Modern Belarus Research Articles

Проблема мови в сучасних білоруських антиутопіях

The article analyzes the novels of contemporary Belarusian writers "Language" (2014) by V. Martsinovich and "St. Patrick's Day" (2017) by G. Sevyarynets. It was found that the structural core of both novels, their central theme and the basis of artistic conflict is the problem of the status of the Belarusian language in society and its prospects. This problem is relevant in modern Belarusian society and raised in numerous works of art, in journalistic and scientific discourse (V. Akudovich, P. Vasyuchenko, G. Sevyarynets, A. Bakharevich, etc.). The authors use of both realistic stylistics and the method of fantastic assumption is substantiated. It is the method that determines the genre nature and socio-critical issues of both works (novel-warning). Narrative techniques, peculiarities of conflict construction and system of images in novels are analyzed. The realization of gloomy predictions of writers about the death of the Belarusian language as the inevitable finale of the long-term marginalization of its status is due to negative fantasy plots. The authors interpret the problem on an individual level - the protagonists and their path to language / relationship with language, and universal - language as a factor in the existence of the nation, language as a marker of identity, loss of historical memory / loss of language / loss of state. The author's strategies of overcoming the crisis situation related to the peculiarities of the functioning of the Belarusian language in modern Belarus are also singled out. G. Sevyarynets promotes language and literature as an invaluable treasure and heritage of ancestors, which should be carefully preserved, studied, nurtured and multiplied. Instead, V. Martsinovich rejects the classical concepts of the nation and language, positions the works of art written in the Belarusian language as a source of pleasure, "high" (language as a forbidden drug), while still fully accessible to the inhabitants of independent Belarus. The research is an attempt to draw attention to the important processes that are taking place today in Belarusian literature and Belarusian society, but leaves room for further comprehensive poetic, ethno- and sociolinguistic analysis of these texts.

Crisis of faith or faith of crisis

Some indicators of the religiosity of the population of Belarus according to the results of opinion polls 2017–2019 are presented. Global characteristics are distinguished against which the religious situation is developing, and a system of factors characterizing the specificity of religiosity in modern Belarus. An attempt is made to forecast a change in religiosity.

The Constitutional Right to Health Protection in Belarus

The article analyzes the constitutional right enshrined in the Fundamental law of the Belarusian state, its Constitution, - the right to health protection. The purpose of the research is to analyze the relevant legal regulations and the problems associated with implementing the right to health protection in the modern Belarus. The paper will examine the constitutional basis of the right to health protection in Belarus, its essence and nature, normative legal acts regulating the analyzed right, problems and prospects of its implementation in light of the current conditions of the Belarusian state. The author considers the constitutional legal principles and constitutional legal norms as the basis of the right to health protection and reveals the essence of the analyzed right. The conclusion substantiates the idea that detailed regulation of the right to health protection is carried out at the level of normative legal acts of the Republic of Belarus adopted by various state bodies. The state of realization of the right to health protection is determined by socio-economic, political and other factors. Identifying a number of problems related to ensuring the right to health protection, the researcher analyzes the prospects for its further development in the Republic of Belarus.

НАСЛЕДИЕ ВЕЛИКОГО КНЯЖЕСТВА ЛИТОВСКОГО В СОВРЕМЕННОЙ БЕЛАРУСИ

The article examines issues related to the perception of the historical and cultural heritage of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania in modern Belarus. It is emphasized that during the years of independence, interest in the history of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania in Belarus has grown. The memory of the era of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania is preserved, including at the official level. As an example, the author points out the implementation of the state program “Castles of Belarus”. By the help of this program a number of projects for the restoration of architectural monuments of the period of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania were implemented. Another example of interest in this era is the construction of new monuments to outstanding figures of the period of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania in different cities of Belarus. A special place in the historical memory of Belarus is occupied by Franciscus Skorina – a famous scientist, educator and printer of the first book in Belarusian language. However, not all heritage sites of the era of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania are equally perceived in Belarus. Thus, the symbolism of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania is, first of all, the coat of arms of “Pahonia”, which was one of the state symbols of Belarus in 1991–1995 – today it is practically not in demand at the state level and is used primarily by opposition political parties and social movements. The basis of the historical policy pursued by the leadership of Belarus remains the appeal to the Soviet experience. Nevertheless, it can be assumed that the era of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania occupies an important place in the historical memory of Belarusians and the interest in this period among the citizens of Belarus will gradually grow.

The Religious Factor in the Politics of Memory in Contemporary Russia and Belarus: Comparative Analysis

The article attempts to analyse the role of the religious factor in the formation and implementation of Politics of memory in modern Russia and Belarus. The urgency of work is caused by the increasing role of the religious factor in the politics of memory of the two States in the first decade of XXI century the research Objective — identify and similarities in the manifestations of the religious factor in the politics of memory of Russia and Belarus. For this purpose, we identified the subjects and mechanisms of interaction of state and religious institutions in the formation and implementation of memory policy. We showed that in Russia, religious organisations have a greater subjectivity in the politics of memory and can form a complementary discourse of memory and expand it at the expense of their system of interpretation of the past. As concerns the religious factor of the processes of political socialisation in the context of the policy of memory we revealed in the interaction of religious organisations of the two countries with the systems of public education and the armed forces. We concluded the similarity of the strategies of this interaction in Russia and Belarus. We showed that in both states, the selective interaction with religious organisations is carried out according to the criterion of their tradition. We also concluded that religious organisations do not form adversarial, but complementary channels of socialisation in the implementation of the state policy of memory. The process of creating a symbolic space and the possibility of participation of religious organisations, especially the Russian Orthodox Church, which is a key actor here, is also analysed. We also studied the religious factor of memory policy in the context of integration of Russia and Belarus. We concluded that the attempts to use it building the value basis of integration on the concepts of the collective historical past have not yet been successful, but such an opportunity remains.

Religious Practices Online: Belarus Experience

The authors deal with the problems of transformation of religion in the information society, in particular, the modification of religious practices updated on the Internet. Digitalization appears in modern society and culture not only as a technical and technological phenomenon, but also as a socio-cultural challenge, which is to be answered by the religious sphere. Under the influence of the global process of digitalization religion, as one of the forms of public consciousness, finds and implements innovative ways of practice. In the structure of these practices, as the authors show in the article, the information and communication element is the most suitable for digitalization. The article reveals the content of the concept of "religious practices" as a continuation of the evolutionary chain of development and transformation of meanings originating in social philosophy: social action – social communication – social practices. The researchers consider the essence of the main provisions of the theory of practices by Theodore Shatsky. The paper reveals the essence of religious practices, describes their features, presents typologies of religious practices on various grounds. The division of social practices into conventional and innovative (according to V. Radaev) as a variant of assessing the prospects and orientation of digitalization in the religious sphere is approved. The phenomenon of digitalization of religious practices is associated with new opportunities to meet the religious needs of the believer. The authors give some examples of digitization of religious practices in foreign religious communities, which demonstrate the capabilities and technological features of this process, reveal its content and likely social consequences. The paper describes the main characteristics of the religious field of modern Belarus, in order to understand the conditions of digitization of religious practices and the presentation of the national and historical specifics of Belarus. The researchers give a brief overview of the representation of religious organizations in Minsk on the Internet (due to the greatest representativeness of religious diversity). They suggest the results of the analysis of the sites of religious communities in Minsk, which make it possible to assess the degree and results of digitization of the religious sphere of Belarus, the readiness of religious organizations to operate in the digital space, the scale of consumption of digital religious products.

3D art cartography in Belarus: The historical development and achievements in the modern period

3D art cartography in Belarus: The historical development and achievements in the modern period

Current Issues of the Eastern Slavs Ethnic History Research During Middle Ages

The statements of a part of modern historians and politicians about the existence of a single Eastern Slavic people in the form of the so-called Old Rus nationality makes it necessary to once again turn to the consideration of this rather difficult problem. First of all, to study at the present scientific level the fundamental principles of such a process in medieval times.The information available today makes it possible to speak of initial impulses in the process of settling in different regions of Eastern Europe and even beyond its borders (in the Balkans and in Central Europe) precisely from the south of East Slavic ecumene. Here, a new ethnic community was formed with the participation of the descendants of the old Scythian-Sarmatian systems, which had a significant impact on the local Slavic world. Later, representatives of the Germanic and Turkic language groups (Goths and Huns) joined the situation, which, in turn, to some extent provoked such a phenomenon as the Great Migration of Nations and the final formation of the three branches of the Slavic world. Speaking of the East Slavic ecumene, in the second half of the І thousand AD on its territory about 15 tribal unions were formed, which later transformed into tribal reigns. In the more northern areas, in the territories of modern Belarus and Russia, the ancient Balts and Finno-Ugrians, elements of the old substrate structures assimilated by new settlers, took part in the ethnic development of the Slavs. All of them together at the turn of the І—ІІ thousand AD took part in the emergence of a new formation known to contemporaries under the name “Rus” or “Russian land”. However, it was also quite unstable, and therefore was perceived mainly only by representatives of the new social elite of the feudal society. The prevailing quantitatively rural population in the expanses of Eastern Europe was generally poorly aware of such unity. Such a “world” broke up in the 13 century as a result of a global catastrophe associated with the invasion of the hordes of Batu Khan. Further historical processes that often had already had regional specifics (in particular, the emergence of the Sevriuk society on the Ukrainian—Russian—Belorussian borderland) led to the gradual formation of three modern East Slavic peoples. Although in this seemingly fully resolved issue, certain nuances can be traced that deserve further research.

Human capital and the problems of its reproduction in modern Belarus

The subject of analysis is human capital and motivation factors in the Republic of Belarus. The purpose of the study is to determine the nature of human capital and the determination of his motivating factors. Purpose: To determine the nature of human capital, to characterize the place of motivational components in his system, to identify the factors that motivate staff to highly productive labor. Research methods - a system common scientific and private methods of cognition. Results: The definition of the essence of human capital characterize the motivation to work as an essential element of human capital and to consider the role of material motives in its formation. The factors were considered such as GDP per capita, the share of wages in the produced GDP, the share of minimum wages in GDP, unemployment, unemployment benefits, especially pension system. Scope results – activities of management in the field of labor relations. Conclusions: In order to increase the motivational components of human capital necessary to pay attention to the GDP growth, increasing the share of wages in the produced GDP, increase of minimum wages in GDP, improving the mechanism of regulation of the labor market in terms of unemployment and improving the pension system.

Owners’ signs of magazine «Vestnik Evropy» as a source on the history of Belarusian libraries in the XIX - early XX centuries

The article reviews attributed owners’ signs of Belarusian libraries (public, private and specialized) on pages of the monthly magazine «Vestnik Evropy» (1866-1918) (issued in the XIX - early XX centuries). The analysis of the magazine circulation at the territory of modern Belarus provides copious data for the further research in the field of bibliology, historiography and art history.

OBLICZA MULTIKULTURALIZMU POGRANICZA (NATALKA BABINA, MIASTO RYB)

The novel The Town of Fish (Рыбiн горад, 2007) by Natalia Babina is an extraordinary work within contemporary Belarusian literature due to both its content and formal characteristics. It is an eclectic text, which includes elements of the action and detective novel, fantasy, the novel of manners, and even the reportage. The story of the main character is a mere pretext for contemplating some aspects and condition of modern Belarus as well as identity issues of its inhabitants (especially from the borderland).In this context, Babina’s novel, despite its fantastic and entertaining layers, is a significant voice in the discussion concerning the dimensions of modern multiculturalism devoid of “divisions into majorities and minorities, the familiar and the other, the better and the worse”.

THE PRINCIPALITY OF TUROV (10th – 13th CENTURIES)

The Principality of Turov was formed in the south of modern Belarus in the 10th century through the administrative reform by the grand duke of Kiev Vladimir Svyatoslavich when replacing the previous ethnic tribal princedoms by feudal principalities headed by the sons of Vladimir Svyatoslavich. The Principality of Turov was formed on the basis of the Dregovichi tribal princedom simultaneously and on the same basis as the Principalities of Novgorod, Polotsk, Chernigov, and Vladimir-Volynsky. The Principality of Turov in the 11th century was one of the most important in Ancient Rus and its princes often occupied the throne of Kiev. In early 12th century the Grand Duke of Kiev, Vladimir Monomakh, temporarily interrupted the political independence and dynastic ownership of the Principality of Turov; they were restored only in 1158. In the second half of the 12th century, feudal disintegration of the Principality of Turov took place. In the 13th century the lands of the Principality of Turov were owned by descendants of Turov princes. In early 14th century, the lands of the Principality of Turov gradually became part of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania.

НАЦЫЯНАЛЬНЫЯ АСАБЛІВАСЦІ КАЛАБАРАЦЫЯНІЗМА Ў БЕЛАРУСІ ПАДЧАС ВАЙНЫ 1941–1945 ГГ.

The article deals with the national cultural policy of the invaders on the territory of modern Belarus and various forms of co-operation of the population against the invaders. It may be noted the following forms of cooperation of the part of the population with the occupiers. The political collaboration – those who worked in local administrative bodies created by the invaders or with their help (elders, burgomasters, Judenraths, etc.), public organizations, were auxiliary employees of the German occupation organs. Military collaboration: a) local police, law enforcement, auxiliary security police units, railway battalions, “eastern” battalions, Cossack formations, agents of the Abwer, SD, GUF, police, auxiliary construction and other parts; b) local self-defense (BКS, BSA), the formation of the Polish army (АК) and the Ukrainian OUN-UPA, who collaborated with the Germans, members of the defensive military settlements, the Russian Cossack military units, Kaminsky army. The economic (economic) collaboration included the heads and employees of economic bodies, enterprises and organizations that functioned during the war years, working directly or indirectly for the occupiers. During the occupation, there were differences in the situation of national groups in different parts of Belarus. The most active in some regions of the country were Belarusians and Russians, while others were Poles and Ukrainians. The Tatars showed the least activity. It is concluded that the composition of the different groups of collaborators in Belarus were representatives of various nationalities and ethnic groups.

РАЗВИТИЕ МЕДИЦИНСКОГО ОБРАЗОВАНИЯ НА ГРОДНЕНЩИНЕ: ОТ СРЕДНЕВЕКОВЬЯ ДО НАШИХ ДНЕЙ

The article presents data on the development of medical education in the Grodno region from the Middle Ages to the present day. Specific features of medical training of various categories of medical workers are analyzed. Particular attention is paid to the creation of the Grodno Medical Academy at the end of the 18th century – the first-class institution of higher medical education and medical science in the territory of modern Belarus.

The right to freedom of conscience in modern Belarus: problems of implementation

First of all, we note that our reasoning will be problematic. In a situation of radical transformation of the modern Belarusian society and the difficulties that arise, it is important to analyze the mechanisms themselves for the implementation of the right to freedom of conscience. It is necessary to emphasize both the relevance of this problem for our society and its novelty.

East Eurasian ancestry in the middle of Europe: genetic footprints of Steppe nomads in the genomes of Belarusian Lipka Tatars.

Medieval era encounters of nomadic groups of the Eurasian Steppe and largely sedentary East Europeans had a variety of demographic and cultural consequences. Amongst these outcomes was the emergence of the Lipka Tatars—a Slavic-speaking Sunni-Muslim minority residing in modern Belarus, Lithuania and Poland, whose ancestors arrived in these territories via several migration waves, mainly from the Golden Horde. Our results show that Belarusian Lipka Tatars share a substantial part of their gene pool with Europeans as indicated by their Y-chromosomal, mitochondrial and autosomal DNA variation. Nevertheless, Belarusian Lipkas still retain a strong genetic signal of their nomadic ancestry, witnessed by the presence of common Y-chromosomal and mitochondrial DNA variants as well as autosomal segments identical by descent between Lipkas and East Eurasians from temperate and northern regions. Hence, we document Lipka Tatars as a unique example of former Medieval migrants into Central Europe, who became sedentary, changed language to Slavic, yet preserved their faith and retained, both uni- and bi-parentally, a clear genetic echo of a complex population interplay throughout the Eurasian Steppe Belt, extending from Central Europe to northern China.

The Beginnings of Modern Belarus: Identity, Nation, and Politics in a European Borderland

The Beginnings of Modern Belarus: Identity, Nation, and Politics in a European Borderland

The Beginnings of Modern Belarus: Identity, Nation, and Politics in a European Borderland

The Beginnings of Modern Belarus: Identity, Nation, and Politics in a European Borderland

К истории формирования древних фамилий современного белорусского ареала

To the history of the ancient family names format on of modern Belarus arealThe aim of the article is investigation of the ancient family names formation of the modern Belarus areal covering three aspects: areal topological, comparatively historical and lingua cultural.The Object Subject of the article is the etymological reconstruction of the anthroponymycal archetypes, cultural possibilities and modes of ancient family names conceptualization. We understand the term “ancient family names” as family naming in the XIV–XV centuries when this territory belong to the Great Principality of Lithuania. We attributed to the ancient family names’ nuclear composite and formed out of them short onomastic units that go back, regarding X. Krae, to the ancient European areal. Many anthroponymycal roots entering into the composition of ancient complex names are referred by investigators to the category of relict proper names.Methods of investigation is areal‑typological, comparatively‑historical and descriptive. Some methods of onomastic investigation such as etymological, structural and word‑formative analysis were also used.The scientific novelty of the investigation lies in the fact that we propose the concept of the ancient family names formation in Belarus areal in the context of the formation of the European anthroponymycal systems; singled out and systematize the corpus of ancient anthroponymycal and toponymycal lexemes of investigated areal and their etymological conceptual analysis was carried out.

East Asian Cultural Elements in Modern Belarus as Instrument of “Soft Power”

Subject of the article is elements of East Asian culture in Belarus as instruments of “soft power” policy. We defined spheres where East Asian culture is spreading in Belarus: Martial arts, Religion, Cuisine, Anime / Manga subculture, Language, Cultural organizations. Also the role of embassies in the process of spreading East Asian culture in Belarus was determined. This using of “soft power” instruments influences the image of migrants from East Asia region and attitude to them by local Belarusian society. Key words: soft power, East Asia, Belarus, adaptation.