness of the development of recovery territories in the context of the transformation of the state regional policy should be carried out on the basis of the triad of effective development of recovery territories and the corresponding algorithm. Presentation of the main material: systematization of key areas of community recovery in the context of decentralization and European integration allowed to develop a tirade for the development of recovery territories on the basis of the effectiveness of "compliance – assessment – synergy". Its main components are interrelated basic predictors of performance achievement, which are grouped together. In order to assess the effectiveness of the development of recovery territories, methodological tools have been proposed: an algorithm for assessing the effectiveness of the development of recovery areas, which provides for the selection of indicators and the formation of an array of empirical data; building an efficiency rating, structuring the gradient of efficiency of recovery areas (quantified efficiency assessments – "highly efficient", "effective", "ineffective" and "ineffective"). Approbation methodological tools for assessing the effectiveness of the development of recovery territories are carried out on the example of communities - recovery territories in the Donetsk region. The originality and practical significance of the study lies in the use of the algorithm as a methodological toolkit, which provides for the transition from static to dynamic assessment, that is, comparison of ratings of recovery territories for different periods of time. Conclusions. The analysis carried out with the help of methodological tools for assessing the effectiveness of the development of recovery territories made it possible to identify not only highly effective and inefficient communities, but also demonstrated the most vulnerable predictors in the context of the tirade "compliance-assessment-synergy". Further research involves the verification of strategies/programs/plans for the development of recovery territories in the context of the transformation of the State Regional Policy with the help of developed methodological recommendations

Integrating Intra- and Interindividual Phenomena in Psychological Theories

Psychological science is divided into two distinct methodological traditions. One tradition seeks to understand how people function at the individual level, while the other seeks to understand how people differ from each other. Methodologies that have grown out of these traditions typically rely on different sources of data. While both use statistical models to understand the structure of the data, and these models are often similar, Molenaar (2004) showed that results from one type of analysis rarely transfer to the other, unless unrealistic assumptions hold. This raises the question how we may integrate these approaches. In this paper, we argue that formalized theories can be used to connect intra- and interindividual levels of analysis. This connection is indirect, in the sense that the relationship between theory and data is best understood through the intermediate level of phenomena: robust statistical patterns in empirical data. To illustrate this, we introduce a distinction between intra- and interindividual phenomena, and argue that many psychological theories will have implications for both types of phenomena. Formalization provides us with a methodological tool for investigating what kinds of intra- and interindividual phenomena we should expect to find if the theory under consideration were true.

What insights can response times provide for education research?

ABSTRACT The main objective of this methodological article is to discuss the contribution of response times as a tool in education research. The use of response times in research is largely a legacy of the work carried out in cognitive psychology, which has made it possible to describe the cognitive processes involved in information processing. In education, research that incorporates response times into its methodological design often has two main objectives: 1) evaluate the automation of basic learning and 2) infer the cognitive processes involved in academic learning, such as working memory and inhibitory control. This article addresses and discusses specific research designs that use response times across various academic disciplines and instructional levels, offering a comprehensive overview of the potential applications of response times in education research. In light of this overview, utilizing response times in education research not only emerges as relevant but also serves to complement existing methodological tools. For instance, such designs can aid in identifying the relative difficulty of different types of learning, understanding the underlying reasons for such variations, and offering valuable insights for developing learning sequences and pedagogical interventions that are more consistent with learning processes.

Understanding careers as translations: the importance of Bruno Latour for the study of careers

PurposeThis paper argues that Bruno Latour’s work on translation provides an alternative to dominant anthropocentric, individualistic and managerial approaches in career studies by considering careers as precarious effects of networks instead of the implicit assumption of individual strategic career actors in extant career research paradigms.Design/methodology/approachThe article first compares the three main current approaches to studying careers – structural functionalist, interpretivist and critical – illustrated by three exemplary empirical studies. Subsequently, three concepts from the sociology of translation that are relevant for the study of careers are introduced: career making as translating interests, careers as effects of networks and career action as dislocated and overtaken. Taken together, these three concepts allow us to conceive of careers as practices performed by human and nonhuman actors. Finally, an example from an ethnographic case study in the field of contemporary art illustrates how a Latourian approach can be used.FindingsLatour’s work on translation provides conceptual and methodological tools to investigate career processes and practices in an era of unpredictability.Originality/valueThe paper introduces Bruno Latour’s work on translation to the study of careers.

Characteristics and comparative analysis of methods for calculating lease payments

In modern conditions of development of commodity production, leasing is one of the most promising and simple ways to upgrade fixed assets. However, in the implementation of leasing operations, both the specific features of a particular production and modern models of leasing relations should be taken into account. The main way to increase the efficiency of investments in leasing is to optimize lease payments, taking into account the specifics of production. The success and quality of these operations largely depend on the use of methodological tools based on the use of relevant accounting and analytical support in the conditions of functioning of modern models of interaction of all participants in operations. Based on this, the authors devote this article to the characteristics and comparative analysis of the main methods for calculating lease payments.

China’s Duty-Free Trade Policy to Bangladeshi Products: A Potential Trade and Economic Effects Analysis Using Partial and Computable General Equilibrium Model

China is one of the critical and strategic trading partners of Bangladesh. The Chinese government has declared a zero-tariff facility for 97% of products imported from Bangladesh. The objective of the study is to analyze the effects of the facilitating trade policy on the trade performance of different sectors of Bangladesh. The study applies partial equilibrium SMART simulations, which are accessible in WITS, and the general equilibrium CGE model with GTAP as the methodological tools to quantify the impact of China’s preferential trade policy on trade and the overall economy of Bangladesh. The results of partial equilibrium analysis show that the preferential trade policy substantially positively impacts Bangladesh’s exports to the Chinese market. The results also suggest that the change in total trade under China’s new preferential trade policy is around $58.99 million, with a trade creation of $ 52.16 million and a trade diversion effect of US$ 6.83 million. The CGE analysis results show that China’s new trade policy will have little impact on Bangladesh’s real GDP, and the effects of the policy on exports vary across different sectors. However, the overall effects suggest that Bangladesh will earn a net welfare gain due to China’s new duty-free trade policy in Bangladesh. The findings of the study provide crucial policy suggestions on whether China’s latest tariff facilities will substantially impact the trade and economy of Bangladesh as well as provide foundations for analyzing the effects of future bilateral trade agreements.

Крымская тема в русской пейзажной живописи: этапы и особенности творческого освоения (конец XVIII – начало XX веков)

Цель исследования состоит в выявлении особенностей развития российской пейзажной живописи, тематически связанной с Крымом и рассматриваемой как неотъемлемая часть национального культурного наследия. В качестве материалов использованы искусствоведческие исследования и репродукции живописных произведений. Исследованы складывавшиеся на протяжении всего XVIII в. важнейшие факторы, определившие развитие российской пейзажной живописи. Определено, что в русском изобразительном искусстве крымские сюжеты появляются после вхождения полуострова в состав Российской империи. Выявлены и последовательно проанализированы три этапа формирования образа Крыма в русской живописной традиции. Обоснована преемственность в развитии связанной с Крымом пейзажной живописи, состоящая в передаче знаний и навыков от художников-«первопроходцев» к ученикам. Установлены особенности, определяющие специфику крымской пейзажистики в рассматриваемый период. The aim of the study is to identify the features of the development of Russian landscape painting, thematically related to Crimea as an integral part of the cultural heritage of Russia. The complex of materials used included works of art history and collections of reproductions of paintings. The methodological tools involve a combination of systemic, historical-genetic and comparative-historical approaches, with the modern idea of cultural heritage, which represents an unconditional value for any people that must be preserved and passed on from generation to generation, being at the forefront. The most important factors that determined the development of Russian landscape painting and took shape throughout the 18th century have been identified (reforms of Peter the Great accompanied with the secularization of art, the establishment of the Academy of Arts and the presence in Russia of professional visual artists). It has been determined that Crimean subjects appear in Russian fine art after the peninsula became part of the Russian Empire. Three stages in the formation of the image of Crimea in the Russian pictorial tradition have been identified and analyzed: (1) the activities of landscape painters who depicted Crimean landscapes at the end of the 18th century (Mikhail Ivanov and Fyodor Alekseev), (2) the works of Ivan Aivazovsky, and (3) the legacy of representatives of the Cimmerian school of painting (Konstantin Bogaevsky, Maximilian Voloshin, and others). The continuity in the development of landscape painting associated with Crimea is substantiated, which consists in the transfer of knowledge and skills from “pioneer” artists to their students. It has been established that, at the first stage of its evolution, the art of landscape associated with Crimean subjects developed thanks to the desire of artists to demonstrate their own individuality, their skills in working in the natural landscape, a sense of civic responsibility, and the unique features characteristic of the Crimean nature. The features that define the specifics of Russian landscape painting thematically related to Crimea have been identified: (1) Crimean landscape painting was formed as a result of the activities of artists-“video-painters”, carried out on the initiative of the state; (2) the special place of the Crimean landscape in Russian fine art is due to the uniqueness of the landscapes and subjects depicted; (3) the evolution of landscape painting based on Crimean subjects, thanks to the practice of student succession, influenced the development of the entire national painting tradition.

Social Communicative Contexts between Technological Determinism and the New Media

The advent of the new media is a major paradigm shift in human communication and the traditional media that sustained communication from the earliest times till today. Human social progress is almost entirely dependent on the nature of communication that exists in the society. No society survives without a good system of managing information within it as no meaningful encounter and engagement that can drive growth and development can occur without the media. The 21st century brought in its wake several innovations in the information and communication technologies that totally changed the nature of communication, its processes, practice and management. This paradigm shift has given birth to new orientations and attitudes which have combined to create the notion of technological determinism which is the belief that technology is the principal initiator of the society’s transformation. This view of the society is usually attributed to the American sociologist, Thorstein Veblen, who argued that there is a causal link between technology and the society. He opines therefore that all social transformations in the society are controlled by technology and the new media orientation it has birthed. Using content analysis as its main methodological tool, this paper examines the nature of communication, its role in the human society and the interaction between it, its media and the society which is its theatre of action. It argues that the new media technologies and the society have a symbiotic relationship that has altered, redefined, refashioned and redirected social communicative contexts in such a way that has changed the way the human society and individuals act and react leading to a total overhaul of the ways everything is done-trading, teaching, learning, paying taxes, interacting and negotiating. It concludes that social communicative contexts are not distorted by the new media but are rather recontextualised by affirming existing identities and creating new roles in stimulating specialised communication.