Modern International Relations Research Articles

Symbolic Communication in Early Modern Diplomacy: Naval Incidents and the Third Anglo-Dutch War (1667–1672)

Abstract This article underscores the significance of symbolic communication in early modern international relations. Taking naval incidents during the period leading up to the Third Anglo-Dutch War (1667–72) as a case-study, it shows how the use of imagery constituted an undervalued symbolic language in which vital interests were communicated by diplomats. Moreover, it argues that the way in which these incidents were discussed in diplomatic circles was relevant to and congruous with public debates. It also highlights the often-ignored international dimension of popular disputes. An overall objective is to further the debate on a New Diplomatic History for the early modern period.

ПРОБЛЕМА СОХРАНЕНИЯ КУЛЬТУРНОГО НАСЛЕДИЯ В РЕСПУБЛИКЕ МАЛИ В МЕЖДУНАРОДНО- ПОЛИТИЧЕСКОМ АСПЕКТЕ

In this paper, the author considers the problem of pre-serving cultural heritage in the zone of armed conflicts. The destruction of cultural values by terrorist groups is a very urgent problem in modern international relations. It is sad to realize that the destruction of historical herit-age of the world is now actively used as a tool of soft power. Thus, the number of cultural heritage sites under threat is increasing year after year. As a prime example, the work considers the situation in the Republic of Mali, where a number of historical and religious heritage sites in the city of Timbuktu were destroyed during the armed conflict that began in 2012. The uniqueness of this exam-ple lies in the decision of the International Criminal Court in 2016, which recognized the destruction of cultural her-itage as a war crime. The emerging positive trend in this issue, however, does not cover all the problems. Preser-vation of cultural heritage sites still requires a compre-hensive approach.

Geopolitical Interest of Iran in Central Asia

The purpose of this study is to carry out the analysis of the external IRI policy in Central Asia in the context of new geopolitical configuration, to study the economic and political aspects of the strengthening of Iran in the region, to identify its features and the most important aspects of bilateral relations between Kazakhstan and Iran as well as the development patterns, to analyze the objective socio-economic situation in the region of Central Asia in the context of formation of a new geopolitical situation after the cancellation of sanctions against Iran. This paper is based on the use of the geo-political importance of this subject and is supported by the papers of Kazakh, Russian and foreign authors. The following general scientific methods and techniques are used in this paper: the new functional analysis, the structural analysis, the scientific abstraction, the qualitative expert estimates, the quantitative estimates, the comparative analysis. The changes in the geopolitical situation in Central Asia after the cancellation of the US sanctions against Iran are studied in this paper. The role of Iran in the region and its importance are defined based on the strengthening of the integration processes and creation of the EAEC. The role of Kazakhstan as one of the leaders in the framework of modern international relations in Central Asia is also studied in this paper. The recommendations on improvement of the influence and, in particular, on foreign policy decisions of the Republic of Kazakhstan are given.

The evolution of conceptual grounds of UN peacekeeping activity and position of the Russian Federation in this regard

This article reviews the UN peacekeeping activity as one of the key phenomena of the modern international relations, which carries the function of maintaining international peace and security. The evolution of UN peacemaking is explored. Special attention is turned to its new principles founded in the late XX – XXI centuries, reforms conducted in this area, as well as position of the Russian Federation pertinent to peacekeeping operations under the aegis of the United Nations. Methodology leans on the principles of historical reconstruction and comparative analysis. Currently, peacekeeping plays an important role in the world politics, significantly impacts the prevention of escalation of a large number of conflicts despite the fact that there still exist problematic hubs in the UN peacekeeping activity. Peacekeeping greatly benefited the international community since the moment of its emergence; however, it requires changes and reforms for the purpose of increasing its efficiency in settlement of the long-running conflicts.

Russian Gas Transit through Ukraine: Economic Feasibility and Geopolitical Contradictions

The article is devoted to the analysis of the main economic and geopolitical factors that influenced the conditions for signing a new contract between Gazprom and Naftogaz. The author considered the most important aspects of the problem of gas transit through Ukraine, its significance and consequences for the further development of modern international relations in the energy sector between the Russia, Ukraine and the European Union. The author especially noted that the construction of such pipelines as Nord Stream — 2 and Turkish Stream significantly reduces the role of Ukraine as a transit country. Moreover, the interest of Western European countries in the implementation of the Nord Stream — 2 project is faced with opposition to the construction of the gas pipeline from several states. The author paid much attention to the influence of the United States on the sphere of energy cooperation between Russia and the European Union. The author concludes that Ukrainian transit has become a geopolitical tool for pressure from the USA and Brussels on Russia. Finally, the author shows the main scenarios of the development of Russian-Ukrainian relations in the matter of direct deliveries of Russian gas to Ukraine.

Migration processes in rural areas as an indicator of economic security

The article reveals the migration processes characteristic of the whole of Russia, including in the village. The migration policy of the regions is one of the key elements of the social development of society, taking into account the economic, political and demographic features of the territory; it determines the direction of migration processes and the formation of migratory connection. The migration process in rural areas (territories) acts as a two-way movement - as a stream of departures and as a stream of arrivals. The article provides basic statistics on migration in the region for 2014-2018. The aim of the study is to analyze the migration situation in rural areas (territories) of the Udmurt Republic, one of the regions of the Russian Federation, since these processes directly affect the state of the labor market. In this regard, it seems relevant to study migration processes in rural areas (territories) of the Udmurt Republic. The object of research is the processes of migration in the context of modern international relations. The subject of the study is - migration processes in rural areas; at the same time, migration is considered in comparison with labor market indicators in addition to traditional indicators of migration growth (decrease) in the population. In accordance with this goal, the main task was determined: to offer statistical indicators characterizing migration in terms of the labor market and the quality of life of rural areas. Methods of comparison, grouping, systematization, analysis of dependence were used. It is concluded that these calculation methods can be applied to determine target indicators of the municipal policy of the region.

МАССМЕДИА В КОНТЕКСТНОМ МЕНЮ СОВРЕМЕННЫХ МЕЖДУНАРОДНЫХ ОТНОШЕНИЙ

The research is devoted to the analysis of the role of the mass media in modern international relations. The article reveals the main characteristics of the media as a tool and as and an independent actor in the international agenda. Through the prism of the postmodernism and constructivism school interpretations, the examples draw the analysis of various formats of media participation in modern international relations

The new Cold War and its Influence on the Formation of Ukrainian Foreign Policy Priorities

The article explores the state and development trends of modern international relations. It is noted that modern scientific thought has not yet developed unified approaches to characterizing the current stage in the development of international relations. At the same time, many scientists and political analysts assess the current state of international relations as a new “cold war”. In support of this position, they point out that in recent years a whole network of clashes, wars and contradictions has developed around the world, at the center of which were disagreements of the same nature as during the years of the first Cold War. At the same time, there is an opinion that the current relations between the West and the Russian Federation cannot be characterized as a new “cold war”. The status of Russia today cannot be compared with the status of the USSR, China is much stronger than the Russian Federation, and the United States remains the dominant force in the world.
 It is noted that, although the current conflict in many respects differs from the first Cold War, there are a number of general signs that suggest the similarity of modern international relations with the conflict of the previous historical period. The tools that participants in the conflict can use have changed, the role of ideology has decreased, and, on the contrary, the importance of the economy, technologies and the information sphere has increased, nuclear weapons have a different influence and geography, and the processes of globalization significantly affect the dynamics of international relations. But in a sense, the current conflict can be called a continuation of the first Cold War.
 Ukraine, along with some other post-Soviet countries, has become an arena of confrontation between the collective West and the Russian Federation in the context of the new Cold War. Based on this, the main priority of Ukraine’s foreign policy should be the effective implementation of the European and Euro-Atlantic integration strategy. Joining the Euro-Atlantic security system and approaching Western standards of democracy, law and socio-economic development will be the main guarantee of independence and further progressive development of the Ukrainian state.

UKRAINE IN THE FOREIGN POLICY OF THE UNITED KINGDOM IN THE CONTEXT OF EUROPEAN INTEGRATION (1991 – 2019)

The purpose of the article is to show the peculiarities of the formation, changes and implementation of the UK foreign policy towards Ukraine and its strategy of European integration in the context of the development of the EU’s CFSP at the turn of the 20th – 21st centuries. Research methodology – principles of historicism, systematicity, general scientific methods of logic, comparative analysis, special-historical methods (historiographic analysis, historical-systemic, chronology, historical-genetic). Research novelty is that it presents a history study of the formation of the UK’s policy towards Ukraine since its independence in 1991 in the context of the kingdom’s membership of the European Union, the formation of its foreign and security policy in the Eastern European direction. The realities of modern international relations, notably the Brexit process, the challenges and threats posed by Russian military aggression against Ukraine are taken into account. The Conclusions . The research has been established that the policy of the European Union and Great Britain towards Ukraine at the end of the XX century was formed under the influence of conjuncture of international relations. G overnments of the kingdom supported the European integration of Ukraine, but in their relations with official K yi v they took the interests of Moscow. In the early 2000s, the British government partially sacrificed its interests in Eastern Europe in favor of Russia and made compromise with the main partners in EU to expand the integration, which in the conditions of the largest in the history “wave” of the expansion did n’t want to burden them sel ves with additional obligations. In general, Great Britain despite the volatility of the dynamics of intergovernmental relations and the complexity of the international conjuncture, acted as one of the most consistent supporters of the European integration of Ukraine. In the conditions of the beginning of the Russia ’ s military aggression against Ukraine шт 2014, the leadership of Great Britain actively supported decision of the European Union to introduce anti-Russian sanctions. Great Britain provided assistance to the Ukrainian Army and the victims of the military conflict in the East of Ukraine. However, with the exit from the EU , the strategic importance of relations with Great Britain for Ukraine as an ally will diminish significantly. The completion of the Brexit process can have negative consequences for Ukraine ’ s international position in Europe and will strengthen the pro-Russian forces in EU .

EEC and Yugoslav cooperation in the frames of modern international relations in Europe

Traditionally the phenomenon of the European integration towards South East Europe is regarded starting from the XXI century. The explanation for such a periodization are resolution of the open conflicts on the territory of the former Yugoslavia and implementation of the complex EU strategy for the region. Starting point of the majority of researches is the year of 2003 when the EU Agenda for the Western Balkans was started in Thessaloniki. The topic of EEC-Yugoslavia relations, SFRY having been first socialist country to institutionalize its trade and economic relations with Brussels, are unfairly ignored in domestic and foreign scientific literature. It is regarded solely as a chronological period of trade agreements. Nevertheless, this issue is of fundamental importance for understanding the current neighborhood of the European Union. The main thesis the author proves is that in the 1960s and 1980s as it is the case nowadays, the main imperative of Brussels' policy towards the Balkans was to prevent Moscow from increasing its influence. This led to the formation of a very specific format of relations with Belgrade and was one of the reasons why the economic crisis in Yugoslavia became extreme and its economy irreformable. In addition, at a later and structurally much more complicated stage of relations between the countries of the former Yugoslavia and the European Union the specificity and main components of relations of the Cold War period did not fundamentally change. As for the policy of so-called containment of the external actors one could see that besides Moscow, we can speak about similar attitude of the EU towards China. It makes it possible to consider the EU policy towards the countries of the former Yugoslavia in the paradigm of neoclassical realism, rather than in the paradigm of traditional liberal European integration approaches which allows us to unite neorealists elements with the specifics of internal processes, including the modernization of institutes, relations between society and state, types of political leadership.

Мирополитические аспекты сохранения культурно-исторического наследия Сирии

The purpose of the paper is to identify the relation-ship between world politics and culture in the con-text of the concept of sustainable development. As an example, the author analyzes the situation in the region of the Arabian East. As a result of conflicts there is the destruction of the world’s histori-cal monuments over the past decades. The author analyzes civilizational transformations in the territo-ry of modern Syria and shows the importance of cultural heritage not only for the Syrian people but also for all humanity. It is concluded that it is neces-sary to unite the world political forces (UN, UNESCO, etc.) to help Syria to solve two problems: ending the war and preservation of historical and cultural herit-age of international importance. Besides, an important conclusion is the role of cultural heritage in modern international relations.

Суть та роль наукової дипломатії в системі міжнародних відносин

Роль дипломатії у багатополярному світі, що розвивається у напрямку всебічної інтеграції та глобалізації, змінюється і значно зростає. У статі виділено основні риси становлення дипломатичної діяльності у сучасних міжнародних відносинах.
 Багатостороння дипломатія потребує обов'язкового дотримання всіх етапів процедури, а також чіткого розуміння взаємозалежності між різноманітними багатосторонніми структурами, здатність будувати та мобілізувати вигідні для себе політичні альянси. Особливого значення в рамках багатосторонньої дипломатії набуває переговорна процедура.
 Найяскравішим прикладом змін у традиційній дипломатії є трансформація зовнішньополітичного механізму та дипломатичних структур у країнах Європейського Союзу.
 Шлях до універсального сталого розвитку, вирішення конфесійних та етнічних конфронтацій лежить через глобальну розмову, засновану на прийнятті та утвердженні принципів справедливості та прав людини, толерантності та культури миру. В усі часи дипломатія, незалежно від її історичної моделі, була покликана слугувати найбільш ефективним інструментом спілкування.

Theorising digital disinformation in international relations

This paper provides an assessment of the ability of different international relations theories to grasp modern uses of international digital disinformation. More specifically, the paper argues that E. H. Carr’s notion of propaganda, John J. Mearsheimer’s typology of lies and Joseph Nye’s conceptualisation of public diplomacy all offer useful theoretical lenses through which we can advance our understanding of international digital disinformation. Their added value is demonstrated by applying these three theoretical perspectives to three ‘prototype cases’ of modern international digital disinformation. The paper concludes that the three theoretical perspectives make new aspects of international digital disinformation intelligible, including the underlying motives for using digital disinformation. However, there still remains a space for a more detailed theoretical account of digital disinformation and its use in modern international relations.

HUMAN RIGHTS IN MODERN INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS: EVOLUTION OF DEVELOPMENT, PROBLEMS AND PROSPECTS

Introduction. At the present stage of development of the world political process, one of the main problems has been to ensure the effective operation of human rights protection mechanisms, both at the national and international levels. The main vocation of legal science in this area is to provide expert assessments of problematic issues and scientifically developed recommendations for improving the mechanisms of human rights protection in modern international relations and especially in crisis situations that have become almost permanent in the life of the world community. The purpose of this publication was to implement a retrospective analysis of the evolution of the development of legal consolidation of human rights at the international level and the thorny problems in this area. Summary of the main research results. Thus, this publication considers the main stages of human rights, highlights the main problems of development, outlines the place of human rights in modern international relations and presents the main characteristics of the challenges facing states in the implementation of cooperation in the field of human rights. Finding the specifics of human rights and identifying mechanisms for their formation is a separate problem for jurists. The legal aspect of enshrining human rights in international legal instruments is important in the context of modern reality. It is through the disclosure of this issue that it is possible to identify the main stages of the evolution of the consolidation of human rights in international law. Conclusions. The development of international legal consolidation of human rights has significantly influenced the evolution of international law as a whole. Under the influence of these processes, national sovereignty, as a basic principle of international law, began to take on new forms, and the individual acquired many features of international legal personality. Thanks to non-state rule-making, the sphere of consolidation and protection of human rights tends to self-development and constant adaptation to the changing needs of society in the social and moral spheres. Human rights are a cultural phenomenon that reflects the system of value orientations of a person rooted in a particular historical epoch and depends on the ideology of the world legal community. The problem of human rights, their protection from external and internal threats requires an immediate solution, making it a priority to consider legal issues among a wide range of global problems of mankind. At the same time, it must be emphasized that the democratic development of modern society and human rights are inextricably linked. This connection also implies that human rights must be recognized as legitimate as a result of democratic procedures, but outside the national legal systems there is a moral justification necessary to convince the subjects of international law that everyone, even outside the national legal system must enjoy all guaranteed rights and freedoms.

Cooperation between China and Great Britain in the Energy Sector at the Beginning of the XXI Century

The fuel and energy sector plays an important role in modern international relations. An example of active cooperation in the field of fuel and energy industry of the XXI century is the dialogue between China and Great Britain, which is based on an extensive system of agreements and joint projects. State authorities are assisting national energy companies in the design of the energy alliance. At the same time, the Chinese side, using the accumulated potential, plays an increasingly important role in bilateral relations, acting as a major buyer of energy resources, a donor of modern technologies and a promising investor.

Investicioni tokovi Srbije u mreži globalnih interesa

Foreign investment as the form of financing does not only reflect its importance on a global but also on a national level of individual countries' economies. In the last two decades, Serbian foreign economic and political developments have undergone a tremolous but persistent struggle for integration into the world's economic trends. Generally speaking, it could be said that there is a diversity in motivation factors among the investors, as well as in overall effects on the host country's balance of payments (BoP) depending on the types of capital investment. Serbia develops partnerships, and each partner has it's own interests and comparable advantages in the country, contributing to Serbia's better position in modern international relations. The aim of this paper is to emphasize Serbia's economic connecting with countries it cooperates with during the last several years, and lessons learned in the period of economic transition and bilateral interconnections.

The lack of fresh water as a factor in modern international relations

The lack of fresh water as a factor in modern international relations

Notices

Notices Morris D. Forkosch Prize and Selma V. Forkosch Prize The Journal of the History of Ideas is pleased to announce the winner of the Morris D. Forkosch Prize ($2,000) for the best first book in intellectual history published in 2019: Lydia Barnett, for After the Flood: Imagining the Global Environment in Early Modern Europe, published by Johns Hopkins University Press. Eligible submissions are limited to the first book published by a single author, and to books published in English. The subject matter of submissions must pertain to one or more of the disciplines associated with intellectual history and the history of ideas broadly conceived: viz., history (including the histories of the various arts and sciences); philosophy (including the philosophy of science, aesthetics, and other fields); political thought; the social sciences (including anthropology, economics, political science, and sociology); and literature (including literary criticism, history, and theory). No translations or collections of essays will be considered. The judges will favor publications displaying sound scholarship, original conceptualization, and significant chronological and interdisciplinary scope. For further information, please visit our website at http://jhi.pennpress.org. The Journal of the History of Ideas is pleased to announce the winner of the Selma V. Forkosch Prize ($500) for the best article published in the Journal of the History of Ideas each year. The most recent winner is Sophie Smith for “The Language of ‘Political Science’ in Early Modern Europe,” volume 80, number 2, pages 203–26. [End Page 667] The Institute is an independent private institution founded in 1930 to create a community of scholars focused on intellectual inquiry, free from teaching and other university obligations. Scholars from around the world come to the Institute to pursue their own research. Candidates of any nationality may apply for a single term or a full academic year. Scholars may apply for a stipend, but those with sabbatical funding, other grants, retirement funding or other means are also invited to apply for a non-stipendiary membership. Some short-term visitorships (for less than a full term, and without stipend) are also available on an ad-hoc basis. Open to all fields of historical research, the School of Historical Studies’ principal interests are the history of western, near eastern, and Asian civilizations, with particular emphasis upon Greek and Roman civilization, the history of Europe (medieval, early modern, and modern), the Islamic world, East Asian studies, art history, the history of science and philosophy, modern international relations, and music studies. Residence in Princeton during term time is required. The only other obligation of Members is to pursue their own research. The Ph.D. (or equivalent) and substantial publications are required. Further information can be found in the announcement on the web at www.hs.ias.edu/mem_announcement, or on the School’s website, www.hs.ias.edu. Inquiries sent by post should be addressed to the School of Historical Studies, Institute for Advanced Study, Einstein Dr., Princeton, NJ 08540. Email: mzelazny@ias.edu. Annual deadline: November 1. The University of St Andrews, Scotland’s oldest, has recently inaugurated an Institute of Intellectual History (http://www.intellectualhistory.net/). Under the direction of Professor Richard Whatmore, it encompasses one of the largest concentrations of scholars in the field anywhere (http://www.intellectualhistory.net/members/). They represent all relevant disciplines: history, [End Page 668] philosophy, history of science, political science, international relations, legal studies, economics, anthropology, theology, art history, classics, literary studies, book history. The Institute offers undergraduate courses, a one-year MLitt, as well as doctoral training. It provides a wide range of academic events (http://www.intellectualhistory.net/events/). The journal History of European Ideas is edited within the Institute. Through a rapidly growing archive of papers of intellectual historians, it is a major resource for the history of the discipline itself. [End Page 669] Morris D. Forkosch Prize Institute for Advanced Study School of Historical Studies Opportunities for Scholars Selma V. Forkosch Prize Institute of Intellectual History University of St Andrews, Scotland Copyright © 2020 Journal of the History of Ideas

Модели регионального лидерства в Евразии: к новой исследовательской повестке

One of the important tasks in the study of international politics today is the elaboration and empirical verification of new theoretical models for the coexistence of several regional leadership projects, simultaneously implemented by various countries and international organizations. Until now, the existing models, as a rule, have described this kind of leadership at the international arena in fundamentally hierarchical terms: either as a unipolar world with a hegemonic country dominating global politics, or as a bipolar system. These models unambiguously assume that the world either “belongs” to one hegemon, or is divided between two superpowers. In the latter case, there are practically no regions where both leadership projects would be carried out simultaneously, since such a geographical “overlap” would inevitably provoke conflict. Meanwhile, the task of understanding and explaining the internal mechanics of the simultaneous coexistence of several potential leaders on the same geographic territory for a fairly long time remains unsolved. In the modern world, such parallel (joint or competitive) leadership can no longer be regarded as an anomaly or a temporary phenomenon, it becomes a “new normality”, creating additional opportunities for international players, but at the same time imposing more substantial constraints on them. Thus, the relevance of the agenda put forward in the article is determined by a number of circumstances, the most fundamental of which is the crisis of the global governance system and the neoliberal model of globalization. Today, macro-regions become “building blocks” for the multipolar structure of the world, and the role of individual states or their groups, which begin to play a structure-forming role in “their” macro-regions, is increasing. These are potential leaders with special characteristics and special relations with their “followers”. The problem of leadership is most interestingly actualized in the Eurasian region, the internationalization of which is rapidly growing. In this region, several leaders are observed (such as Russia, China, the European Union) who compete for the same followers, offering them different agendas and using a wide range of power tools – from “soft” to “hard” power. It is in Eurasia that the variability of relations connecting the leader and followers is extremely high. In this article, the authors put forward and ground the possibility and necessity of developing a research agenda on regional leadership based on the material of modern Eurasia – the most important world macro-region where three leadership projects are being successfully implemented at the same time, the description and analysis of which in their interconnection go beyond the Eurasian theme only and can help advance our understanding of the nature of multipolarity in modern international relations.

Концептуальні засади зовнішньополітичного курсу Китайської Народної Республіки у ХХІ ст.

The article is devoted to the problem of determining the place and role of the People ‘s Republic of China in the modern post-bipolar system of international relations. The views of Chinese political scientists and official doctrinal sources are analyzed in the article that helps to reveal the Chinese view of its historical role in nowadays world architecture. The article reveals the features of the modern foreign policy course of the People’s Republic of China. The official documents of the People’s Republic of China and the White Papers, which provide a basis for assessing and forecasting the realization of China’s national interests in the Asia-Pacific region and around the world, are analyzed. The official speeches of the first persons of the state were also researched. Elements of China’s foreign policy strategy are considered. Among them are China’s vision of the XX cent. world order, China’s role in modern international relations, the United States’ role in future world architecture, and interaction with Washington as a major competitor for world hegemony. It was found out in the research that the United States are doctrinally recognized as one of the threats to the territorial integrity and national unity of the Chinese people through the US involvement to the Taiwan conflict. China’s ongoing claim to supranationalism by the middle of the XX cent. has been traced, which would undoubtedly lead to a sharper conflict of interests with the United States.It was found that despite the secrecy and autocracy of the political regime, there is some political debate in Beijing about the future of US-China interaction. The thesis that US-China relations are evolving from asymmetric interaction with the US dominance to a more balanced one, from limited contacts to comprehensive interpenetration and from cooperation in several areas to increasing areas of cooperation has developed.