The article presents the results of an empirical study of the ideas of Russian citizens about probabilistic scenarios for the future development of Russia. The research is based on materials from in-depth and formalized interviews, as well as projective drawing tests collected in the autumn of 2023 among respondents of three age groups from several regions of Russia. The dominant scenarios in the minds of the population for the future development of Russia in the next areas are described: in the economy, in culture, in the political sphere. The main areas of the future are highlighted, reflecting the psychological states of respondents ranging from positive to negative. Conclusions are made about the influence of emotional and psychological factors of the event context that are situational character, especially the dynamics of the socio-political agenda supported by various media, on the instability and fragmentation of mass ideas about the future. Despite the significant efforts of the state to ensure the security of the information environment in Russia, ideological and value imbalances still persist. Content broadcast by media from unfriendly countries continues to influence part of the Russian audience, which requires strengthening response measures in the field of protection against external information and psychological threats and destructive influence on the consciousness of Russian citizens.

This article discovers the political-economic aspects of the conflict between Israel and Iran, which escalated after large-scale Israeli strikes on Iranian missile facilities in June 2025 with the involvement of the U.S. military. In the researchanalyzes the impact of military operations and economic sanctions on Iran’s energy sector, strategic industries (such as pharmaceuticals and the production of essential goods), and the management of the country’s foreign exchange market. Special attention was given to Iran’s domestic measures aimed at maintaining social stability under conditions of war and external economic pressure. The paper explores possible scenarios for the conflict’s extension, including a temporary ceasefire and a long-term reorientation of the regional balance of power in favor of Israel and the United States. The research highlights the risks of regional destabilization and global economic shocks, as well as the necessity for a comprehensive diplomatic settlement.

The article reveals general ideas about the content and functions of humanitarian technologies in education, which can be aimed both at the usage of human development methods and the introduction of behavior management methods. The author’s conceptualization of humanitarian technologies in the educational sphere is proposed, and the key characteristics of this category at the current stage are highlighted. Based on a review of scientific publications, the author identifies teaching methods for achieving the set goal and influence techniques for performing the necessary actions. The article explores the transition of humanitarian technologies in education from traditional methods to digital tools of anthropocentric practices. The article also offers a comparative analysis of traditional teaching aids and new educational practices implemented based on humanitarian technologies, mainly of a digital type. The author notes that humanitarian technologies overcome the technocratic paradigm, forming co-development ecosystems, where technologies activate the increase in human potential. The article proposes key areas for the development of the concept of humanitarian technologies in the field of education, contained in modern academic discourse.

The article considers the problem of the struggle for influence between the elite and the middle class in modern states. The study covers the period from the second half of the 20th century to the present time, highlighting two key stages of the confrontation. In the first half of the analyzed period, the elite and the middle class acted as allies in the struggle against the personal dominance of political leaders. However, after neutralizing the “dictatorial” potential of the leadership institute in the 2000s, the elite launched an active campaign against the middle class, which by that time had accumulated significant social, material and intellectual capital and began to pose a threat to the establishment’s positions of power. The author analyzes the measures taken by the elite to reduce the authority of the middle class in societies of “civilized” countries and establish full control over shaping the agenda of human development. In conclusion, it is noted that despite the ongoing confrontation, the elite retains a significant advantage over both political leaders and the popular majority, the core of which is the middle class.

The article is dedicated to the philosophical comprehension of the antinomy of war and military service within the context of Christian doctrine, revealing the profound contradictions inherent in these social phenomena. Particular attention is paid to the axiological, theological, and ethical aspects of the problem, including questions of the moral justification of war, the distinction between aggression and defense, just and unjust wars, as well as the role of military personnel in defending the homeland and its spiritual values. It is emphasized that war, being an evil, can be morally justified in cases of restoring justice, defending the country, faith, and freedom. However, adherence to moral and ethical standards by military personnel, even during a just war, is a necessary condition, as their actions may otherwise lead to the aggravationof evil. The article discussesthe dilemmas faced by soldiers during combat operations, including contradictions between Christian principles (e.g., “thou shalt not kill” and “love thy enemy”) and the necessity of fulfilling tactical tasks. The importance of internalizing spiritual and moral standards by modern defenders of the homeland is highlighted, along with the need to maintain a high level of personal responsibility and commitment to universal Christian moral ideals during armed conflicts. The necessity of forming, through the structures of Russia’s Ministry of Defense, the image of a modern soldier who combines qualities of courage, compassion, readiness for self-sacrifice, and spiritual purity is substantiated, as well as organizing educational activities to implement this vision. The methodological foundation of the research includes comparative-historical, theological, axiological, and hermeneutical methods. The results of the study can be used for further reflection on the role of war in the context of religious philosophy and the formation of ethical standards of behavior for military personnel.

The article presents a biological approach to the problem of the essence of man and society. The focus is on the contradiction between human’s humanitarian concepts and the biological approach to this issue. Humanitarian concepts within the framework of cultural studies, philosophy, economics and other sciences represent a person as a purely cultural and rational being. The evolutionary, biological roots of man are ignored or directly denied. Descartes’ words “I think, therefore I exist” are the best illustration of the definition of human nature from the point of view of humanitarians. But research in the field of ethology, sociobiology and genetics over the past 70-80 years has forced us to disagree with humanitarian approaches. The biologists’ conclusions suggest that the biological, evolutionary nature of man continues to be the basis on which both individual behavior and large-scale social processes depend. The essence of man is predetermined by his evolutionary history, which is essentially a stochastic process and not programmed in advance. Biological and evolutionary determinism can be considered a relevant theory explaining social processes. From the point of view of modern evolutionary anthropology, man is a biosocial being who remains heavily dependent on his natural self. It is necessary to recognize the serious inconsistency of human nature, since reason does not dominate the life of either an individual or society as a whole. This inconsistency is seen as the reason for the challenges faced by modern humanity. We are also talking about global issues such as general militarization, the tendency to resolve conflicts by force, hunger and mass diseases, stratification of society, environmental pollution, and much more.

The article presents the results of a comparative analysis of the internal form of English and Japanese paroemias containing TIME, MONEY, and RISK concepts. The object of the study is semantic relations, structural forms and figurative structures of the paroemias selected by the differential sampling method. The relevance of the problem is conditioned by the necessity to study the axiological potential of paroemias in the English and Japanese linguocultures with an aim to understand intercultural differences in worldviews and attitudes of cultural codes. The findings show that the conceptual structure of paroemias is mainly contrast and identification, less frequently — exclusion, incorporation, and parallelism. A distinctive feature of the English proverbs is the frequent repetition of structures in the imperative mood with a clearly expressed inducement to action, while the Japanese proverbs more frequently contain the integration of the opposite semantic elements into a single entity. The figurative structure of the proverbs of both languages is characterised by natural metaphors, with animalistic metaphors additionally noted in the English proverbs. The semantic links of TIME, MONEY, and RISK concepts reveal a fundamental difference in approaches to their understanding: in the English linguoculture they are considered from the point of view of managing financial, time resources and uncertainty, while in the Japanese linguoculture more attention is paid to the cultivation of positive personal qualities that contribute to the attraction of material resources and opportunities. The common semantic components of TIME concept are rationality, awareness of irreplaceability, timeliness of actions, and proactivity. MONEY concept is considered, on the one hand, as a means of implementing plans, projects and achieving personal growth; on the other hand — as an influential resource, potentially associated with the danger of unfair use. The general semantic element of RISK concept consists in a complex and conscious attitude to this phenomenon; meanwhile, in the English paroemias it is more associated with danger, while in the Japanese proverbs it is associated with overcoming fear and gaining valuable experience.

The article is dedicated to the study of the possibilities of using digital tools to develop practices of political participation at the local government level. Digitalization of participation is in demand in the context of the implementation of the idea of co-governance, one of the most important components of the concept of a digital state. The article is focused on the identification of the most widespread and successfully functioning digital practices for increasing citizen participation in decision-making at the local level using the example of Western countries. The article reveals the essence of the municipal aspect of co-governance by analyzing institutions such as civic initiative, organized meetings and hearings, a referendum, as well as cooperation practices aimed at improving the quality of governance and initiated by government authorities.

The article considers the process of digital transformation of public administration in Russia, where the provision of services in electronic format is one of the important functions of the executive autority. Key indicators for the development of e-government show significant growth: in 2023, more than 340 million services were provided through the Gosuslugi portal, which is 100 million more than in the previous period. The main directions of service modernization include the introduction of a customer-centric approach through “life situations”, the development of superservices (for example, “Online University Admission”) and the creation of digital platforms (Gostech, FGIS PGS). The research objective of the work is to analyze the methods of transition to a service-oriented management model and identify existing barriers. Among the main obstacles noted are: technological inequality (78.4% access to the Internet in rural areas); organizational contradictions (integration of 68% of information systems); staff shortage (lack of 10 thousand IT specialists). Successful practices are represented by the work of the Regional Management Centers (SDGs) and the Feedback Platform covering 20 thousand authorities. Recommendations to overcome the problems include the development of digital infrastructure, improvement of legislation, implementation of Artificial Intelligence to analyze citizens’ appeals, and strengthening information security. The implementation of the proposed measures is aimed at improving the quality of public services, reducing administrative costs and strengthening citizens’ trust in government institutions in the digital age.

The article analyzes the phenomenon of “clip thinking” as a concept widely used in the humanities to explain the negative trends that older generations face when interacting with young people. In particular, university professors note a decrease in the ability to concentrate for a long time, social cynicism, and even intellectual degradation of young people. Despite the active use of the term “clip thinking” in Russian science, there is no neurophysiological verification of it, which creates a gap in understanding the adaptive mechanisms of the younger generation. There is also an idea of some features of the value orientations of modern youth that can affect mutual understanding between representatives of different generations. The article proposes to contrast the concept of “clip thinking” with the concept of “digital thinking” as the ability to systematize information and work with algorithms. Representatives of Generation Z demonstrate the work of compensatory mechanisms due to neuroplasticity. The concept of “clip thinking” requires revision in favor of the adaptive multifocality model. Based on empirical data, the value profiles of different generations (BB, X, Y, Z) were studied and specific features of generation Z were identified. The value profile of generation Z is characterized by the dominance of hedonism, achievements and independence with a decrease in the importance of traditions, which relates to the motivational focus of “openness to change and self-affirmation”. As the analysis showed, the personality of a representative of generation Z is quite pragmatic and practical. It is these personal qualities and values that allow one to achieve success in the existing competitive social environment and demonstrate the adaptation strategies of young people in conditions of “great uncertainty”.

The Arctic region is gaining increasing geopolitical and economic importance in the context of climate change and increasing competition for resources. At the same time, the economic interests of the BRICS countries in the Arctic remain poorly understood, despite their growing involvement in the development of the region. This article analyzes the most significant economic interests of the BRICS countries in the Arctic, the possibility of achieving them is assessed, and identifies the strategic priorities of these countries and the potential for cooperation in the region. The scientific novelty of the study is a comprehensive study of the economic aspects of the Arctic strategies of the BRICS countries, and takes into account both the interaction of these countries within the political association and their relations with other actors in the Arctic region. The study based on a comparative analysis of current Arctic strategies and economic programs of the BRICS countries, as well as data from international organizations and expert assessments. Special attention paid to the Russian strategy for the development of the Arctic zone until 2035, the Chinese Polar Silk Road project, Brazil’s oil and gas initiatives, India’s energy and logistics interests, as well as South Africa’s potential in scientific cooperation. The results of the analysis revealed general trends and specific national priorities of the BRICS countries in the Arctic region. It was found that each BRICS country has unique economic interests in the Arctic: Russia focuses on resource development and the development of the Northern Sea Route, China on investments in infrastructure and logistics, Brazil and South Africa on scientific cooperation and climate research, India on energy security and technological partnership. The results obtained reflect the actual points of intersection of the BRICS countries in the economic development of the Arctic region, while emphasizing the multidirectional interests of the BRICS countries in the Arctic, given the potential for cooperation. Further work should be directed at exploring coordination mechanisms between the BRICS countries in the context of increased competition with traditional Arctic states.

The relevance of the research topic is due to the key role of large infrastructure projects in ensuring economic development and improving the quality of life of citizens. In the current conditions, the implementation of such large-scale initiatives is increasingly carried out with the participation of state corporations, which requires an in-depth study of the features and effectiveness of their application. The purpose of the study is to identify the key factors determining the effectiveness of state corporations. An analysis of the literature on the topic revealed a number of problems: the patterns of interaction of these structures with regional and municipal authorities, as well as a comprehensive assessment of their impact on the socio-economic development of territories, have not been sufficiently studied. During the preparation of the article, the author conducted a review of scientific publications, systematized key approaches, made conclusions about the need for further improvement of the regulatory framework, modernization of public-private partnership mechanisms, as well as strengthening coordination between various participants in the investment and construction process. As a novelty, the experience of foreign countries is systematized and the author’s position regarding its applicability in Russia is formulated. At the same time, the author of the article analyzes the empirical material of the implementation of infrastructure policy in Russia with the help of state corporations. Such large domestic corporations as Rosatom, VTB Group, VEB.RF, and Rostec were taken as the main research cases, and based on them, a comparative analysis was conducted and the strengths and weaknesses of government policy in this area were identified.. The results presented in the article will be useful to government authorities, corporate management, and the scientific community engaged in research in the field of infrastructure management.

Purpose and Objectives. The study aims to conduct a comprehensive analysis of the legal and socio-political status of senior civil servants (SCS) in the Russian Federation as a key element of the public administration system. The main objectives include: 1) defining the legal framework and actual position of SCS within the power structure; 2) identifying and justification specific criteria that distinguish SCS as a distinct professional group characterized by the scope of responsibility, scope of authority, and level of influence on strategic decision-making; 3) a critical assessment of the current regulatory framework for their activities, including appointment procedures, performance evaluation, and rotation; 4) to develop recommendations for improving legislation and management practices of senior civil service personnel in order to increase the effectiveness and legitimacy of public authority. Methodology. The research is based on the comparative legal method that allows an analysis of Russian legislation on public service. A systemic approach was used to comprehensively assess the effectiveness SCS management mechanismsand their interaction with political leadership. Additionally, a formal legal analysis of norms and institutions, as well as elements of institutional analysis, were applied to understand the real practices of theSCS group. Results. It has been established that the current Russian legislation regulates in detail mainly the formal aspects of the SCS status (administrative and legal requirements for qualifications, the procedure for appointment and dismissal, issues of monetary support and financial control). However, there is a lack of regulatory consolidation and practical implementation of meritocratic selection principles based on objective professional qualities and achievements, as well as transparent criteria and procedures for regular evaluation of the effectiveness of SCS activities. It has been proven that the lack of clear, public and measurable performance indicators, as well as competitive promotion mechanisms, creates systemic risks of personal loyalty and informal connections when appointed to senior positions, which can negatively affect the quality of management decisions and public trust.

The scientific aim of this article is to demonstrate, through an interdisciplinary methodology that harmoniously combines historical and political science approaches, to demonstrate the contradictory points of view of supporters of both liberal and Eurasian concepts.. Their representatives argue that the statehood of Rus’ emerged solely due to Eastern influence, specifically from Turkic hordes. These hordes, they claim, began closely interacting with the Slavic tribes settled along the middle Dnieper and adjacent territories as early as the dawn of the medieval era. Particular emphasis is placed on the Mongol influence, which, for nearly two hundred and fifty years, bound Ancient Rus’ to the Ulus of Jochi, otherwise known as the Golden Horde. According to liberal analysts, practicallythe entire history of Russian statehood for many centuries bore a “wild,” Eastern character, as it was not Rus’ itself but the great khans of the Golden Horde who dictated their unwavering will and imposed their system of values, thereby diverting Russia from the main path of true European progress. Eurasianists, by contrast, assign this period a significant progressive role, viewing it as having contributed to the formation of Great Russia and having laid the foundations of its unique civilizational identity — an identity to which, they argue, Russia is now beginning to return. In order to assess the validity or fallacy of these conclusions, one must begin with the principle of the interconnection between the state and statehood. Since statehood serves as an attribute of the state as a political institution, the author has chosen to build the evidentiary framework of this study by analyzing the early stages of Russian statehood in its civilizational and political dimensions, focusing on the events of the second half of the ninth and tenth centuries. This leads to the conclusion that the foundations of a distinctive national state and statehood were laid during this period, entirely independent of Turkic-Mongol ethnic influences.

Introduction. Today, the need for peaceful interfaith dialogue in the Russian Federation is publicly emphasized. However, its provision is hampered by a complex of problems related to attempts to form a negative image of Islam and Muslims among citizens. Monitoring of this image among students of Russian universities is of particular importance. Despite the existence of several surveys conducted on similar topics in universities in the regions of Russia, monitoring requires updating with a focus on current political trends. The purpose of the study is to analyze the image of Islam and Muslims in the minds of students of the Financial University, taking into account the current political conditions. Methods. The study was conducted in the fall of 2024 at the Financial University under the Government of the Russian Federation (Moscow). The students were proposed to fill out an online questionnaire. The final sample consisted of 215 respondents. To determine the results, qualitative, correlation, and comparative analysis, as well as k-means cluster analysis, were performed. Results. The key sources of information influencing the formation of the image of Islam and Muslims among students have been identified. The lack of awareness of some students about Islam and its representatives was confirmed, including their lack of understanding of the difference between the terms “Islam” and “Islamism”, as well as the stereotypical perception of Muslims as more aggressive than representatives of other religions. It is shown that, in general, the situation of the prevailing neutral attitude of students towards Islam and Muslims and the desire to overcome prejudice against them remains. At the same time, the majority of respondents have not changed their opinion about Muslims in recent years. Communication with friends and colleagues has a significant impact on improving students’ opinion of Islam and Muslims. Conclusion. It seems important to conduct empirical sociological research with similar issues in other universities as well, which would allow us to form a more complete picture of student religious sentiments in modern Russia.