This research work is dedicated to the comprehensive analysis of the potential impact of the creation of a new payment instrument by the BRICS countries on international trade, the economy, and the relations between the countries of this bloc. The research aims to identify possible changes in the structure of global trade, to investigate its impact on the interaction   with tax, customs, and other barriers, and to determine potential benefits for the participating countries of this initiative. The research methodology is based on a comprehensive analysis of both theoretical and practical aspects of the relationship between international trade and currency mechanisms. The methods employed in writing this research work include extensive analysis of statistical data, examples from contemporary economic practice, as well as scientific, historical, and news publications from various time periods. The results and conclusions drawn by the researchers indicate that the creation of a new payment instrument by the BRICS countries may lead to significant shifts in the structure of international trade, facilitated by a reduction in dependence on the US dollar and encouragement of the use of alternative currency mechanisms. Furthermore, it is concluded that the development and implementation of a new payment instrument could have a positive impact on streamlining trade operations by improving interaction with customs barriers, thereby enhancing the efficiency of international trade and reducing costs associated with cross-border transactions. The research findings have a broad scope of application, encompassing international trade, foreign economic relations, geopolitics, financial market policies, and strategic economic development planning. The authors’ conclusions underscore the importance of creating fundamentally new currency settlement mechanisms to establish infrastructure for ensuring sustainable and equitable global economic development, as well as to enhance the competitiveness of participating countries and their integration into global economic processes.

The article examines the evolution of the darknet ecosystem and its impact on international information security in Africa. It analyzes key threats emanating from the darknet, including illegal trade, cybercrime, and the spread of disinformation. Specific challenges faced by African countries in the realm of cybersecurity are highlighted, such as lack of resources and low levels of awareness. Possible strategies for enhancing resilience and effectiveness in combating cyber threats in the region are also discussed, including international cooperation and the development of Russian-African initiatives in information security area.

Sufi Islam has taken root in the culture and consciousness of the multinational population of the North-Eastern Caucasus and, therefore, is the most traditional there. Modern relations between the state and religious associations of the North Caucasus region are conditioned by the simultaneous secularization of the religious sphere and the clericalization of the secular one. A number of regional leaders position themselves as patrons of various Sufi movements, as do their opponents. Accordingly, certain religious organizations acquire administrative and financial support, or, in case of confrontation with    the authorities, lose their legal entity, as happened, for example, with the Ingush muftiate. The article provides a rationale for the current direction for the development of legislative regulation of relations between the state and religious associations in the North Caucasus region in the direction of leveling the politicization of religion. The methodology provides a historiographical and structural-functional analysis of the relationship between Islam, secular ideology and science. The article substantiates the decisive role of the historical and cultural heritage of Islam in the formation of the dominant ideology in North Caucasian society. In this regard, the need to optimize the relevant regulatory frameworkis explained. Due to the fact that Islamist principles provide conditions for the formation of pseudo-religious groups, including strengthening the impact of religious and political syncretism, they pose a threat to the security of the region under consideration. In an era of instability and social upheaval, ethno-religious relations come to the fore and become markers of the broadest social strata. The separation of competencies and responsibilities of the state and religious associations will contribute to strengthening social and social stability in the region.

Remittances from Central Asian migrant workers from Russia to their home have been an important support for their families and the economies of their home countries for several decades. In the changing economic conditions and under the influence of the COVID-19 pandemic, there have been changes in the scale and regularity of such money transfers. For this reason, information about transfers needs to be updated. In the article, the author analyzes the causes andregularity of remittances from labor migrants from Tajikistan, Kyrgyzstan and Uzbekistan from the Russian Federation to their homeland, their participation in shaping and influencing decisions on household budget expenditures, including during the COVID-19 pandemic in terms of citizenship and gender. The analysis was based on three sociological studies conducted by the author in Russia (Moscow, St. Petersburg, Yekaterinburg, Kazan, Nizhny Novgorod, Volgograd, Tambov, Orenburg) in 2014, 2015 and 2015. The research involved migrant workers from Tajikistan (n=1109), Kyrgyzstan (n=1002) and Uzbekistan (n=478). Research data show that in 2014-2020, an increasing number of labor migrants from Tajikistan, Kyrgyzstan, and Uzbekistan in the Russian Federation sent money to their homeland, while the proportion of female labor migrants sending money grew rapidly. In less than half of cases, the opinion of migrant workers from Tajikistan, Kyrgyzstan and Uzbekistan is considered when deciding how their money will be spent by their relatives in their homeland. The COVID-19 pandemic caused a decrease in the amount of funds sent by respondents to their homeland.

This article explores the challenges faced in achieving the goals and objectives of the state youth policy in the Republic of Tajikistan. It highlights the unique characteristics that distinguish the process of developing and implementing this policy. One of the main focuses is on engaging young people in the political life of the country. By analysing the issues related to youth development, the author identifies factors that hinder the further successful implementation of the strategy and objectives of the state youth policy in Tajikistan. The author concludes that to effectively address the tasks set for youth policy, it is necessary to establish a special state institute responsible for working with young people and managing this process.

At the beginning of the 21st century, some Western political theorists tried to justify democracy in an epistemic way. They wanted to prove that democracy leads to the most correct political decisions. Consequently, it is reasonable to say that a new normative theory of democracy has emerged — the epistemic theory. The article demonstrates that the existing epistemic justifications of democracy are presented in the forms of rational/moderate epistemic proceduralism (D. Estlund et al.), pure   epistemic proceduralism (F. Peter), as well as in other forms, for example reliability democracy (S. Prijić Samaržija). Within the framework of the first form, three main ways of epistemic justification of democracy can be distinguished, namely through the demonstration of epistemic advantages of: 1) deliberative practices; 2) the Condorcet jury theorem; 3) opinions’ diversity (the formula “diversity trumps ability”). Doubts are expressed that epistemic democracy can be seen as a form of deliberative democracy. This is because epistemic democrats not only value deliberation but also what is called the “miracle of aggregation”. The article explores the ideas of the main representatives of the epistemic theory of democracy and suggests   the most promising ways to criticize these theories. It also points out that all epistemic democrats lack a clear theory of   how their justifications relate to the purely procedural justifications of democracy based on the value of political equality.

In the context of contemporary dynamic and uncertain social life, the classic dichotomy of “formalization-flexibility” in management is giving way to the dichotomy of “unification-diversity”. This is due to the need to involve diverse social groups and move to more flexible subject-subject relationships. However, the rejection of subject-object management methods is often declarative in nature, and the introduced mechanisms of partnership activity lack a proper evidence base. The technology of “PredictiveSocial Design” (PSD), developed by T.M. Dridze, is one such mechanism aimed at solving the problems of spatial development. The article examines the ability of PSD to ensure adaptation in conditions of high uncertainty and increasing dynamics, taking into account the uniqueness and specificity of different communities and cultures. The methodological basis of the analysis is the concept of types of scientific rationality by V.S. Stepin, which distinguishes classical, non-classical, and post-non-classical types of management situations. The research method is a multiple case study, which allows for an in-depth analysis of several cases, identifying similarities and differences. With the help of interviews, observation, and document analysis, five cases related to solving spatial development problems using PSD were studied, collecting data. The study found that classical approaches to management do not correspond to the level of complexity of problems related to the non-classical paradigm of scientific rationality. PSD, used in situations of a non-classical type, retains a number of features inherent in classical management, which can lead to negative consequences. The search for a balance between unification and diversity raises several questions regarding the extent to which the transition from management based on the facts of goal achievement to mechanisms that organize joint activities is able to respond to the challenges that are characteristic of modern problems caused by growing uncertainty.

The article shows the results of oculometric research and metaphorical associative modeling of the image of the future development of the Russian Federation in the minds of Russian students. The analysis of the oculomotor reaction of students to a battery of stimuli associated with basic needs and values of various levels is carried out. Using metaphorical associative maps and the subsequent specially organized conversation, the main intentions in building a model for the future development of Russian society are revealed. A comparison of the results of projective and instrumental diagnostics made it possible to establish the main problem field in the perception of the image of the future of the country by the studying youth: cognitive simplicity, centralization at the microlevel of life fulfillment, a low degree of readiness for social responsibility, a low level of subjectivity in the attitude towards achieving the desired future. The results of the study canserve as a methodological basis for the formation of the content and formats of work in practical classes on the topic “The image of the future of Russia” of the discipline “Fundamentals of Russian statehood”.

This article is devoted to the problem of the deliberate creation of information noise and re -launch in the Russian-language media field of television programs and publications in various media about the events of the past that are constantly living among the population, due to the context of the mystery, unresolved and mystery of circumstances. The author suggests calling them “trigger stories”, which will almost always find a response from a considerable number of the audience and readership, distracting it from serious information and entertaining “convincing” unscientific explanations of the events described in them. In the course of content analysis, a sharp surge in the number of publications on these topics from 2013 to 2023 in the Russian segment of the media, including social media, was discovered.

The article uses statistical and sociological analysis methods to study how households save and how families build up their financial assets. It explores how this behaviour can help restore trust in economic relationships. The study reveals the savings habits of the population as a key factor in transferring savings to the economy. However, in 2023, Russians didn’t fully use their savings potential securing the distribution of personal assets between banks and holding cash “on hand”. By increasing the financial assets of the population, we can help break the cycle of mistrust that is common in economic systems during the crisis. The study also highlights the importance of financial literacy for building trust. If households can successfully manage their finances, this will contribute to trust at both the macro and micro levels. The research also shows that only a small proportion of Russians today have the right investment attitudes, including long term investments. The willingness of individuals to invest their funds is primarily determined by their level of trust in financial institutions, rather than their income level. The absence of alternative financial instruments also doesn’t have a significant impact on the development of investment practices.

The article presents the results of evaluating of using humanitarian technologies to shape public opinion using Western countries as an example. It is concluded that Western countries today are aimed at maintaining technical and economic leadership, which requires the formation of a type of public consciousness corresponding to this goal through the active use of modern technologies. As a result, the public consciousness of the population of Western countries is changing, digital television and the Internet have become a tool of enslavement, people are experiencing information overload and psychological shock due to rapid changes. Technologies of economic warfare are used as tools for influencing public consciousness, actively replenished with high humanitarian technologies, including cognitive distortions of consciousness and information technologies of influence affecting elements of worldview, consciousness and subconsciousness. Further advanced development of Western civilization seems doubtful due to the prevalence of deformation of moral and family values, egoism and satiety with comfort in the mass consciousness of the population of Western civilization.

The article examines the role of quality of life as a factor in ensuring the legitimization of the results of municipal reform using the Moscow Region as an example. The authors reveal the issue based on the analysis of expert interview data regarding the quality of life and the dynamics of this indicator in the territories of such municipalities as Sergiev Posad, Korolev and Dmitrovsky District. The concept of legitimacy by P. Berger and T. Lukman served as the theoretical basis for the study. The authors conclude that the specified municipalities are characterized by a fairly high level of quality of life. The dynamics of this indicator after the transformation of the corresponding territories into urban districts is characterized by the presence of a number of significant positive trends. But at the same time, there are factors that partially smooth out the positive effect of changes. The proximity to the capital sets a high level of pendulum migration and ensures the regular appearance of a large mass of tourists and summer residents. As a result, the standards of quality of life of the local population are transformed, whose representatives consider the level of consumption of Muscovites as a standard. In addition, structural problems in the field of health care, housing and communal services, and transport, related to the competence of public authorities, remain. Due to this, the quality of work of not so much municipal as regional and federal authorities acquires the role of a key determinant of the legitimization of municipal reform and its results.

The aim of this work is to uncover the actual characteristics of managing youth entrepreneurship within the context of Russia’s youth policy. In the current geopolitical situation, it is crucial to use all the tools of youth policy effectively. This helps to resist the hybrid pressure from unfriendly countries and maintain the fundamental principles of national security. The authors examine the main areas where the state can provide incentives to encourage young people to start their own businesses. These incentives are divided into three main groups: economic, educational, and administrative. The main targets of youth entrepreneurship management in the youth policy coordinate system include expanding the business activity potential of the most promising demographic group of the population, creating a long-term foundation for financial independence of citizens to reduce the burden on the social system of the state, reducing the level of social tension in society by increasing average income indicators, reorienting subcultural values of young people ensuring the maximum level of self-realization and self-development for the formation of a stable progressive track of dynamism of the national socio-economic system. The essence of state policy lies in creating a favourable environment and fostering youth initiatives through the use of material and socio-administrative tools.

A distributed university as a model of an educational ecosystem seems promising and has already proven its relevance and viability. Branches and representative offices of leading universities in the regions are unconditional outposts for the involvement of wide and diverse (in terms of gender, age, cognitive and value) social groups in research, production and design practices. Moreover, branches are able to act as the core of the dissemination of socio-cultural initiatives at the local level, saturate the regions with the necessary highly professional personnel. The Financial University under the Government of the Russian Federation, as the leading higher education institution in the country, whose branch network includes 27 branches implementing higher and secondary vocational education programs, plays a significant role in the formation of personnel for the industries of the real sector of the economy and the management level of the regions. In the Krasnodar Territory, the Financial University is represented by two branches in Krasnodar and Novorossiysk. This article provides data, quantitative and qualitative data, revealing the features of the functioning of a part of the educational ecosystem of the Financial University in this region.

The article explores the economic growth of the city of Sevastopol during the second half of the 19th and early 20th centuries, focusing on the most significant sectors of the city’s economy. The authors identify four distinct stages of development in the city during this period. The first stage, which lasted from the late 1850s to the late 1860s, was marked by a period of recession. This was due to limited budget financing and military spending, as well as the ineffectiveness of government stimulus measures. The second stage, which spanned from the early 1870s to the late 1890s, saw active recovery and economic growth. This period was marked by the lifting of restrictions on the fleet’s base in the Black Sea, the construction of the Lozovo-Sevastopol railway, and the transformation of Sevastopol into an independent territorial unit. The third stage, which lasted until 1910, was characterized by stagnation due to the closure of the commercial port and the revolutionary movement. This stagnation was evident in the slow growth of urban incomes, a decrease in foreign trade turnover, and a slow implementation of major projects. The fourth and final stage, which lasted from 1910 to 1915, saw the revival of the city’s economy. This period saw thelaunch of major urban improvement projects such as the construction of a floating sewer system, a hydropathic hospital, a coastal port in Streletskaya Bay, and the completion of a water pipeline. The study concludes that the city’s economy developed quite actively, but at the same time unevenly, due to the influence of various internal and external factors.