Russian Community Research Articles

Ключ для определения накипных лишайников семейства Teloschistaceae в напочвенных сообществах на территории России

Here we provide a key for the identification of 39 crustose Teloschistaceae species in soil communities in Russia growing on soil, bryophytes, plant debris, twigs of small shrubs, and on thalli of other lichens.

Russians of the near abroad in the focus of Russian sociology: the evolution of research approaches and angles (1990s – 2020s)

The article examines main directions of sociological research on the Russian population of the near Abroad, establishes quantitative, thematic dynamics, territorial priorities of publications devoted to this problem complex. A shift in publication activity has been revealed from large forms (author’s and collective monographs, collections of articles) that dominated in the 1990s to scientific periodicals, the quantitative peak of which occurred in the second half of the 2000s. Of the leading Russian sociological publications “Sociological Studies” paid maximum attention to the problems of foreign Russians. The professional community, initially consisting of researchers from Moscow academic structures, gradually expanded to include specialists from St. Petersburg and the post-Soviet countries themselves. Since the late 2000s, the activity of researchers from Russian regions has been growing significantly. In the context of content, there was a gradual thematic detailing of research, a shift to more specific angles and narrow groups of the analyzed Russian population. Geographically, the interest of ethnosociologists was extremely unevenly distributed – three quarters of all publications were devoted to Russians from four post-Soviet countries (Kazakhstan, Estonia, Latvia, Ukraine). At the same time, the Russian communities of the South Caucasus, Tajikistan, and Turkmenistan practically fell out of the research focus, despite the fact that their adaptation to the new conditions of functioning was quite difficult.

Правовое регулирование внедрения в деятельность адвокатуры Комплексной информационной системы адвокатуры России (КИС АР)

The article dwells on the legal regulation of the advocate's community digital transformation, the key element of which is the Integrated Information System of Advocate's Community of Russia. The conclusion is made that the creation of the Integrated Information System of Advocate's Community of Russia will allow the automated fulfilment of advocates and other person's rights protection tasks, and will also ensure the advocate's community digital sovereignity through public law regulation. The Integrated Information System of Advocate's Community of Russia will make the transition from the hierarchical structure of processes to horizontal interaction possible.

Działalność społeczno-gospodarcza i polityczna Polaków na Wołyniu, Podolu i Kijowszczyźnie w latach 1864–1914. Wprowadzenie do problematyki

This study revolves around selected aspects of the activity of the Polish community in the Kiev, Podolia and Volyn governorates in 1864–1914. Questions have been asked about the activities nature, scope, directions and conditions, as well as the numbers and social background of the Poles involved in work for the benefit of the country. The extent of Polish socio-economic and political work in Russia at the time largely depended on the policy of the Tsarist authorities towards the local Poles. The efforts made were indicative of their real aspirations and served not only to save Polish property, but also to maintain the national awareness of the Polish community in Russia. After the October Manifesto was proclaimed, the efforts resulted in a number of cultural, educational and publishing initiatives, coupled with the establishment of organisations and associations, and the pursuit of political activity. Interestingly, they were a consequence of the sometimes isolated efforts for the benefit of the country before 1905. After the First Russian Revolution, on the other hand, they evolved into an arena for Ukrainian Poles to express their aspirations. Their elites sought, among other things, to restore their due position in the social hierarchy based on their status and economic power.

Русская культура и образование в Тяньцзине

The article is based on extensive historical materials and is devoted to the cultural achievements of the Russian community in Tianjin, where the Russian Theater and the drama club "Theater and Music" operated successfully, famous Russian artists were popular – E. G. Davydov, K. P. Arkanzanov, M. A. Tumanova and others, ballerina S. A. Voitenko and dancer F. G. Khmarin, ballet studios of A. Voitenko and A. Graftsov were opened, tours of F. I. Chaliapin and other famous artists took place. In Tianjin there were Russian secondary educational institutions andthe Russian Tianjin Polytechnic Institute.

Amenințări hibride la Marea Neagră – identificarea vulnerabilităților geografice și economice ale spațiului maritim al României

With no clear evidence of its origin, hybrid warfare is a worldwide phenomenon, its effects having worldwide reverberations. Characterised by a very high adaptability and flexibility of the methods and procedures used, as well as the continuous expansion of the target audience or the area of coverage, hybrid warfare is not a new concept in human history. Overshadowed by the much higher degree of destruction and the very large number of human victims – specific to conventional war – unconventional actions – an integral part of hybrid war – often go unnoticed, but their effects are felt in all areas of human society existence. Today, the annexation of Crimea and the invasion of Ukraine by the Russian Federation are classic examples of hybrid warfare, characterised by true intentions concealment along with the fact that special operations forces experience and support allowed ethnic Russian communities to organise paramilitary groups with the aim of creating an ambiguous and insecure environment on Ukraine’s territory. Furthermore, these events forced NATO leaders to identify and implement measures to limit and reduce Russian Federation possibilities to apply a similar strategy against the Black Sea or Baltic Sea member states. Analysing in detail the Russian hybrid actions major impact in the maritime environment, materialised both by the two parties’ state borders modification and the Russian Federation Exclusive Economic Zone expansion to the detriment of Ukraine, this paper aims to identify geographical and economic vulnerabilities in the Black Sea, the exploitation of which can result in the weakening of the south-eastern flank of the North Atlantic Alliance. Moreover, the present study’s results will represent the basis of a further analysis that will highlight the optimal measures for their reduction.

Hybrid Threats in the Black Sea – Identifying Geographic and Economic Vulnerabilities of Romania’s Maritime Area

With no clear evidence of its origin, hybrid warfare is a worldwide phenomenon, its effects having worldwide reverberations. Characterised by a very high adaptability and flexibility of the methods and procedures used, as well as the continuous expansion of the target audience or the area of coverage, hybrid warfare is not a new concept in human history. Overshadowed by the much higher degree of destruction and the very large number of human victims – specific to conventional war – unconventional actions – an integral part of hybrid war – often go unnoticed, but their effects are felt in all areas of human society existence. Today, the annexation of Crimea and the invasion of Ukraine by the Russian Federation are classic examples of hybrid warfare, characterised by true intentions concealment along with the fact that special operations forces experience and support allowed ethnic Russian communities to organise paramilitary groups with the aim of creating an ambiguous and insecure environment on Ukraine’s territory. Furthermore, these events forced NATO leaders to identify and implement measures to limit and reduce Russian Federation possibilities to apply a similar strategy against the Black Sea or Baltic Sea member states. Analysing in detail the Russian hybrid actions major impact in the maritime environment, materialised both by the two parties’ state borders modification and the Russian Federation Exclusive Economic Zone expansion to the detriment of Ukraine, this paper aims to identify geographical and economic vulnerabilities in the Black Sea, the exploitation of which can result in the weakening of the south-eastern flank of the North Atlantic Alliance. Moreover, the present study’s results will represent the basis of a further analysis that will highlight the optimal measures for their reduction.

Russian Diasporas of the Near Abroad in the Post-Perestroika Period: Phantom or Reality?

Following the collapse of the USSR, a significant number of Soviet citizens not belonging to the titular nations of these countries found themselves in the territories of the newly formed states. This article aims to establish the extent to which the concept of “diaspora” is applicable to the Russian communities that lived in these territories during this period. The migration processes of today contribute to the replenishment of countries bordering on the Russian Federation with people of a different formation, at the same time helping the Russian abroad survive as a phenomenon, which makes the topic relevant. The work draws on legislative acts and other official documents of the state authorities, also referring to published interviews with Russian-speaking residents of these regions (both those living there and those who have returned to Russia). To date, the issue of the concept of “diaspora” is debatable. Without polemizing on this issue, the author bases the study not on the concept itself, but on its characteristics and key features shared by most scholars. The author gives a brief overview of the attitude of the Russian state to this category of population and to the problem of diasporas itself. Showing their transformation in the 1990s, the author concludes that it is inappropriate to apply this notion to the Russians of the near abroad in the above-mentioned period. Instead, the concept of “Russian-speaking communities” seems more appropriate, which does not deny the possibility of further transformation of the community into a diaspora.

Russia That We Recover: Russian Names in Theatrical and Musical Culture of South Africa of the 20th Century

In recent years, there has been a growing interest in Russia in the fate of the compatriots who ended up in Africa at different periods in the country’s history. The topic of Russian emigration to South Africa is of interest to both researchers and a wide range of readers who want to expand their knowledge about the country with which Russia is increasingly cooperating within the framework of the international BRICS association. The article is devoted to immigrants from the Russian Empire and from Russia after the revolution of 1917 and the Civil war, who made a significant contribution to the development of the theatrical and musical culture of South Africa in the 20th century. A particular attention is paid to the creative and social activities of the Runitch couple – Russian silent screen star Ossip Runitch and his wife, Russian ballerina Nina Pavlishcheva.It is noted that the Russian community in this African country was less numerous compared to other communities, nevertheless it made a disproportionately large contribution to the development of the country, including the sphere of culture. Far from their homeland, many of our compatriots were able to adapt to a new cultural environment, while preserving Russian language and culture, elements of which they introduced into their work on the distant African continent.

Enabling brief assessments of alexithymia: psychometric properties of the Russian version of the Perth Alexithymia Questionnaire-Short Form (PAQ-S) and its correlates with ill-being and well-being

Alexithymia is a trait involving deficits in emotion processing. As an important risk factor for a wide range of psychopathologies, its assessment is important in both research and clinical practice. Originally developed in English, the Perth Alexithymia Questionnaire-Short Form (PAQ-S) is a 6-item self-report measure of alexithymia, with its brevity designed to enable alexithymia assessments in a wide range of settings. In the present research, we aimed to introduce the first Russian version of the PAQ-S and examine its psychometric properties. Our sample consisted of 203 Russian-speaking adults aged 18–74 years, recruited from the general community in Russia. The PAQ-S’s factor structure was verified with confirmatory factor analysis. Convergent and divergent validity was assessed via relationships with psychopathology symptoms and well-being. Internal consistency reliability was evaluated. The Russian version of the PAQ-S demonstrated strong factorial validity, with support for the intended 1-factor structure as an overall marker of alexithymia. The PAQ-S total scale score showed good internal consistency reliability. As expected, its convergent and divergent validity was also supported. PAQ-S scores were significant predictors of higher ill-being (anxiety, depression, and stress) and lower well-being, thus demonstrating the high clinical relevance of the alexithymia construct as measured by the PAQ-S. There were no gender differences in PAQ-S scores, and alexithymia was higher in younger people and those with less education. Overall, the Russian PAQ-S therefore demonstrated strong psychometric properties as a brief and robust measure of overall alexithymia, performing similarly to other language versions.

Blockchain and outsourcing for specialised banking communities

This article explores the potential benefits of implementing blockchain technology and outsourcing contracts in the new market participants called specialised banking communities, formed as part of the banking sector reform in Russia. The authors compare this experience to the European model of banks' unions in institutional protection schemes (IPS), highlighting similarities and differences. They emphasize the objective properties of banking communities as subjects of production cooperation in the financial sector. The article also discusses the parameters for implementing a private blockchain network, specifically focusing on the priorities of PoS (Proof of Stake) and DPoS (Delegated Proof of Stake) consensus algorithms. To optimize operational resources, the authors recommend the use of outsourcing contracts for the better distribution of digital production capacities within these communities. Overall, this article highlights the potential of blockchain technology and outsourcing contracts in improving the efficiency and effectiveness of specialised banking communities in Russia.

From Roots to Routes: The Role of Ethnic Networks in the Development of Migrant Communities in Russia

From Roots to Routes: The Role of Ethnic Networks in the Development of Migrant Communities in Russia

Geography and form of settlement of Russians of the near abroad (Baltic states, Belarus, Moldova): main trends of the first quarter of the 21st century

The article identifies the main trends of the territorial dynamics of the Russian population of the Baltic states, Belarus, Moldova and Transnistria during 2000s-2010s. It was found that, correlating with the general decline, the geography of Russian population also decreased. However, in all the studied countries the fragmentation of the settlement system occurred at the expense of settlements of lower taxonomic ranks (farms, small villages). In larger settlements, Russian groups persisted even in Moldova and Lithuania, which demonstrated the highest rates of demographic decline of Russian communities in the post-Soviet period. The largest concentrations of the Russian population in all the considered countries remained in the capitals. Moreover, they were also the epicenters of assimilation, the main factor of Russian depopulation in the 2000s and the first half of the 2010s. The level of urbanization of Russian communities remained very high in all the countries (80-90%), but at the beginning of the 21st century it decreased. This process was related not so much to the increased rootedness of Russian villagers, but rather to the migration of the Russian population from peripheral regions to the rural outskirts of metropolitan agglomerations. Being a form of deurbanization, it represented a variant of the geodemographic metropolization of Russian communities (the increasing concentration in capital regions). Only in Moldova the increased demographic stability of rural Russians was determined by a small group of old believer villages amidst a high level of derussification of the rest of the settlement network. Only the Russian community of Transnistria demonstrated an increased territorial and quantitative stability in the 2000s and 2010s. It clearly illustrated the significant role of geocivilizational orientation of post-Soviet states in the demographic dynamics of the local Russian population.

Российское общенародное движение: программные положения и место в политическом спектре России (1994–1996 гг.)

The article is devoted to the activities of the Russian Public Movement, the analysis of the provisions of its Program and the identification of a place in the political spectrum of both the West Siberian region and the Russian Federation as a whole. The analysis of the transformation program is carried out with full consideration of the political activities of the Russian Public Movement and related organizations, as well as their structural units in the election campaigns of the mid-1990s. Referring to various sources of information, such as archive collections, the public press, reference publications, scientific articles and analytical materials, the author of the work aims to analyze the programmatic provisions of the Russian Public Movement, restoring a complex picture of its participation in the political events of the second half of the 1990s, to identify its place in the changing picture of the political forces of the Russian Federation. The analysis allows us to conclude that the Russian Public Movement was the result of the dispersion of the electorate of the Congress of Russian Communities, between many insignificant parties and movements that were artificially brought to participate in the elections. The further activity of the movement was associated with the presidential elections of the Russian Federation in 1996. The political fate of the movement reflected the evolution of the views of the ruling elite on the formation of their political image against the background of the rejection of the liberal doctrine by the population.

«КУЛЬТУРНОЕ ОГРАБЛЕНИЕ» УКРАИНЫ РОССИЕЙ В УКРАИНСКОЙ ИСТОРИЧЕСКОЙ МИФОЛОГИИ

The article examines the myth of the historical cultural and educational superiority of the Ukrainian community over the Great Russian community in the Middle Ages and in Modern Times, and the cultural "colonization" of "Turkic Muscovy" by Ukraine. According to this pseudo-historical construction, Russia stole the Ukrainian cultural and educational potential in the reign of Peter the Great, when prominent Ukrainian educators were taken from its territory to Moscow. This concept is detrimental to historical truth, since it perverts the true causes and nature of real events dating back to the processes of reunification of Ukraine with Russia in the 17th–18th centuries and the formation of a single religious and cultural space.

ПОЛИТИЧЕСКОЕ ПРАВОСЛАВИЕ И СЕКУЛЯРНОЕ ОБЩЕСТВО: ПРОБЛЕМЫ СОВМЕСТИМОСТИ

The article deals with the issues of the religion politicization in a secular society on the example of Orthodox radical activism. The growth of conservative political attitudes among active Orthodox citizens is analyzed as a reaction to the acceleration of the secularization process of Russian society, which creates a threat of marginalization of religious identity. The influence of Western European Christian fundamentalists on the Russian communities of Orthodox radicals is noted. There is a relationship between the spread of radical conservative ideas and values in modern Russian society and catastrophic socio-political changes after the collapse of the USSR, which were accompanied by serious transformations of the collective (national) identity. The article studies specifics of the new nationalreligious identity, formed by modern mass media with extensive borrowings from the legacy of Russian conservative philosophy of the 19th and early 20th centuries. Particular attention is paid to the “roots” of modern Orthodox activism, its close connection with Russian nationalism and international anti-globalism. The collision of the values of a secular society with its cult of freedom and anticlerical attitudes with a conservative-religious picture of the world, in which conspiracy theories and the rejection of liberal ideas play a significant role, is considered by the authors of the article as a result of the collapse of the former socio-political system, where atheism and communist ideology were the main semantic dominants in society.

Use of common resources by rural communities in Russia: Problems of collective choice

One of the key elements of well-being of rural residents is the development of rural social infrastructure. Measures for the development of rural areas often do not take into account the opinion of rural residents themselves, which leads to their dissatisfaction. The level of cohesion and collectivism of the rural community plays an important role in identifying problems and finding solutions, including the use of common resources of the territory. This article makes an attempt to apply Elinor Ostrom’s theoretical considerations to the investigation of rural communities in Russia. The experimental part of the study was carried out in small settlements of Stavropol Krai and Krasnodar Krai in South Russia. The hypothesis about the possibility of forming self-governing rural communities, independent in determining the rules for the use of common resources and participating in the implementation of development policies for their territory, was tested. The surveyed residents very rationally selected directions for the social and everyday development of their settlements that allow them to obtain maximum benefit from their implementation. Continuing such research will make it possible to clarify true preferences of rural residents regarding social standards and make timely adjustments to the state policy of rural development.

“We” versus “others” in Estonian fiction: the question of national identity in the works of contemporary women writers

ABSTRACT This article uses a postcolonial approach and the concept of Orientalization to uncover hierarchies in Estonian national identity construction. We examine the change in the articulation of the ‘other’ in the context of identity discourses of Estonians and Estonian Russian-speakers using literature by women authors in Estonia. We show how the interest of Estonian writers in the Russian community changed over time and then practically disappeared. We also demonstrate how, reflecting on their new post-imperial status, Estonian Russian-language literature eventually came to see Russians from Russia, rather than Estonians, as the key significant ‘other.’

Navalny’s direct-casting: Affective attunement and polarization in the online community of the most vocal Russian opposition politician

Social media has a significant impact on the process of political polarization. Despite a large body of research on polarization and social media in democracies, studying this relationship in autocracies remains a niche field. This paper describes the content, composition, and behavioral patterns of discussions that take place on YouTube in the community of Russia’s most vocal opposition politician, Alexei Navalny. Based on a corpus of more than eight million comments, this study provides empirical evidence on the relatively short-term nature of affective attunement induced by a leader promising social changes within an authoritarian context. This discovery is manifested in the observation that periods of high public interest in Navalny’s activities are marked by a significant influx of new audience members into his community. However, the retention rate of this cohort of users was lower than that of the cohort of commenters, who started discussions during periods of lower public interest in Navalny’s activities. This conclusion applies not only to the entire set of commenters, but also to pro-government and anti-government users. According to the exploratory text analysis, the most common topics in discussions were praising Navalny’s activities, criticizing the government, and enticing people to share videos to change the minds of apolitical citizens or pro-government supporters. Finally, one of the affective polarization parameters, the degree of toxicity of discussions, is higher on Navalny’s community than on an apolitical celebrity’s YouTube channel, which establishes a baseline for the level of incivility.

Features of the Profile of Russian Identity: Experience of the Multidimensional Approach (case study of the Republic of Sakha (Yakutia))

The article presents the initial results of applying a multidimensional methodology to the sociological measurement of the level of Russian identity. The multidimensional approach to measuring the level of Russian identity was constructed based on a five-component model of in-group identification developed by K. Leach and colleagues. This methodology allows for the quantitative measurement of the degree of formation of components such as cohesion (psychological connection with other members of the community), emotional satisfaction with belonging to the community, salience (the significance of belonging to a particular community in the structure of a person's self-concept or "I-concept"), self-stereotyping (conviction of one's similarity to other members of the same community), and homogeneity (perception of the community as a whole). The empirical basis of the study was the data from a survey of residents of the Republic of Sakha (Yakutia) conducted in 2021-2022, that included a block of multidimensional measurements of the level of Russian identity.
 Based on the analysis conducted, the author draws several conclusions:
 1. The profile of Russian identity, in its republican variation, is characterised by relatively high levels of satisfaction and cohesion, and low levels of salience, self-stereotyping, and homogeneity. In other words, when considering these components together, it reflects the formation of perceptions of the Russian community as a whole, a collective, rather than a simple collection of people with Russian citizenship.
 2. The multidimensional approach has significantly expanded existing notions of the prevalence of identity-based foundations of Russian consolidation by providing insights into the contribution of each identifier to the overall level of Russian identity. The hierarchy of identity foundations based on their contribution to the formation of the profile of Russian identity does not align with the hierarchy of the same foundations based on their importance in the self-categorisation process.
 3. Comparing data on the profile of Russian identity in 2021 and 2022 allowed for the identification of changes in the level of Russian identity following the start of the Special Military Operation (SVO). There was a slight decrease in cohesion indicators, alongside a significant increase in satisfaction and salience indicators, while self-stereotyping and homogeneity indicators remained unchanged.
 In conclusion, it is shown that the use of a multidimensional approach to the study of Russian identity allows for a detailed examination of the structure and dynamics of Russian identity, formulated based on "classic" monomeric measurements.