Abstract: This article is dedicated to the analysis of the structural contradiction between the official discourse of "preservation" of the intangible cultural heritage (ICH) of ethnic minorities in the People's Republic of China (PRC) and the actual processes of tradition transformation. The subject of the study is the genre of feige ("flying song") of the Miao people – an improvisational vocal tradition that developed in the mountainous landscape of Guizhou Province and was included in the State Register of ICH in 2008. The aim of the work is to identify the mechanisms of ideological appropriation and staged standardization of folk tradition, as well as to justify the need to rethink the model of state protection of ICH in relation to the oral improvisational genres of ethnic minorities. The relevance of the study is determined by the fact that as the Chinese system of ICH protection becomes more complex, the question of the authenticity of what is included in it becomes increasingly acute. The methodology of the work is based on a combination of four complementary approaches: historical analysis, comparative musicological analysis of two versions of the same work, critical discourse analysis of official narratives of ICH protection, and a case study method of the selected work. The information base includes legislative acts from the PRC and UNESCO. Our research shows that the state system of ICH protection reproduces the "paradox of fixation": the institutionalization of oral tradition inevitably transforms its nature. Using the example of the 1963 adaptation, it is demonstrated how the normalization of rhythm, the replacement of Miao-language text with political lyrics in Chinese, and the addition of orchestral accompaniment have turned the improvisational genre into a concert piece, pushing the original into the background of mass consciousness. Comparative musical analysis of the two versions reveals specific points of divergence between the living tradition and its institutional counterpart. A notable intergenerational gap in the transmission of the genre is recorded: among the youth, competence in feige is extremely rare. The necessity of shifting from the logic of "museumification" to the logic of "living heritage" is substantiated, which implies support for the linguistic environment, ritual practices, and the economic viability of the communities that carry this heritage.

Keywords: intangible cultural heritage, Miao people, feige, authenticity, PRC, ethnic minorities, state cultural policy, appropriation, oral tradition, living heritage

Abstract: The article examines the phenomenon of using songs in the structure of modern series in the form of clip scenes. The object of study is the contemporary (mostly released in the last ten years on various internet platforms) non-musical series. "Non-musical" in the context of the study means a series in which music and songs are not the core of the plot movement, but serve as one of the multiple tools for constructing the narrative. This limitation is related to the fundamentally different construction of dramaturgy and storytelling in musical genres, such as biopic series or musicals, where music is inseparable from the plot and narrative. The subject of research is the dramaturgical, formative, and aesthetic functions of the song in its clip embodiment within the framework of serial narration. The theoretical and methodological basis includes the works of E. Toffler, T. N. Shemetova, F. V. Furtaev, and other researchers of clip culture. Based on theoretical approaches to defining the music video (polycoded text, formula of cultural clichés, "film-catector") and empirical observations, two main types of clip constructs are identified and described. The first type—clip-narrative—is characterized by the meaningful connection of verbal, musical, and visual components. In this case, the song acts as a tool for revealing the inner world of the characters, thematic generalization, and dramaturgical development. Such scenes are characterized by conditional autonomy and increased narrative significance. Removing such a scene results in the loss of important meanings that are crucial for the narrative. The second type distinguished in the article is the clip-action. This type of clip is intended to create a vivid emotional impression, while the musical component is responsible for the rhythmic organization of the montage sequence. The meaningful connection to the song's lyrics is, in this case, conditional or nonexistent. The proposed typology of clip scenes is illustrated by analyzing specific examples from the series "Arcane," "Kitchen Block," "Cyber Village," "Squid Game," and "Volunteer Playlist." In conclusion, the work emphasizes the need to consider the song in a series not as a secondary addition but as an active formative force. The proposed methodological opposition of "clip-action" and "clip-narrative" may serve as a working tool for analyzing montage-musical solutions in contemporary serial works.

Keywords: song, TV series, music video, clip culture, screen culture, dramaturgy, narrative, clip, music, online streaming platforms

Abstract: This article examines the relationship between the wholeness and differentiation of technology in invention and cultural reproduction. Following V. M. Rozin, it considers both the commonality of heterogeneous manifestations of technology and their inclusion within a broader cultural whole. The regularities governing the genesis and functioning of technical objects are examined alongside the cultural conditions of their creation, use, and transmission. Attention focuses on relationships between devices, their environments, and human operations. The study explores how learning to use technology changes its perception and evaluation, and how the selective transmission of knowledge and skills connects cultural continuity with changes in the ways technology is created and used. Heidegger’s and Simondon’s theories are compared, drawing on Hui’s philosophy. Cultural transmission is examined using the anthropology of technology, Kagan’s concept of activity and Flier’s concept of cultural form. The preservation and transformation of ways of performing operations are analysed through digital annotation and the history of Braille printing. The article proposes technical form as a historically developed, reproducible way of performing one or several interconnected operations. The wholeness of technology is explained through the historical interdependence of its material embodiments and human skills. Reproducing learned operations under new conditions may require changes to devices and their use. The differentiation of technical forms can therefore become a condition for cultural continuity. Cultural transmission continues technical genesis as transmitted knowledge and skills inform subsequent inventions. This relationship is recursive. Technology changes human abilities, while acquired experience guides its further development and use. However, incorporating user experience into the functioning of technology is not equivalent to users participating in its transformation. Where users can perform predefined operations but cannot revise them, diverse experiences may be reproduced within existing technical constraints.

Keywords: philosophy of technology, culture, technical form, cultural form, recursivity, technical genesis, technodiversity, technical object, technical culture, cultural reproduction

Abstract: The subject of the research is the transformation of mass culture in the digital age through the lens of an integrative methodological approach. The author examines in detail aspects such as the evolution of classical paradigms for analyzing mass culture (theories of integration, subversion, resistance, and fields of struggle) and their applicability to new digital environments. Special attention is paid to the mechanisms of cultural meaning formation in conditions of algorithmization: in particular, the phenomena of algorithmic reification of creativity, the dialectic of digital emancipation and subjugation, and the emergence of cyber folklore as a new cultural form. The analysis focuses on the specifics of digital myth and semiosis in new media, including AI-generated content, platform attention economies, and new forms of digital subjectivity. The empirical basis covers contemporary cases demonstrating the contradictory nature of digital cultural practices, from the paradox of the OnlyFans platform to TikTok's neuro-capitalism and the peculiarities of AI art production. Thus, the subject combines the theoretical foundations of cultural analysis with relevant empirical manifestations in digital space. The research methodology is built on a synthesis of critical theory, semiotics, and cultural studies. Comparative analysis of research paradigms, immanent criticism, semiotic analysis of cultural texts, and protocols of digital anthropology (data analysis, VR ethnography) are applied. Analytical perspectives include critical-theoretical, semiotic, and cultural studies optics. The novelty of the research lies in the development of an integrative model for analyzing mass culture, adapted to the digital context, and the creation of a revised methodological triad that allows for the systematic identification of the contradictions in contemporary cultural processes. A special contribution is the model of digital myth as an advancement of semiotic theory, as well as the proposed protocols of digital anthropology, combining traditional cultural methods with big data analysis tools and virtual ethnography. The main conclusions include the identification of key trends in digital mass culture: algorithmic reification of creativity, wherein creativity increasingly succumbs to the logic of platforms and metrics; the dialectic of digital emancipation and subjugation, manifested in the simultaneous expansion of self-expression capabilities and the intensification of exploitation mechanisms; and the genesis of cyber folklore, arising at the intersection of user creativity, algorithms, and network communication. Empirical verification through case studies confirms the productivity of the proposed integrative methodology and demonstrates its ability to capture complex, often contradictory cultural processes in the digital environment.

Keywords: mass culture, digital anthropology, semiotics, neurocapitalism, algorithmic culture, platform studies, AI creativity, critical theory, immanent critique, cyberfolklore