Abstract: Civil society is one of the most controversial categories in political science. The content of this category is mostly defined by the socio-political environment of a particular period in history. Educational community still hasn’t formed a general opinion on civil society. However, the term ‘civil society’ is often used by the leading political figures in many countries and international organizations. Creation of a general definition of civil society is still a very important task to be solved.

Keywords: political studies, policy, society, civil society, institution, federalism, state institution, government, conflict, political system.

Abstract: Placement of children who are left without parental care is regulated by a number of federal laws. The main laws include Civil Code of the Russian Federation, Family Code of the Russian Federation and the Federal Law on State Database of Children Without Parental Custody.

Keywords: social studies, orphan children, custody, foster care, orphanage, socialization, legislation, family, foster upbringing, social orphanhood, legal regulation.

Abstract: The purpose of this article is to study one of the aspects of globalization process, i.e. distribution of the English language, from the point of view of the theory of linguistic relativity pointing out the relation between the language and mentality of the speaker. The author analyses the relation of the English language to the ‘to have’ group of languages and relation of the Russian language to the ‘to be’ group of languages as well as particular forms of expression of these relations in the language as profound cultural attitudes. This can be explained, on one hand, from the point of view of Fromm’s concept about orientation of human either at acquiring or existence, and from the point of view of globalization and stereotypes and attitudes behind the globalization process that determine the results (civilization crises fi rst of all), on the other hand. In conclusion the author recommends to promote philology in education including the system of higher education as the very fi rst anti-crisis measure.

Keywords: cultural studies, globalization, mentality, psycholinguistics, English, acquisition, crises, stereotypes, values, Russian.

Abstract: History of the symbols of the Old Russia, Russian Empire and Russian Federation has common roots and continuity. However, transformations of the main symbol, two-headed eagle, which had been made since Ivan III till Nicholas II were forgotten in the Coat of Arms of the Russian Federation. Therefore the modern Coat of Arms of Russia has many mistakes and inaccuracies. Research of such transformations has allowed to discover these mistakes. Now it is necessary to maintain a system approach to solving this issue because not only the main state symbol has mistakes but so o the symbols of regions, municipal units, monetary symbols and etc. The Coat of Arms of the Russian Federation and heraldry of Russia need to be reformed and legally fi xed. National heraldic traditions must be restored. The author of the present article makes an attempt to analyze important tendencies in this sphere and shares his own opinion on the actual status of the present issue.

Keywords: Heraldry, the symbol of nation, symbols, numismatics, mistakes, Coat of Arms of the Russian Federation, Coat of Arms of the Russian Empire, History of the Coat of Arms, two-headed eagle, symbolism.

Abstract: The author of the article raises very important issues of legal regulation of Russian drugstore activities aimed at profi t earning. Based on analyzed archive documents and regulatory acts of the Russian Empire, the author describes the process of formation of the mechanism of legal regulation at the end of the XIX – beginning of the XX centuries. The purpose of that legal mechanism was, on the one hand, to provide timely pharmaceutical aid to population, and, on the other hand, to protect private drugstore business from wasting competition. Special attention is paid to the Law of 1912 on Some Changes in the Procedure of Opening a Drugstore. The author proves the need in accepting this law and analyzes the contents, peculiarities and diffi culties of the implementation process and outlines the main problems of co-existence of private drugstores and public drugstores.

Keywords: legal studies, pharmacy monopoly, privileges, formation of corporation without licensing or registration required for their validity, medicine, rate, municipal government authorities, district council, interpretation of laws.

Abstract: The article is devoted to the origin, main historical phases of development and modern status of the democratic political regime in Great Britain. The author raises a question about the need in improvement and transformation of modern democracy and outlines the main problems and challenges for democracy today. Based on the example of Great Britain, the author analyzes the reasons of expansion or, to the contrary, of reduction of democratic beginnings in the system of state government during different periods in history. The author in detail describes peculiarities and singularities of democratic principles and institutions in Great Britain. Special attention is paid to modernization of constitutional laws and reformation of central government institution of the United Kingdom in order to increase their effi ciency and reinforce democratic principles. The author of the article underlines that Britain politicians have a very well weighed and pragmatic approach to functioning of the main branches of government which allows a certain digression from acknowledged democratic standards. Methods of the present research are chosen taking into account the interdisciplinary nature of research which suggests to use methods and approaches associated with history, politics, law, economics and social studies. However, the priority is given to the principle of historicism which means scientifi c interpretation of phenomena, items or events from the point of view of particular historical environment. The other basic principle of the present research is the principle f scientifi c objectivity. This principle means the rejection of any stereotypes regarding the subject of research and no limitation of the subject of research by previously set ideological doctrines.

Keywords: democracy, Great Britain, constitutional reforms, new members of the labor party, coalition government, modernization, election system, government, referendum, devolution.

Abstract: The author of the article analyzes some tendencies of development of the System of International Relations (SIR) during post-polarity epoch. The author empathizes dynamism and contradictory nature of transformation processes in the modern world order, the growth of crisis developments in the global policy and the ‘roughness’ of modern international relations. The author states the fact that geopolitical schemes of SIR polarity still do not lose their importance. The author offers a defi nition of the term ‘polarity’ and provides a classifi cation of traditional and new types of SIR polarity developed in modern political sciences (unipolarity, bipolarity, polypolarity, polarityness). The author reveals the main peculiarities of each type of polarity and describes possible development of international relations in the XXI century. It has been concluded that unipolar SIR will be impossible in the future due to growing complexity and diversity of the world view. Formation of bipolar SIR as represented by the USA and another actor of international relations is still under the question because there is no actor which potentials would compare to the USA. It is too early for a polar-free SIR which assumes the extreme point of decentralization of power and government at the XXI century because a changing multipolar world has a particular hierarchy, leaders, standards of the system functioning and a whole variety of all kinds of communication formats aimed at keeping the balance and stability of the SIR.

Keywords: The system of international relations, polarity, unipolarity, bipolarity, multipolarity, polycentricity, polarityness, geopolitics, balance of forces, globalization.

Abstract: The author continues to view international integration as a system phenomenon. The functional approach to researching elements and components of integration as well as combination of the results of different decompositions create the image of the structure. Particular function of the element or component is represented as the interrelation which defi nes the order of inclusion of the part into the whole. In social environment the role of such relations is usually performed by social interests. Social interests have a complex structure and oriented from a subject to a subject. Social interests are presented as the internal sources of activity performed by international integration actors acting at all levels and in all spheres of social activity. If we use this approach, we can understand that governments are not the only actors of international integration and international treaties and agreements about creating the zones of free trade, customs unions, common economic areas are not the only forms of international integration. Examples from modern economic and political experience present individuals, enterprises, trans-national corporations, regions, states and inter-state units as integration actors.

Keywords: International integration, actors of international integration, needs, social interests, regional international units, customs union, European integration, Eurasian integration, interstate units, integration.

Abstract: The article is devoted to overcoming the traditional conservative culture represented by the members of the Russian society. The author of the article lists particular methods of overcoming it such as mechanisms of socialization, self-actualization and growth of social motivation and acquiring a skill of articulation of social requests. The author describes the socialization conception as a strategic element of modern socio-cultural policy. The author also analyzes modern values and beliefs increasing the role and status of human being as well as the principles of ‘constitutionalization’ of human resources. The author underlines that the central zone of socio-cultural values has its own peculiarities in each society and therefore it is important to keep that in mind when implementing a particular model of socialization.

Keywords: Socialization, socio-cultural status of a citizen, human resources, everyday life, self-actualization, living standards, quality of life, life world, modern social standards.