Abstract: The article draws attention to the new topic of determining the institutional status of the National Army in the state-political system of Tajikistan. Of interest is the positioning of the army institute in the totality of the political institutions of the state and society, its evolution in the process of depoliticization of power structures. It is established that the institute of the Army of Tajikistan has evolved from a political institution during the Civil war into an instrument of the policy of the peacetime authorities, and the actual power component of effectiveness does not fully correspond to the level of external threats. 30 years ago, on February 23, 1993, the armed forces of independent Tajikistan were born. On the anniversary date, speeches by the president, political and military figures, scientists are published, revealing the outstanding role of the army in saving the state during the difficult years of brutal political and military confrontation between secular patriotic and Islamist forces. However, the topic of the connection between the army and politics, the role of the army in politics is not in the focus of interest of the scientific community of Tajikistan, although addressing this issue is relevant in light of the rapid and dangerous changes in the military-political situation in the world and the Central Asian region. These circumstances determined the research question about the status of the Tajik army - it is a political institution or a policy tool, as well as the purpose and objectives of the publication – to reveal the conditions and process of institutionalization of the Tajik army, its functions and status as an institution of the state and society.

Keywords: armed forces, depoliticization, political institutions, tarmy as institution, army, Tadjikistan, political regime, political process, politics, state

Abstract: The object of the research is the participation of American youth in socio-political life of the country in 2020. The authors consider the main prerequisites and processes of youth participation in protests. The article contains the review and analysis of the most significant reasons of youth participation in protests. The authors study the growth of protest sentiment in the U.S. as a result of the recent escalation of socio-political and socio-cultural conflicts strengthened by the range of political, ethnic, and race factors and the COVID-19 pandemic. Special attention is given to the analysis of the role and importance of youth participation in the presidential election campaign in 2020, and the peculiarities of the influence of social media on the involvement of youth into the election process and protest movement. The scientific novelty of the research consists in the fact that the role of youth is socio-political life in the U.S. in the context of the escalation of socio-political and socio-cultural processes, aggravated by the COVID-19 pandemic, hasn’t been studied sufficiently enough in Russian academic discourse. The main conclusion of the research is as follows: the growth of protest sentiment in the U.S. is the result of the recent escalation of socio-political and socio-cultural conflicts aggravated by the COVID-19 pandemic. It is obvious that the role of youth in the modern political life in the U.S. will keep steadily growing.  

Keywords: political participation, COVID-19, social networks, protests, presidential elections, American Youth, Donald Trump, social conflict, American society, USA

Abstract: In 2001, the greatest modern philosopher J. Habermas in his policy article "Faith and Knowledge" stated the fact of extraordinary resilience of religion that seemed to have been consigned to the "dustbin of history", and the beginning of the end of the secular world in which faith is actively recovering its positions. This trend has come to the fore more than ever in the post-Soviet countries: the religious expansion that began in the 1990s does not reduce its dynamics even in our time. In a multi-confessional and multi-cultural society, a typical example of which is the Republic of Kazakhstan, the development of the religious sphere outside the State control has a considerable conflict potential. The consideration of reasons for the reverse process (described by T. Lukman in "Invisible Religion")to religion transition from "private everyday life" to the public (and in fact – socio-political) field leads to the conclusion that it is necessary for the state to become not just an active participant in the system of social relations between religious denominations developing "rules of the game" but also to act as their direct actor. The author examines the model of interreligious harmony implemented in Kazakhstan (considered to be one of the most effective in the world) as a successful example of such interaction. Taking the relations between state structures and religious communities in the Republic of Kazakhstan as a subject of the article, the author aims to demonstrate the importance of the confessional factor in the internal political processes, as well as to evaluate their condition, nature and development trends.  The use of the tools characteristic of the comparative method, as well as an empirical and theoretical analysis lead to the conclusion about the effectiveness of the secular model of interaction between State and religion, as well as to suggest directions for further development.

Keywords: religious broad-mindedness, tolerance , Church-State Relations, religious confessions, religious conflict, faith, interaction between state and religions, dialogue between religions, postsecularism, Kazakhstan

Abstract: The research subject is the internal policy crisis in Turkey in August 2014 – April 2017. Special attention is given to the process of overcoming the split on different levels of the political system: certain parties, the Parliament, the country. The author considers the results of the struggle of the Justice and Development Party against these problems, the peculiarities of formation of a stable political situation in Turkey, and the reasons for fundamental political reforms of 2017. The author evaluates the results of the referendum of 16 April, and makes forecasts about the future development of Turkey’s internal and foreign policy. The research methodology is based on the principles of system analysis, the comparative-historical and logical-intuitional approaches used as a whole. The scientific novelty of the study is connected with embedding internal policy process in Turkey into the foreign policy process of the country and the international political environment in the context of the constitutional referendum of 16 April 2017. The author analyzes the present and the possible behavior of internal and external actors. 

Keywords: Kurds, nationalist movements, JDP, political parties, referendum, constitutional process, Turkey, Erdogan, Yildirim, world politics

Abstract: The research subject is social strain and protest activity as factors of political risk in the activities of the United Russia party. The author presents different interpretations and definitions of the term “social strain”. Special attention is given to the events of the last 2-3 years, which had significant impact on social strain and protest activity growth in the country and its regions (affiliation of Crimea and Sevastopol, anti-Russian sanctions, the “Platon” system launching, etc.). Besides, the author considers the socio-economic situation in the Zabaikalye territory (backdated wages, unemployment, inflation, etc.) as the factors of political risk in the work of the regional branch of the United Russia party. To solve the research tasks, the author uses general scientific research methods: analysis and synthesis, induction and deduction. Besides, the author uses specific research methods: statistical, comparative, extrapolation, modeling, prognostication, content-analysis and analysis of social media. Based on the analysis, the author concludes that among the significant consequences of the economic and social crisis and dissatisfaction of the population with the party’s policy in Russia, are the party’s rating downgrade, increase of protest sentiment and social strain, electoral behavior change. According to the conducted research, the protest potential of the Zabaikalye territory is significantly higher than in Russia in general. The current socio-economic situation in Russia and in the Zabaikalye territory is one of the factors of political risk in the work of the United Russian party and its regional branch. 

Keywords: Zabaikalye territory, United Russia, backdated wages, economic crisis, political protest, electoral behavior, protest activity, social strain, political parties, political risks

Abstract: The asymmetry of the Russian federalism imposes certain imprints on the management of the regional political processes, including the issue of the introduction of the institution of direct gubernatorial elections. In particular, in the North Caucasus, there are several republics with no experience of gubernatorial elections (the Republic of Dagestan), or where elections had been held, but the results destabilized the situation in the region (the Karachay-Cherkess Republic). Therefore, the introduction of the model of direct gubernatorial elections, typical for all other regions of Russia, theoretically could undermine the stability in the region. The introduction of direct gubernatorial elections must be carried out in the context of the existing national and cultural characteristics of the republics. As one of the instruments of improving the procedure of direct gubernatorial elections, a quota for minority ethnic groups was proposed to be used. National quotas had already been used, for example, in Dagestan. But this measure does not guarantee the election of the candidate of small peoples for the position of the head of the republic.

Keywords: diplomacy, socio-political processes, alliance, world politics, Russia, political system, interests, state, security, risks

Abstract: The main subject of the research is North Korea’s nuclear-missile problem which is one of the key factors of relations aggravation in Northeast Asia. The author analyzes the evolution of North Korea’s nuclear program development, the first and the second nuclear crises and the 1994 Geneva treaty. The article raises the issue of the confrontation between the USA and North Korea about the Korean peninsula denuclearization, the role of international organizations in the attempt to settle North Korea’s nuclear problem. The author studies the process of the 2003 – 2008 six-sided talks; provides the arguments for the topicality of application of the term “the Korean peninsula denuclearization” and the reasons for the armaments drive intensification in Northeast Asia. The article gives the opportunity to understand the essence of North Korea’s nuclear-missile problem and to realize the importance of Korea’s nuclear threat and its consequences. The theoretical base comprises the systems and the dialectical approaches to the analysis of the situation on the Korean peninsula and in Northeast Asia in relation to the nuclear-missile threat of the DPRK. The author applies the problem-chronological and the comparative-historical methods. The topicality of the problem can be explained by the ongoing instability on the Korean peninsula and in Northeast Asia. The scientific novelty of the research consists in the study of the evolution of North Korea’s nuclear-missile problem and the problem of the Korean peninsula denuclearization. The author carries out a detailed analysis of bilateral relations of the USA and the DPRK in relation to the issues of North Korea denuclearization. The author comes to the conclusion about the necessity to intensify international efforts of the leading countries (the USA, China, Russia, Japan and South Korea) for the solution of this problem.   

Keywords: USA, South Korea, missile and nuclear threat, ballistic missile, nuclear tests, North Korea, The Korean peninsula, denuclearization, arms race, Geneva Accord of 1994 .

Abstract: The research focuses on the integration processes in Northeastern Asia and their sources; the role of relations between North and South Korea in the development of integration processes in Northeastern Asia. The author raises the issue of policies of the leaders of South and North Korea and the changes in the development of relations between them. The author studies the drawbacks of policies of the presidents of the Republic of Korea on the issue of unification and the policy of the president Park Geun-hye. The article studies the perspective of a further development of inter-Korean relations and the main directions of the current presidents’ policies. The theoretical grounds and the methodology of the research are based on the system and dialectical approaches to the analysis of the situation on the Korean Peninsula and integration processes in Northeastern Asia. The author uses the following methods of research: logical, comparative and civilizational analysis, the problem-chronological and the comparative-historical methods. The novelty of the research lies in the study of the reasons of appearance and the essence of integration processes in Northeastern Asia, the analysis of restrictive and favorable factors of these processes. The author offers his own concept of the role of inter-Korean relations for the solution of Korean problems: denuclearization and reunification. The author carries out a trial analysis of foreign policies of the current presidents of the Republic of Korea and the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea. 

Keywords: intagration processes, Northeastern Asia, denuclearization, the Republic of Korea, the Democratic People's Republic of Korea, Park Geun-hye, inter-Korean relations, policy, the Korean Peninsula, security

Abstract: What are the lessons to learn for Russia and other CIS states from the sad experience of the Ukrainian crisis. In order to respond to this question, there is need to analyze the factors, guaranteeing stability of the political system within any state.  Any political regime holds on "three whales". One of them is existing moral and psychological legitimacy of the government, internal support by the population, guaranteeing its consent for the existence of this government and rule of these political elites.  The second "whale" is the foreign political support provided by the global influence centers (in Ukrainian case it was the West, as represented by the Western Europe and the USA, or the East, as represented by Russia). The third "whale" is the political will, deciseveness and competence of the leaders of the state and representatives of ruling elites, which is express by keeping power and exercising control over the political situation. The fourth "whale" may be added. It is  economic and military power of the state, making the surrounding global influence center take the will of the government into consideration.  Let us see what was the situation with the main supporting points of political power in Ukraine...

Keywords: international relations, foreign policy, Russia, Ukraine, Euromaidan, riot, color revolution, international conflict, Yanukovych, security