Russian Community Research Articles

ONLINE COUNSELING FOR CHILDREN OF REFUGEE AND INTERNALLY DISPLACED FAMILIES: BARRIERS AND DEVELOPMENT PROSPECTS

Relevance. The problem of socio-psychological adaptation of refugee and internally displaced families should be considered in the context of the task of general adaptation for migrants and assistance provided at all levels of government with the involvement of psychological and social services of the Russian Federation. The use of online psychological assistance technologies will help to solve a number of important issues related to the speed of assistance, the availability of specialists, etc. The most vulnerable social group are children and adolescents who face diffi culties in adapting to school, in overcoming cultural shock, which does not contribute to full integration into the Russian community. Childhood traumas, as a rule, are an insurmountable barrier to socialization in the future, family, career, and civil. There is a contradiction between the possibilities and limitations of online counseling for children of refugee and internally displaced families. Objective is to assess the barriers of psychological online counseling for children of refugee and internally displaced families in the context of development. Materials and methods of research included online counseling of children from displaced families within the framework of the project “Life goes on”, implemented with a grant from the President of the Russian Federation, presented by the Presidential Grants Fund No. --.  online consultations were conducted within the framework of the family system approach. Main results. The main groups of factors affecting the quality of online counseling for children in a situation of isolation from the usual social environment include the following: ) psychophysiological features (age, manifestations of disinhibition, high level of anxiety, emotional lability, uncontrolled anger); ) the degree of severity of mental traumatization; ) the unpreparedness of the family system for changes. The above factors make it possible to demonstrate the imbalance between the needs and limitations of online care and its proven therapeutic capability [Fedonnikov A. S., ]. Conclusion. Institutionalization of psychological online counseling for families of refugees and internally displaced people is a long-term process for the adaptation and integration of children into the social order at a new place of residence.

Political falsification of history: problems of Anglo-Saxon "Interpretation"

The article examines the actual problem of falsification of political history and its "interpretations" by Anglo-Saxon authors. The authors demonstrate a comprehensive approach of a set of methods – from dialectics and gemeneutics to comparative studies and semiotics. The presented principles of dialectics allow us to identify the dynamics of the development of falsifications. The principles of comparative studies used in comparisons with historical facts help to expose falsification. The use of personalism data allows us to more accurately understand the personalities who participated in the falsification. The method of hermeneutics allows you to penetrate into the depth of the meaning of the text, through the disclosure of its true content, the problem of falsifications is represented by the scheme: incompetence-error-lie. The approaches of the US ruling elite to the interpretation of modern international events of political history in relations with Russia have been criticized. In relation to the English falsifiers of history, the authors distinguish two categories of memory: collective and collective. The nature of information wars in fakes and demagogic tricks is revealed. The purpose of further development of this topic is to develop and implement a number of events and "anti-fake" programs based on close interaction of the Russian media, which allow to rid the Russian community of the "weeds" of the Anglo-Saxon falsification of political history.

Medically Unexplained Symptoms among Adults from Russia: An Assessment using the Patient Health Questionnaire-15.

The Patient Health Questionnaire-15 (PHQ-15) is one of the most frequently used instruments to measure medically unexplained symptoms in the general population, as well as in groups of patients with mental and physical health problems. This study aimed to examine the psychometric properties of the PHQ-15 in assessing a Russian community sample. A total of 1153 Russian adults age 18 or older participated in this cross-sectional study. They completed the Russian versions of the PHQ-15 and Symptom Check List-90-Revised, SCL-90-R (SCL-90-R). Exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses were used to examine the factor structure of the Russian PHQ-15, and multi-group confirmatory factor analyses were used to test measurement invariance across sex and age. Cronbach's alpha coefficients and Pearsons Correlation Coefficients were used to evaluate the internal reliability and convergent validity of the Russian PHQ-15. Exploratory factor analysis revealed a three-factor solution highlighting pain-fatigue, gastrointestinal, and cardiopulmonary symptoms. Confirmatory factor analysis confirmed a bifactor structure for the Russian PHQ-15 merging general and specific somatic symptoms. A multi-group confirmatory factor analysis showed partial invariance across sex and age. The Russian PHQ-15 demonstrated acceptable Cronbach's alpha coefficients ranging from 0.72 to 0.75 for specific factors and a good Cronbach's alpha for the total score (a = 0.85), proving the questionnaire's internal reliability. Finally, positive correlations between the PHQ-15 and SCL-90-R dimensions, and positive intercorrelations between PHQ-15 specific factors, suggested convergent validity. The Russian PHQ-15 is a reliable and valid instrument for assessing medically unexplained symptoms in the general population. This instrument can be used in diagnostic and counseling settings.

К ВОПРОСУ О ВОЗМОЖНОСТИ ОБЪЕДИНЕНИЯ ИНФОРМАЦИОННЫХ РЕСУРСОВ АРХИВОВ, БИБЛИОТЕК И МУЗЕЕВ РОССИЙСКОЙ ФЕДЕРАЦИИ

The article deals with an analysis of the possibilities of implementing a project for the digital integration of information resources (state information systems) that are currently being created by the federal government departments of the Russian Federation in charge of the Archival, Library and Museum Funds. In the preamble, the author briefly describes foreign experience in implementing such projects; highlights the history of the discussion – within the Russian communities of historians, culturologists, specialists in the field of information technology and security, as well as archivists, librarians and museum workers – of the issue of creating unified archive-library-museum information resources; defines the main goals that could be achieved as a result of the formation of integrated resources. In the main part of the article, the author considers the regulatory and methodological framework of the Archival, Museum and Library spheres in the context of the creation of the sectoral state information systems. The article also deals with the changes that have occurred in the regulatory and methodological framework over the past decades – the changes that are related to the adjustment of the activities for the acquisition, recording, keeping, use and provision of access to the information connected with the «non-core» objects of historical and cultural heritage included in the collections. The author pays special attention to the analysis of methodological and technical approaches, as well as to the solution of the technological issues (standards and formats), which form the basis of the created information systems. It is concluded that the creation of integrated information resources seems unlikely under the present circumstances.

Российское IT-сообщество в контексте социокультурной модернизации. Результаты интервью. Часть 1

The article presents the results of interviewing Russian IT specialists, which is part of the study of the socio-cultural characteristics of the Russian community of IT specialists. The first part examines the cultural identity of the interviewees. The authors infer that the identity of Russian specialists is determined by two main value “centers of attraction”: Russian and Western cultures. At the same time, Eastern culture does not have a significant impact on the value characteristics of specialists. Thus, the basis for the cultural identity of the respondents is Russian culture with a strong value bias towards Western culture. The specialists attributed the multiculturalism of Russian society, universality, hard work, as well as enterprise to the positive qualities of Russian culture, and conservatism, patience and inertia to the negative ones. Among the main differences between a Russian IT specialist and a foreign one mentioned in the interviews were: versatility, ability to adapt, proficiency, workaholism, stubbornness, commitment to results, high learning ability and collegiality as an ability to collective action, readiness for mutual assistance, as well as the fact that Russian specialists start working earlier and therefore gain experience faster than foreign colleagues. Collegiality, in the authors' opinion, is an exceptional quality in the context of the socio-cultural potential of the studied community because it is the ability for collective values that can be considered as a modernization value and a condition for the implementation of large social projects, and can be a factor in the consolidation of various social groups. The negative differences were: lack of specialized knowledge, the stereotype of the need for vocational education, focus on quick results, problems with the balance between work and personal life. The analysis of the attitude of community members to political life indicated the presence of a request for participation in the social life of society, accompanied by distrust of existing institutions.

Русские в Шанхае на авеню Жоффр (Хуайхай-роуд)

The article is dedicated to the Russian residents of Shanghai Avenue Joffre. After the October Revolution of 1917 and the end of the Civil War in 1922, refugees from Russia began to arrive in Shanghai en masse. Thanks to external assistance and their own efforts, Russian emigrants quickly achieved material success, which helped to intensify social activities in the Russian community of Shanghai. This can be illustrated by the situation on Avenue Joffre on the former French Concession, where most of the Russian shops operated. The article uses rare Chinese sources, including publications of literary and artistic societies, emigrant press (advertising for shops, restaurants, bookstores, etc.), modern statistical information, as well as the results of the authors' field research in China in 2010–2022.

Конситуативная модификация структуры и содержания концепта в русском медиадискурсе

Introduction. The key to modern media discourse is its topical determinacy and narrativity based on initial goal setting. With this regard, the correlation of the core and peripheral associative components of basic concepts conveyed in media texts with the utilitarian and operational zones of the collective space in the process of deliberation gives them the status of dominants. Materials and Methods. The basic methods for analyzing the structure and content of the modified concepts were hermeneutic-noematic and discursivemodus methods, which made it possible to describe the mechanisms of pragmatic and interpretive explication in a specific semiosis situation. Analysis. A concept is a multi-level hierarchical structure with conventionalized representatives of each of its layers; the structure can be changed by rethinking individual components based on the search for new verbalizers. Each of the modified elements must acquire and maintain the “declared” value within the framework of the concept, i.e. be legitimized in discourse as carrying “objective meaning”. This “objectivity” of meaning allows a new facet of the concept to fit into the existing value-oriented system of the modern Russian community. Results. Based on the hermeneuticnoematic and discursive-modus analysis of microcontexts containing non-usual verbalizers of the basic concept of VICTORY in modern media discourse, we can conclude that the vectors of actualization of the negative and positive spaces of interpretation are demarcated within the framework of the binary oppositions “friend – foe” and “good – bad”. The following are recognized as the key mechanisms of consituative modification of the content of the concept: 1) modus binding of nuclear and peripheral semantics to the stereotyped semiotic representation of collective experience, 2) the use of intimization means, 3) dysphemization of the “foe” space and verdictive euphemization of the “friend” space.

Международный научный конгресс «XVIII Фаизхановские чтения» на тему «Ислам в России: прошлое, настоящее, будущее»

On November 1–2, 2022, the International Scientific Congress “XVIII Faizkhanov Readings: Islam in Russia: Past, Present, Future” was held in Moscow. The congress was timed to coincide with the 1100th anniversary of the official adoption of Islam by the peoples of the Volga Bulgaria, the Year of the Cultural Heritage of the Peoples of Russia and the 15th anniversary of the Medina Publishing House. The participants of the XVIII Faizkhanov readings were religious figures, represen­tatives of research institutes, statesmen and public figures from Belarus, Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Turkmenistan, Russia. The organizers were: Spiritual Board of Muslims of the Russian Federation, Moscow Islamic Institute, Center for Islamic Studies of St. Petersburg State University, Press Service of the Spiritual Muslim Board of the Russian Federation. Marjani Institute of History of the Tatarstan Academy of Sciences was one of the co-organizers of the Congress. Issues of the history of the material culture of Islam, written monuments of Islam, the history of Islam in archival sources were discussed within the framework of the Congress. The participants shared the results of their research on the history of Islam in Russia, discussed a wide range of issues on the history of Islam in international relations, the current situation and prospects for the development of the Muslim community in Russia. Employees of the Marjani Institute of History of the Tatarstan Academy of Sciences made presentations at seven sections. In the section “Islam from the Bulgar State to the Russian Empire” the staff of the Usmanov Center for Research on the Golden Horde and Tatar Khanates also made reports.

Platonic Community in Russia: A Chronicle of Events (Saint Petersburg - Moscow, 2022)

Platonic Community in Russia: A Chronicle of Events (Saint Petersburg - Moscow, 2022)

Verbal explication of axiological constants of feminist discourse in the Russian languagein the context of cyberactivism

The authors focus on the interconnection between the basic constituents of two phenomena relevant to modern Russian studies - the phenomenon of cyberactivism and the linguistic personality of a feminist activist. The relevance is determined by the object of the study, which is a special form of social and linguo-cultural interactions - the discursive practices of feminist cyberactivism. Being transmitted in the network environment for promoting socio-political activities, feminist cyberactivism represents a substantial part of content nowadays and appears to be one ofthe most important factors in the formation of axiological determinants in the Russian society.The aim of the study is to identify and systematically characterize the specific linguistic features of actual feminist and pro-feminist blogs, demonstrating both the ideological views of the feminismand the peculiar linguistic representation of feminism as a thematic field in the aspect of idioethnic features of the linguistic personality of a feminist activist. Particular attention is paid to the methods of verbal definition of the problematic field of feminist cyberactivism (primarily, the definition of gender inequality index in Russia) as well as to the identification of basic semasiological mechanisms for “modifying” the pragmatic parameters of the Russian-speaking feminist blogosphere. The material was collected from online blogs of feminist activists, text units from thematic feminist communities in social networks, as well as text materials of public organizations whose activities are closely related to feminist ideology. The critical discourse analysis, functional analysis of media texts (blogs), complex structural and contextual analysis of the language system of the Russian blogo-sphere, stylistic analysis of visual resources of the Russian language, linguo-pragmatic analysis of communicative acts, and the method of linguo-culturological interpretations were applied. The authors discovered that blog activism has several characteristic features that are reflected in its verbal and communicative content. The main purpose of most blogs (especially those belonging to personal pro-feminist blogs) is an act of self-presentation. This is the reason why this type of activism often hasan individual, rather than a collective nature, and the authors, as a rule, do not indicate their civil or political goals, which brings this framework of feminist discourse closer to non-political social practices. It is concluded that bloggers rarely use conventional language forms traditionally inherent to ideologized practices. This in turn leads to the evolvement of new communication strategies and, given the expansion pace of modern blogosphere, may have a major social effect in the future. The authors prove that by cultivating “at a certain angle,” the sense-forming component of feminist discourse, which is a critical reflection of female subjectiveness, feminist cyberactivism demonstrates a high degree of civil society involvement in certain political processes since it essentially aims at fulfilling the socio-ethological function (organization of hyperdiscourse through optimizing the reci-pient’s behavior and forming a need to share an actualized standpoint). Further consideration of fe-minist cyberactivism, which is both the primary method for the expansion of feminist community in Russia and its constitutive feature, can answer many questions on the linguo-cultural and, more broadly, civilizational structure of Russian society.

Reading Anna’s Instability and Fear of Abandonment in Anna Karenina

Literary works often represent psychological issues through the conflicts they pose. Every so often, most literary works cannot be grasped as purely a psycho-literary works, but rather they implicitly connote psychological themes through conflicts, characterizations, and even settings. In continuing this tradition, this study examines a classic literature by Leo Tolstoy entitled Anna Karenina. This literary work is often seen to be an allegory for Imperial Russian community, social unrest, betrayal, and familial problems. Expanding the rich themes of this novel, this study specifically analyzes Anna Karenina through psychological lens. Concept of Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD) by Susan Hoeksema is used as the main concept to interpret the findings of the analysis. This study used qualitative method through a closed-reading attempt. The data of this study are narrator’s explanations and the characters’ utterances related the symptoms of the personality disorder suffered by Anna only. This study found that the personality disorder suffered by Anna is borderline personality disorder. This study is intended to explain the symptom of borderline personality disorder experienced by Anna are the instability in her mood and behavior and the fear of abandonment and the instability in her interpersonal relationships.

Branching out or inwards? The logic of fractals in Russian studies

ABSTRACT This essay reflects upon the consequences of Russia’s war against Ukraine on the sub-field of Russian studies in political science. I argue that the war has exposed some blind spots in our knowledge. Notably, it has left us struggling to understand the historically deprived communities in Russia whose values, sentiments, and vulnerabilities may be indirect buttresses to both support for Putin and the war. I discuss two key issues in the sub-field: (1) the elite-centered approaches in research in mainstream work on Russia, not least due to data availability preoccupations; and (2) the paucity of inter-disciplinary perspectives, particularly the reluctance of mainstream studies to cast their nets into history and sociology. Disciplinary pressures – the credibility revolution – complicate a historically sensitive revision of long-internalized assumptions. I draw on my recent work on the historical underpinnings of social structure and its implications for civil society, protest, and support for democracy in Russia.

Cinderella or princess: Past and present of economic history

The article considers: (a) the main features of the development of economic history (EH) as an academic discipline in the second half of the 20th century; key challenges faced by the EH in the early 2020s. Based on the results of the survey of 147 international economic historians author reveals the most popular methods used by scholars from different local research communities. Special attention is paid to the study of respondents’ perception of the place of EH among other sciences. The analysis has shown that nowadays EH is gradually becoming an interdisciplinary research platform connecting scholars from a wide variety of subject At the same time, these scholars are united not as much by the unity of conceptual views, as by the desire to study EH not for the sake of history per se, but for the sake of finding the origins of modern social and economic challenges. The article also contains the results of a survey of 42 Russian economic historians about the theoretical and methodological assumptions they use and their vision of the problems of studying economic history in today’s Russia. The analysis has revealed that one of the main challenges for the development of the Russian community of economic historians is its high fragmentation, manifested in the lack of methodological consensus, as well as a rather pessimistic vision of future prospects of EH.

«Никакие сих развратных умов намерения нималейше успеть не могут»: российские власти и французские учителя в 1795 г.

The article investigates an archival file concerning a project submitted by French teachers to the Director of Elementary Schools in Moscow Guberniia in 1795. The project’s authors aimed at creating a trade union and a platform for legally authorized socializing and mutual aid. Fourteen individuals signed the project, about whom the archival file contains brief dossiers from the Secret Investigation Office (the administrative body in charge of domestic intelligence). The teachers’ initiative gave rise to correspondence between the Governor of Moscow and the Prosecutor General, as well as a direct personal appeal of the latter to the empress. All in all, the documents show the circumspect attitude of the Russian authorities toward the French community in Russia in the time of the French Revolution. The authors analyze this particular episode in the context of the history of the French community, and especially of French teachers, in eighteenth century Russia. The text of the Project for the Union of Teachers is published in the appendix.

Overseas vietnamese in Russia and their contributions to the promotion of bilateral relations

This article is devoted to the formation, current position, and development prospects of the overseas Vietnamese community in Russia. The purpose of the study was to critically review the directions of work of the authorities in the interests of the Diaspora and in order to strengthen mutually beneficial cooperation between the two countries in the socio-economic, cultural, scientific, technical and political spheres. The authors relied on empirical data, including official statistics on migration from Vietnam to Russia, the main indicators of the socio-economic situation in Vietnam as the major factor of emigration, as well as research publications on the history of the Vietnamese communities formation in Russia. As the result of its analysis, we identified the main areas of cooperation between Vietnam and Russia where the Vietnamese diaspora makes a significant contribution. Accordingly, the paper proposes evidence-based policy recommendations for the government and authorities of Vietnam, which outlined several areas of work with the diaspora in Russia, namely: promoting intercultural dialogue, providing information support and legal assistance for legal migration, developing cooperation in the economy, trade, and labor, as well as joint scientific research and technology transfer.

Marx and Engels and Russia's Peasant Communes

In the past and in his own time, Marx has been portrayed as endorsing the enclosure of the commons as a necessary historical stage on the path to socialism. However, a more accurate account, one that is critical of the enclosure movement, can be found in his response to the destruction of commons-based peasant communities in Russia—while it was actually happening.

Jewish Education State Policy in the First Half of the XIXth Century

This article focuses on the problem of reforming national education in the Russian Empire in the first half of the XIXth century. The author draws attention to the significance of the value attitudes of the state education system in a multi-confessional and multi-ethnic state. The study aims to analyze the Jewish education state policy. The work is written on the basis of the principles of scientific objectivity and historicism, allowing to trace the development of Jewish education in relation to other historical phenomena. The author used problem-chronological, formal-legal, comparative, and other methods. The source base is represented by the office documentation of the Committee for Determining measures for the Radical Transformation of Jews of the 733 fund of the Russian State Historical Archive, legislative acts regulating the legal status of Jews. The author notes that for a long time the Jewish community in Russia has maintained a traditional education system based on the study of the principles of Judaism. The Regulation adopted in 1804 secured the right of Jews to secular education while preserving elements of the traditional school. It is noted that all subsequent actions of the government regarding secular education did not find support from Jews. In 1840, by decree of Nicholas I, a Committee was formed to determine measures for the radical transformation of Jews. Representatives of the Jewish community, scientists, and rabbis were involved in the work of the Committee. The result of the activity was the establishment of stateowned Jewish schools, the development of curricula with the preservation of elements of traditional Jewish education. As a conclusion, the author notes that the results of the reform were ambiguous. The attempt to destroy the traditional Jewish school provoked opposition from Jews. At the same time, the reform laid the foundation for the development of secular education, contributed to the formation of teaching staff.

Is a Special Purpose Vehicle a Way to Circumvent Western Economic Sanctions Imposed on Russia or Only Pitfalls Lie Ahead?

The ‘problem’ of economic sanctions that restricted trade has vexed the Russian community for the past several years and seemingly only tends to worsen. At the same time, the European Union (the EU) developed a Special Purpose Vehicle (the SPV) (known as Instrument in Support of Trade Exchanges (the INSTEX) for Iran to continue trade without accessing the United States financial system and avoid violating the United States of America (the US) sanctions. In this respect, one might argue that Russia, in general, might consider a similar option by creating an INSTEX like SPV to circumvent the imposed economic sanctions. At first glance, such SPV seems like a working mechanism to continue the trade in goods and services and to preserve trade flows in case Russia is fully disconnected from the SWIFT) or if ‘maximum’ sanctions are imposed against Russia. This article provides a general overview of how Russia deals with trading under the pressure of economic sanctions and how the hypothetical SPV may assist Russia in maintaining stable trade relations despite the sanctions. The article further discusses how the hypothetical SPV may resort to investment arbitration in order to protect its rights and interests and challenge the imposed sanctions and the risks it may face in this respect. The study reveals that creating such SPV to avoid anti-Russian sanctions might assist with humanitarian need, while the potential to restore normal trade flows is quite doubtful. Special Purpose Vehicle (SPV), Economic Sanctions, Investment Arbitration, Instrument in Support of Trade Exchanges (INSTEX), Counter-sanctions, Circumventing sanctions

UNDERSTANDING THE PHENOMENON OF RELIGION IN A CROSS-CULTURAL CONTEXT: FROM CICERO TO MODERN YOUTH

The article describes some aspects of the attitude of modern student youth of two Russian regions to the concepts behind the word “religio” (religion). The latter is understood in connotation with three normative forms for the history of the Russian community: 1) as a basic spiritual and moral concept that underlies the life of every individual, the state and the entire human community as a whole (Cicero’s «religio» paradigm); 2) philosophical and confessional legal norms of the 1000-year history of Christianity in Russia; 3) the phenomenology of humanism and religious tolerance in relation to the anthropological foundations of the individual and collective life of each member of the global community. The results of a survey of 235 students from Arkhangelsk and Vladimir on issues related to the modern attitude of young people to understanding the concept of religion are also reflected.

The destiny of several female monastic communities in the South of Russia after the Revolution of 1917

The article provides an overview of the history of some women’s monasteries in the South of Russia in the first post-revolutionary years. The conclusion is made about the organizational and economic stability of the women’s communities. The destruction of the monastic households and the nun`s communities themselves occurred as a result of the targeted efforts of local Soviet authorities, and sometimes even direct repression. However, separate groups of nuns in many places continued their religious life and influence on the population until the 1980s. The phenomenon of women’s monastic communities in Russia in the 20th century requires further comprehensive study.