Abstract: The subject of this research is the image of the USSR/Russia resembles in the popular animated TV series “The Simpsons” throughout the past 30 years, considering the method of translating information inserted in the media text, as well as the complexity/simplicity of decoding this information by the viewer, ambiguity/unambiguity of interpretations, etc. The TB series touched upon the following topics related to the USSR/Russia: immigration to the United States and life of the immigrants in the new homeland, the Cold War, Communism and anti-Communism, Russian culture, Russia as a rival of the United States. The author traces the dynamics, diversity, and specificity of covering Soviet/Russian theme for over 30 years in the context of the dynamics of relations between the Soviet Union/Russia and the West, including political, social, cultural, and other nuances. The author carries out a cross-disciplinary dedicated to the work of popular culture in the context of political history of the XX – early XX centuries. The novelty consists in revealing the main themes of the “Russian presence” in the TV series (based on the analysis of almost 700 episodes), and the way they are conveyed (leveling the established stereotypes or their debunking for the sake of countering manipulations with public sentiment). Impugning the statement that ideology of “The Simpsons” is purely neoliberal, the author draws a more complex and critical worldview of “The Simpsons” in with regards to American society. Russia holds a special place in this world due to complicated bilateral relations since the Cold War, which consequences are yet to be fully overcome. An ineradicable remnant of the Cold War is the link between Russia and Communism, in which “Communism” is a synonym of any dissenting view. Russia is also associated with a rich, although highbrow culture, unattractive to most of the ordinary citizens. The main satirical idea of “The Simpsons” is to emphasize the cultural dissonance, which intensifies the difficulties of mutual understanding based on political confrontation and remaining ideological prejudices.

Abstract: The subject of this research is the relatively unknown episode of the First Russian Revolution (1905-1907): hosting a delegation of Zemstvo Congress on June 6, 1905. The authors thoroughly examine this event (background, course, and results), determine the development trends in relations between the government and society as of May-June 1905, note the compromises made by both parties towards audience alongside the lost opportunities discovered by this audience. The article is based on the principles of historicism, objectivity and systematicity; methodology contains the historical-genetic methods, archival materials, memoires, and press reports. Using the example of a particular event, the authors determine the trends characteristic to the First Russian Revolution throughout. Receiving the Zemstvo delegation by the emperor on June 6, 1905 has been previously viewed in the general chronology of relations between the government and society, development of Zemstvo movements and political activity of participants of the convention. The focus of this research is the event itself: description of its sociopolitical context, background, details of convention, speeches of the participants, public response, and its consequences. Both parties had to make concessions in order for this imperial unprecedented event to take place. The chains of mutual micro-concessions and compromises lead to the convention that could mark the beginning of cooperation between the government and Zemstvo, but turned as lost opportunities for the emperor and the opposition for reasons attributable to both parties. Leaning on a particular episode, the authors emphasize the specificity of the First Russian Revolution in gradual approach to reforms and sustainable public order as a characteristic of arranged compromises.

Abstract: The research subject of this article is the issues behind the organization and technical provisions of the award institutions of various White Guard armies during the Civil War in Russia. The authors analyze the problems of administrative, production-technical and personnel nature that appeared during the development and production of award groups belonging to various White Guard formations and governments. Additionally, the approaches and possibilities of "whites" and "reds" in forming award systems are compared. The authors examine the supply channels of White Guard units and divisions of award insignia and raw materials for their production, and distinguish the specific features of the White Guard award system. The article is based on the principles of historicism, objectivity, systematics, and the methodological basis of this research is the historical-genetic method. The multilateral analysis of the many disparate objects (awards) allowed the authors to draw general conclusions about the specific problems and particularities in the White Guard award system and to highlight the elements of continuity and novelty in this system. The novelty of this study lies in the abandonment of the traditional individual-descriptive approach to award systems and the identification of common issues and approaches in White Guard governments regarding their award systems, with the emphasis being placed on organizational and production-technical difficulties. The authors point to various means of organizing the production of awards (pre-revolutionary reserves, centralized command orders, personal initiatives of unit commanders, placing orders abroad, etc.) and sources of raw materials (melting tsarist awards, confiscations of jeweler and church goods, gold reserves, etc.). The common problems of various White Movement branches were reflected in their award system: lack of a unified system, limited raw materials and production capabilities, drop in quality. It was precisely their attempts to create an award system with a limited set of resources that made the White Guard award system a unique phenomenon.

Abstract: The article's research subject is the formation of historical memory through mass media culture on the example of a specific figure: the British King George VI, whose image was practically reinvented in the last 10 years and revealed to the public after decades of obscurity and one-sided approaches. The research material for this study includes more than 10 television and film sources produced in the last 40 years which portray King George VI, and which are mainly contextual or hermeneutical biographies of George himself or of historical figures close to him. The author's research method is the analysis and socio-cultural interpretation of the collection of film and television productions with the figure of George VI with the aim of identifying the dynamics and features behind the formation of a historical character's figure in popular culture and historical memory. The author comes to the conclusion that over the past ten years, Anglo-American cinema and television have re-created the image of King George VI to become a recognizable historical person, firmly tied to the most important historical events and personalities of the 20th century and possessing a whole range of remarkable qualities. George VI was re-introduced as a positive and active figure in British history in its entirety, which was previously present only on the pages of focused studies about the king, but not in popular culture. The established consensus among professional scholars concerning the figure of George VI was successfully transferred to the sphere of mass culture, and this had a significant influence on the formation of the historical memory about the late king.

Abstract: The object of this research is the reward signs bestowed upon the students of secondary and higher education for academic achievements and behavior in prerevolutionary Russia (the late XVIII – the early XX centuries); stages of the establishment of reward system; marks of distinction, etc. The author underlines the versatility of educational rewards, their tangible values, as well as the value in case of employment. The authors review the mechanism of ensuring credibility of such rewards, as well as describes the particular marks of distinctions of the various higher education facilities (medals, rings, tokens, etc.). Based on analysis of the collected data with the use of historical-hermeneutic methodology, the work defines the origins, peculiarities and development stages of the rewards system. Determines its levels, and underlines the moral and material aspects. The authors systematize the records on the rewards of secondary and higher schools of Imperial Russia, turning attention to the holistic character of many of the marks of distinction (moral rewards, tangible rewards, sign of corporate solidarity). A conclusion is made on the merits of prerevolutionary rewards system due to the presence of tangible component, and advantages in recruiting for government service, etc.

Abstract: The subject of the research is the changing image of the USSR / Russia as it has been reflected by the popular media franchise about James Bond during the period since 1962 till 2015. In his research Osipov traces back the intensity, viability and particularities of using Soviet / Russian themes over 50 years in terms of developing relations between the USSR / Russia and the West including political, social, cultural and other features. Osipov describes different periods of mentioning the Soviet Union / Russia in the movies about James Bond, with a different degree of the depth and criticism of the USSR / Russia image. This interdisciplinary research is devoted to the analysis of the global cultural phenomenon in terms of the political history of the second half of the 20th - beginning of the 21st century. The research is based on the initiative of Russian government to use the 'soft power' that uses quite a limited number of formats. The author pays attention to the success of the multimedia franchise format used by the Western pop culture. Bondiana is viewed as an example of a successful franchise with the political message. By analysing the image of the USSR / Russia in the movies about James Bond, the author of the article has managed to describe the mechanisms of the successful franchise and what image it offered. The author has also assessed the degree of its stereotype/originality. The author concludes that despite the opinion of Soviet film criticism, Bondiana did not create a negative image but was more included to a neutral or even positive image of the USSR. The negative image of Russia of the 90s was objectively founded. Then the image of Russia was replaced with the image of the world terrorism. The interest in Soviet / Russian themes falls on the second hlf of the 70s - mid 80s and mid 90s which was directly related to the political processes ongoing in the world back in those times.