Abstract: The article is devoted to the prospects of using mediation techniques in the settlement of electoral conflicts. It is well known that electoral conflicts are among the most intense and rapidly developing due to the fact that election campaigns are a time-limited process. With that said, mediation, as a relatively new technology for the Russian socio-political reality, seems to be one of the most promising techniques for resolving such conflicts, since it combines mobility, focus on positive results, constructiveness and maximum flexibility, allows you to formulate and take into account the current and rapidly changing interests of the parties in the political process. The article has a pronounced practical orientation and takes into account, among other things, the existing practical experience of using mediation in the settlement of designated conflicts.   The scientific novelty of the article consists in an attempt to assess the prospects of using mediation techniques directly in the settlement of electoral conflicts. Electoral conflicts in themselves are a promising topic for research, since their occurrence is inevitable in any political system that provides at least only partially competitive elections. At the same time, due to the specifics of such conflicts, it is not possible to achieve even partial settlement by existing (predominantly legal) mechanisms, since such mechanisms are aimed only at assessing the formal circumstances of what is happening, are rather cumbersome and cannot always be applied due, for example, to the limited time of the election campaign (and even more so – voting). In this paper, an attempt is made to analyze the potential of mediation in this direction.

Abstract: The subject of this article is the dynamics of protest activity of citizens in the regions of Russia following the results of the I-III quarters of 2019, the typology of protests, their causes and prospects, forms and mass character, as well as the impact of such protests on the formation of public demand and the policy of the federal authorities in 2020. There are such categories of protests as political, social, environmental and urban planning, as well as labor protest. The most typical examples of protests in each category are given. The research methodology is based on a qualitative and quantitative analysis of sources, primarily publications in federal and regional mass media. The main conclusions of the article are the constructive reaction of the federal authorities to the public request expressed in the civil protests of 2019, while previously such requests usually remained unanswered. In particular, the President stated the need for fundamental changes to the Constitution of the country, primarily related to the system and procedure for the formation of state authorities.

Abstract: This article is dedicated to the analysis of the relevant sociopolitical situation in Russia, escalation of protest activity, and an attempt to analyze the correlation between the current level of social conflicts, their constitutionalization, and growth of political protest. The analysis is carried out on the extensive factual and scientific material, considering the recent events. The modern Russian society is in the field of systemic crisis, which defines its specificity. Russia is among the countries with “transitional type” of social institutions, particularly characterized by the absence of the effective institutions for controlling political protest. The following methods were applied in the course of this research: historical (studying the dynamics of social conflicts in relation to the dynamics of political protests), institutional (studying the interaction between the government, social and other institutions on social conflicts and political protest), as well as system and sociological methods. The novelty and practical importance of this work lie in the attempt to reveal such correlation and its levels using the scientific tools, as well as explore possible application of the acquired information for controlling the political protest in modern society, including the use of innovative methods. The modern Russian society is objectively characterizes by the growing number of citizens unsatisfied with the forms of government’s response to social requests. Based on the empirical material and using the relevant scientific hypotheses, the author draws the conclusion that if the Russian authorities would not work on the development of the institutions for controlling social conflicts and political protest, the level of protest moods in the country would create a threat to sustainability of the existing national system of control.

Abstract: In modern society, including Russian, the number of citizens expressing discontent with the forms of government’s response to social requests is constantly growing. The article attempts to analyze the levels of correlation between social conflicts and political protest. The corresponding analysis is conducted on the basis of extensive factual and scientific material, particularly considering the recent events in the indicated spheres; the focus is made on the countries with “transitional types” of social institutions, characterized by the absence of effective institutions for controlling political protest. The following methods were applied in the course of this research: historical (studying the dynamics of social conflicts in relation to the dynamics of political protests), institutional (studying the interaction between the government, social and other institutions on social conflicts and political protest), as well as system and sociological methods. The novelty and practical importance of this work lie in the attempt to reveal such correlation and its levels using the scientific tools, as well as explore possible application of the acquired information for controlling the political protest in modern society, including the use of innovative methods. The author draws a principal boundary between the concepts of “political subject” and “subject of politics”; examines the concept of “political poverty” and phenomenon of its “self-reproduction”.

Abstract:  
This article examines the phenomenon of city-planning conflicts in modern Russia, as well as determines the objectively existing complicated moments in studying of the topic. The aforementioned phenomenon is viewed through the prism of the necessity of formulating the universal approach towards understanding the dynamics of escalation of the city-planning conflicts, identification, and studying of the stages of its development. Attention is concentrated on the causes that led to changes in urban space in the process of the continuous urbanization and the impact of economic interests upon the character of urban development. From the perspective of system approach alongside consideration of the existing theories, the author analyses the dynamics of city-planning conflicts and stages of their intensification. The scientific novelty lies in the attempt to systematically explore the city-planning conflicts as a dynamic phenomenon that goes through several stages; in effort to identify these stages, formulate their qualitative diversities, trace the possibility of escalation of the city-planning conflict in terms of upward and downward directions. The author suggests applying the acquired data for managing the conflicts, particularly as preventative measures, taking into account that they involve large number of participants, attract broad public attention, and thus, are ones of the most complicated from the standpoint of their management and resolution. The article substantiates the need for further research of the phenomenon of city-planning conflicts as a whole and stages of their escalation in particular by the experts in the corresponding fields.
 

Abstract: The article analyzes the geostrategic interests of Russia related to recognition of independence of South Ossetia (RSO) with due regard to the "Kosovo precedent". The author substantiates the significance of the region for Russia as well as the role of Russia in ensuring regional security; he analyses the relations between Russia and the RSO through the prism of Russian-Georgian relations. Changes in the political situation in the region are caused by civilizational processes that were formed in the Soviet era and created a latent conflict situation which has turned into an open phase. Despite the future of the RSO as an independent state is unclear, recognition of the RSO sovereignty by Moscow has strengthened its position in the Caucasus and limited presence of foreign troops in the region. The author applies a set of methods: historical (dynamics of the Georgian-Ossetian conflict and Russian-Georgian relations development); institutional (interaction of the South Ossetian institutions with international actors); comparative analysis (comparison of specific issues of the development of situation around the RSO and Kosovo); systematic and sociological methods. The scientific novelty of the article lies in an attempt to consider the scenarios for evolution of the situation around the RSO given the actions of all interested actors. The task of the world community is to find solutions to the conflict, the task of Russia is to convince the international community that the RSO can be an independent state. Russia's withdrawal from the conflict zone will lead to aggravation of the situation. Russia should strengthen its geopolitical influence by participation in regional integration projects and by using its potential to strengthen the status of a geopolitical center. Involvement of the region into Russia's sphere of influence is extremely unprofitable for the United States and the EU from the geopolitical point of view. The development of the region is possible only on the basis of the principles of peace and mutual respect.

Abstract: The article is devoted to the actual status of Trans-Dniester conflict and possible solutions of that conflict. In his research Ivanov carries out his analysis in terms of Russia's policies in the region. The author describes the role of the region for Russia as well as the role of Russia for regional security. To define key factors affecting processes of formation and realisation of Trans-Dniester Moldavian Republic's interests, the author suggests to analyse the scope of extrapolitical conditions and structure of international and regional relations, external and internal state policy, role of the political leader and relations of political and economic elites with the society. In the course of writing his research the author has used a set of methods including historical, institutional, comparative analysis as well as systems approach and sociological research methods. The novelty of the research is caused by the fact that the author tries to view possible scenarios of the development of unrecognized Trans-Dniester Moldavian Republic taking into account all concerned actors as well as from the point of view of the actual status and potentials of Russia - Moldova relations and situaion in the region. The goal of the global community is to find acceptable solutions. The goal of Russia is to persuade the global community that it is necessary to solve Trans-Dniester conflict through negotiations and Russia's leaving the conflict zone may aggravate the situation. The author emphasizes that effective development of the region is possible only with the principles of peace and mutual respect. 

Abstract: This article examines the intrinsic side of people’s interaction in the society – conflict, particularly the sociopolitical conflict. Representing a social process, the sociopolitical conflict is characterized by manageability, in other words, susceptibility to the external organizing beginning. The contemporary Russian society is exemplified by the gradual increase of the amount of citizens who actively expresses their discontent with the forms and methods of government’s response upon the social requests. This work is an attempt to analyze the relevant state, main trends, and most probable development prospects of the existing sociopolitical conflicts. The author examines the specificity of relationship between the state and civil society in modern Russia in the context of their participation in the political management. It is demonstrated that the conflict state of society is a results of realization and understanding of the surrounding social environment, a distinct form of the response of population upon the activity of the government. Legislative recognition of the priority of human rights and establishment of state responsibility for their protection does not ensure the actual discharge of constitutional obligations by the government authorities. The scientific novelty and practical importance of this research consist in systemic analysis of the social and political conflicts and their interconnection pertinent to the modern Russian reality, as well as the analysis of the status of institution of public supervision, application of its potential in managing the sociopolitical conflicts. The author indicates that Russia has created an essential legislative base, but the authorities attempts to institutionalize the sociopolitical conflicts, develop and implement the new managing methods. At the same time, the legitimate status of the institutions of public supervisions as a whole, including their functions in managing the sociopolitical conflicts, does not correspond with the established relations and expectations of the society. Thus, if the government will not actively develop the alternative institutions for managing the sociopolitical conflicts, the existing level of protest moods in Russia can significantly increase and create a perceived threat to the sustainability of the acting government.

Abstract: This article is dedicated to the analysis of various classifications of the urban planning conflicts in modern Russia. The authors determine the objectively existing complicated moments in this issue, as well as attempt to prove the necessity of achieving the unity of understanding in classification of the urban planning conflicts within the scientific society. The phenomenon of such conflicts in modern Russia is viewed from the perspective of the need for development of their universal typology and classification. The attention is focused on the reasons that changed the urban space in the process of continuous urbanization, as well as the impact of economic interests upon the character of urban development. Urban environment is viewed as the consumer space; urban planning conflicts – on the practical material. From the position of systemic approach and taking into account the existing urban planning theories, the article analyzes the nature of emergence and development of conflict situations in the urban environment. The scientific novelty consists in the attempt to systemically examine the existing typology and classification of the urban planning conflicts, as well as suggest the author’s approach towards such classification, as well as specify the foundations for resolution of the existing practical and theoretical questions in this field.

Abstract: This article provides a critical analysis of the development of civil society institutions in Russia, as well as the peculiarities of civil society. The author examines the impact of information warfare upon the activity of the civil society institutions in Russia and abroad. The trends of development of the Russian “third sector” are analyzed through the prism of information warfare. The role of Internet is also being reviewed. The author comes to the conclusion that the information warfare is a factor that significantly influences the development of civil society institutions in Russia. The article explores the destructive potential of civil society that is used as a tool of information warfare. It is claimed that the state and society have a right to apply the preventative measures, which limit such destructive potential. The scientific novelty consists in the fact that the modern civil society in Russia is obviously at the stage of establishment of the key institutions, and at the same time functions under the conditions of the active information warfare that substantially influences the dynamics of their development. In addition, the civil society in Russia forms in the context of the generally completed transition to the information society. Combination of the external factors affecting the civil society institutions alongside the level of impact of each of these factors represent a scientific interest. The author formulates the regularities and underlines the signs of influence of the information warfare upon the civil society institutions in Russia, corresponds them with the existing sociological data and global challenges of modernity, as well as makes a conclusion on the need for active work regarding the protection of Russian civil society from the influence of the third countries.

Abstract: This article examines the phenomenon of city-planning conflicts in modern Russia, as well as possibility of their efficient management by means of mediation procedure. Attention is focused on the factors that caused changes in urban space in the process of continuous urbanization and effect of the economic interest upon the character of urban development. The urban environment is viewed as consumer space; the city-planning conflicts are studied based on the practical material. The authors provide definition to the city-planning conflict and determine the structures that generate such conflict. From the perspective of systemic approach and with consideration of the existing city-planning theories, the article analyzed the nature of occurrence and development of the conflict situations within the urban realm. The need is substantiated for examination and consideration of the urban conflicts by the experts in the field of conflictology and mediation. The authors conduct analysis of the flaws in legal regulation in the area of mediation procedure applicable to the city-planning conflicts, as well as suggest measures on improvement of legislation in this sphere. Conclusion is made on the possibility and purposefulness of implementation of mediation as an efficient tool for managing the city-planning conflicts alongside their resolution upon the condition of the substantial increase of the role of mediation and mediators and necessary amendments to the existing legislation.