Abstract: The object this research is the works of the Russian liturgical scholars who systematized the source material on the history of typikon (liturgical charter). The subject of this research is the approaches towards studying the charter as a holistic phenomenon – the system that combines the daily, seven-day, and annual (fixed and movable) circles in the Byzantine liturgical tradition. Having refused to consider the charter from the explanatory and edificatory perspectives and trying to research the historical-liturgical monuments in their development, the liturgists systematized liturgical material and examined it in the historical-critical and “historical-genetic” context. The Russian liturgists offered a classification of the types of liturgical charters, distinguishing the cathedral and monastic types, as well as differentiating the worship service of the desert-dwelling and city-dwelling monks. The scientists also developed a periodization of the charter from ancient forms to printed versions. In the works of N. F. Odintsov, I. D. Mansvetov, A. A. Dmitrievsky, I. A. Karabinov, archpriest M. Lisitsyn, M. N. Skaballanovich and others, the liturgical charter is described not as a uniform text, but as a system that has developed over centuries, marking its development stages in Byzantium and Rus’. The novelty of this research consists in determination of the key characteristics of the historical-liturgical scientific direction. The analysis is based on the works of Russian liturgists dedicated to the history of the typikon. The examination of sources on the history of the typikon, as well as the hypotheses advanced by the scholars, allow viewing the history of its formation as a holistic phenomenon, and forego the traditional view of the existing form of worship as historically consistent. The conclusion is made that examination of the history of liturgical charter prompted the use of synchronic and diachronic methods in the study of sources, encouraging scholars to hypothetical constructions and opening new vectors for further development of liturgics as a scientific discipline.

Keywords: Alexey Dmitrievsky, Michail Skaballanovich, Typikon of the Great Church, Typikon of the Anastasis, Neo-Sabaite Synthesis, Jerusalem Typikon, Studite Typikon, Typikon, regulation of worship, Ivan Karabinov

Abstract: The research subject is the issue of "new people "in the publicism of the leader of the conspiratorial direction in populism -- the Russian Blanquist P. N. Tkachev. The object of research is the socio-political concept of the thinker. The author examines in detail such aspects of the topic as the issue of the moving revolutionary forces in the perception of P. N. Tkachev, the necessity of correct education in the formation of the people of the future and the difficulties occurring during the realization process of this issue. Particular attention is paid to the role and place of the "new heroes" in the realization process of the social ideal of P. N. Tkachev. The study is conducted using the method of analyzing the publicist text of P. N. Tkachev written in the period from 1865 and 1877. The novelty of this research lies in the fact that this subject has been examined in view of the whole socio-political conception of P. N. Tkachev and its fundamental principles. The author comes to the conclusion that P. N. Tkachev highlighted the necessary conditions for the formation and the personal qualities of the "new people", which, according to the "Russian Blanquist", should bring about close the success of the revolution.

Keywords: Petr Lavrov, Mikhail Bakunin, history of political thought, moving revolutionary forces, revolutionary movement, new people, people of the future, effective populism, populism, Petr Tkachev

Abstract: Recently in France two new books have been published by Yves Cohen on power in Contemporary history (2013) and by Stefan Van Damme on the philosophy of Modern history (2014), which although are focused on different time periods and themes, but both, in the words of the authors, belong to the movement of pragmatic history. What is pragmatic history? What does it entail from the point of view of a historian’s practical work? The aim of this cross review is to demonstrate the existing methodological similarities between the two books. We see that two authors arrive at pragmatic history from different historiographical traditions, but in both cases their adherence to this direction is signalled by three original research approaches: the aim to understand phenomena in the process of their problematisation, to gain access to social and cultural practices, and to understand the circulation mechanisms of ideas and knowledge through their produced results. This type of approach necessarily implies a change of a scholar’s methodological stance, forcing him to refute the often inherent positions of superiority and of the regressive method. Opening new research horizons, pragmatic history is capable of contributing to historiographical debates on many important topics. In conclusion, the review presents as an example the question of modernity: it is examined not so much in itself, as with the aim of demonstrating the possibilities of studying the public sphere of Modern and Contemporary times from the point of view of pragmatic history.

Keywords: phenomenon reproblematisation, pragmatic history, Modern history philosophy, modernity, methodological approaches, leader, authority, social practices, circulation, historical epistemology

Abstract: The article presents the key problems featured in the study of political elites by Western scholars during the 20th century. The author indicates the various directions in the study of elites in contemporary disciplines of socio-humanities. The elite theories are reviewed from the point of view of the historical approach – through their development in time and in correlation with the specific historical circumstances of their formation. The author notes that the classic elite theories, formulated at the end of the 19th – beginning of the 20th centuries, proposed an alternative approach to the historical process in contrast with the Marxist one. The most significant differences in these approaches concerned the nature of the ruling class, the outlook of the class conflict, and the creation of an egalitarian society. During the 20th century there was an intensive study of political elites, however it did not lead to the elaboration of a single generally-accepted theory explaining the functioning of contemporary societies. Scholars came to opposing conclusions, closely tied with the different methodological directives and priorities in their selection of factual material. The main effort was aimed at addressing the issue of the relationship between elites and democracy. The tendency to dissociate from the classic elite theories dominated, due to which the methodological entirety was lost and an array of definitions and interpretations appeared. At the same time, Western authors offered numerous instruments for identifying and analysing political elites, in principle applicable to any society. The use of the existing groundwork by scholars of diverse approaches can facilitate the broadening of interdisciplinary studies.

Keywords: S. Nadel, democratic process, political elite, ruling class, directions of elites research, Marxism, elitism, A. Giddens, methodology, interdisciplinary studies

Abstract: the article provides an analysis of the reasons for documenting a modern version of Russian history in the form of multivolume fundamental academic publication. It describes the methodological approaches of the authors of this project, discusses the expected effects of its implementation. This publication is intended as a response to the Russian society’s interest in the historical past that was clearly established lately, as reflected in discussions on topical problems of national history in the press and other mass media, in popular literature and journalism. The society expects the historical science to provide an objective coverage of national history, to give professional answers to questions, which arise. The multi-volume “History of Russia” shall become an authoritative scientific publication forming the historical consciousness and national identity, serving as basis for teaching history.

Keywords: history, concept, methodology, national project, new scientific knowledge, archive revolution, historical consciousness, national identification, multinational state, multiconfessionality.

Abstract: the article is dedicated to the 90th anniversary of an outstanding Russian historian Sigurd Ottovich Schmidt and reviews the main directions of his scientific research in the 1950-2000-ies (Russian history during the reign of Ivan the Terrible, the history of the personal chronicle of XVI century, the history of Moscow studies, etc.). Author shows the value and place of the works of the hero of the day in the national hфяistoriography, the anthropologically-oriented tendencies of the source material interpretations in the written works of the 1970s and the proximity of his position with the direction of the “new history” (the “Annales” school). The article traces the appeal of the researcher to the new subjects in 1980-1990-ies. Author marks the contribution of Schmidt S. O. to the study of Russian noble culture of XVIII-XIX centuries and the fact that his attention was focused on the mentality of the Russian nobility, perceived through the works of Karamzin N.M., Pushkin A.S., etc.

Keywords: history, Schmidt S.O., historiography, ethnography, Moscow studies, XVI century, Ivan IV the Terrible, archives, pictorial chronicles, Karamzin N.M.

Abstract: the article shows peculiarities for forming and activities of scientific schools in the Soviet historical science, describes the role of the subjective factor in this process. It shows that the presence in the community of Soviet historians in the mid-twentieth century of two generations of the antagonist: the historians of the “old school” and “red professors” generation limited to eminent the possibility of creating their own schools for pre-revolutionary historians.

Keywords: history, science, schools, ideology, politics, methodology, Marxism, the “thaw”, Grekov D.B., Sidorov A.L.

Abstract: the article provides information on the events held to celebrate the 40-year anniversary of the Institute of History, Archaeology and Ethnography of the Far East of the Far Eastern Branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences, about the VII Krushanovskiy readings and the main activities of the institute.

Keywords: history, IIAE FEB RAS, Academician of RAS A.I. Krushanov, Doctor of History, Professor V.L. Larin, areas of researches, scientific potential, historical school of Far East, the «round table» on the «10th anniversary of the Agreement of good-neighborliness, friendship and cooperation between the Russian Federation and the Republic of China», celebration, anniversary.

Abstract: the article is devoted to analysis of the fundamental concepts of the famous statesman Witte, S.U. on the nature of Russian government and its relations in the second half of XIX century with the local self-governments – zemsky peasant communities, which were established during the reforms in 1864.

Keywords: history, Witte, domestic state, power, peasant communities, “nation state“, F. Liszt, the nation, reforms, constitutionalism