Abstract: This article is devoted to the analysis of the content of state organizations' social networks with the example of the CEC of Russia and an attempt to conduct a scientific study of the current tools offered by social networks for building a communicative connection ("power-citizen") and the formation of the image of a state organization. The subject of the study was the CEC of Russia’s communication strategy and presence on selected social networks. An analysis of the actors influencing its creation and implementation was carried out, as well as a study of the audience (target and real) for which information is produced and the formats of interaction with it. When writing the work, the author used the method of content analysis and Integrum monitoring systems to collect statistical information about the reactions of Russian Internet users to the activities of the CEC of Russia. Due to the development of social media algorithms and the increase in their users, there is a request for research describing current processes and changes in society. The specificity of modern society is that there is a formal erasure of borders and simplification of interaction between the state and the citizen, while it is implied that this process is mutually beneficial. The authorities are gaining new tools to influence citizens and new opportunities to form a positive image. Citizens have received a channel to express opinions and direct dialogue with the authorities, especially with regard to expressing dissatisfaction with the government's response to society’s social and political demands.

Keywords: social network, political perception, look, political image, self-presentation, CEC of Russia, mass consciousness, mass communications, content analysis, public participation

Abstract: The subject of this research is the ways to engage youth in social movements, primarily of political nature. The object of this research is the youth of Saint Petersburg. Group No.1 consisted of the students participating in social movement; while Group No. 2 consisted of the students not involved in the social movements. The author explores the factors that encouraged or hindered the participation of youth in social movements. Attention is given to the questions of representations of youth on the dialogue between the government and society, its aggravating and mitigating factors. This research examines four field focus groups, consisting of eight participant, varying in gender, social status and level of income.  The targeted audience includes the youth of Saint Petersburg, aged 18-28 years. The young activists of social movements comprise two of the focus groups; and the other two focus groups – students of Saint Petersburg not engaged in political processes. The conclusion is made that a young individual of Saint Petersburg (18 years old and above) makes a decision to participate in social movements for the following reasons: 1) to expand circle of contacts; 2) following family traditions; 3) influenced by a friend-mentor; 4) desiring to learn something new; 5) as a results of political protest and pursuing an opportunity to manifest themselves. Therefore, in order to attract more young people in social organizations, it is necessary to bring up activist, who would take on the role of a mentor and advisor for the younger participants of the process.

Keywords: young people, mentor, spontaneous decision, social circle, civic activity, focus group, sections of social movements, protest actions, self-realisation, government

Abstract: This article examines the questions of public administration in the modern Russian society in the aspect of realization the attributable postmodernist trends; lists the instruments of citizens’ participation in decision-making within the system of government and municipal administration; as well as analyzes the limitations in the use of such instruments. Based on the analysis of the index of institutional confidence, level of electoral and lawmaking activities of the population, the author determines the tasks, which solution will allow forming the effective mechanism for implementation of public administration in modern Russian society built on the principles of transparency, participation and collaborations. In the context of the fundamental system-functional approach to the object under consideration, the author applied the following analytical methods: structural, historical-logical, complex, comparative and monographic. The conclusions lean in the results of the use of the methods of classification, structuralizing, comparison, arrangement and indexing. The application of heuristic potential of the indicated methods increased the level of confidence in the author’s assessments and argumentation of the formulated conclusions and recommendations. The main conclusion of the conducted research lies in the statement that in the conditions of postmodernity, the implementation of functions of the actors of public administration by the citizens depends on the quality of institutional environment that should be based on the principles of transparency, participation and collaboration. Ensuring growth institutional confidence and citizens’ activeness in the modern Russian society will contribute to increasing efficiency of use of social resource due to transparency of the processes of making and implementing decisions within the system of government and municipal administration.

Keywords: electoral activity, civil activity, institutional trust index, civic engagement tools, postmodernism, public administration, voter turnout, lawmaking activity, transparency, collaboration

Abstract: One of the key vectors of the state youth policy is the development of the youth self-governance, which allows attracting young people to active participation in country’s activity, as well as increase the efficiency of implementation of the youth policy in general. An important place in activation of the youth self-governance belongs to the youth parliamentarism. The article examines the conception and development of the youth parliamentarism in Arctic region of the Russian Federation. The author demonstrated the experience of the youth parliamentary structure under the legislative and executive authorities of Yamalo-Nenets Autonomous Okrug, as well as at the municipal level. Using the method of survey conducted in terms of monitoring, is realized the assessment of activity of the youth self-governance structures from the perspective of youth themselves. Analysis of the activity of the youth parliament and youth government of Yamalo-Nenets Autonomous Okrug along with the youth agencies under the authority of municipal institutions, illustrated that the region creates the conditions for development of the youth parliamentarism and increase of the social activity of young people. However, at the current stage, the actual system of youth self-governance in the Arctic region has not been formed.

Keywords: Yamal-Nenets Autonomous Area, arctic region, youth council, youth government, youth parliament, youth parliamentarism, youth policy, youth self-government, state youth policy, monitoring

Abstract: The subject of this research is the democracy in Latin American countries. The author examines the trends of democratization in the region, the circumstances under which it takes place, and the key features. The object of this research is the projects of democracy – authoritarian, neoliberal, and participatory. Special attention is given to such aspects, as the ideological and value grounds, ways of implementation, ability to solve the relevant issues faced by Latin America, as well as negative and positive sides. The author determines the main components of the projects of democracy in Latin America, comparing and assessing its positive and negative aspects. The discourse on democracy seems most essential in the context of political thought of the Latin American region and political processes within. Conclusion is made that the project of participatory democracy in more ways than the other trends of democratization existing in the region meets the desire of the states and population towards freedom, equality, and prosperity.

Keywords: citizenship, equality, autoritarism, neoliberalism, participatory democracy, democratization, democracy, delegative democracy, liberalism, civil society

Abstract: This article is dedicated to the analysis of evolution process of the practices of civil and political participation, particularly, the new form of sociopolitical engagement of citizens that is called Slacktivism. The author attempt to determine whether such type of activity can be considered as an actual form of civil and political participation, or it rather initially suggests the null result an is reduced to the imitation of sociopolitical activity. Such problematic is viewed in the context of representations about the “post-truth”, which suggests that at the present stage, the objective factor produce lesser effect upon the establishment of public opinion rather that referring to emotions and personal persuasions. The article reveals the essence of the phenomenon at hand, as well as introduces various approaches towards interpreting Slacktivism as a form of participation. Based on the example of creating the specific sociopolitical campaigns, activeness of citizens in social networks, signing of online petitions, and spread of social commercials, the author reveals the specificity of practical realization of such phenomenon. Conclusion is made that Slacktivism is not just an act of symbolic participation, but can also have real consequences. It is demonstrated that besides the common to Slacktivism low level on engagement into the process, there can occur the lack of critical perception of information, leaning on which a Slacktivist adopts a decision.

Keywords: Civil engagement, Political participation, Civil society, E-democracy, Network activity, Post-truth, Clicktivism, Slacktivism, Political activeness, Civil participation

Abstract: This article is devoted to the study of modern scientific approaches to the study of the political activity of non-state actors in international relations and world politics (such as TNCs, NGOs and others.). The object of this work is the non-state participants (actors) of international relations and world politics, as well as their political activities. The subject of this work is the modern scientific approaches towards the study of the political activity of non-state actors in international relations and world politics. The purpose of research consists in identification and classification of the modern scientific approaches to the study of non-state actors in international relations and world politics.The methodological basis of the study is a systematic, structural and functional, comparative political approaches, methods of analysis, synthesis, induction, deduction, observation.The author notes that by examining the scientific discussions that took place on the role of non-state actors in world politics, there are three main scientific approach, different from each other, basically, understanding the special nature of the relationship, lining up between non-state actors in world politics and nation-states. Each of the selected research approaches leans on specific views upon the role and place of the "actors outside the sovereignty" in the traditional Westphalian world order, in which the nation-states are the only recognized by all actors.

Keywords: diplomacy, international relations, U.S. foreign policy, world politics, global information space, political system, interests, state, security, risks

Abstract: The role of generations in the social and political changes is of particular importance for the Russian society, which in recent decades have occurred fluctuations of socio-political moods, an inversion in the value orientations of the population, the ups and downs of civic engagement, policy changes. The study of the relation of the youth to politics allows revealing the results of the so-called "generational selection" of public consciousness, which demonstrate the vector and speed of the changes taking place in society. Based on the results of the representative sociological survey, the article examines the prerequisites, orientation, and attitudes of the modern Russian youth in the area of politics. As the theoretical-methodological basis, the author used a complex of positions that substantiate the specificity of political orientations  and political behavior of different generations, and at the same time succession and common sociocultural grounds. It is demonstrated, that in general the youth reproduces the range of the essential political orientations and ideologies that exist in the Russian society. In addition to that, youth introduces the new demands, expectations, motivations, and behavioral practices into the political environment. The conclusion is made that despite the alienation from politics, the potential of Russian youth for participation in the process is still rather high.

Keywords: generation, political engagement, social engagement, society, political attitudes, political orientations, youth, Political sociology, political behavior, Russia

Abstract: The object of the research is the Russian youth, the subject is its political culture.The author examines in detail the typology of political cultures suggested by G.Almond and S.Verba, as well as domestic and international experience in the field of promoting participation in elections among the youth. Particular attention is paid to the results of the surveys (conducted in April 2012, October 2013 and November 2014) of the young generation of contemporary Russia on the basis of self-elaborated questionnaire in order to determine the political culture according to the typology suggested by G.Almond and S.Verba. Methodological foundation is based on the following methods: surveys in the form of a questionnaire; comparative, quantitative and critical analysis; synthesis; generalisation; classification, historical and logical methods, as well as graphical method (in the form of a table) for the visual display of the results of the research. The surveys of the Russian youth conducted in 2012-2014 on the basis of the created questionnaire showed that the patriarchal and subject types are inherent to the younger generation of contemporary Russia. The study on political culture showed that today's younger generation is not indifferent to the future of Russia and the processes in our political system. Many young people see themselves as active participants of these processes, they understand the significance of active political position, but somewhat underestimate its inherent rationality and responsibility. The obtained results of the study create a basis to propose measures aimed at developing the political culture of participation among the Russian youth, increasing its electoral activity. At the same time, it is necessary to consolidate the efforts of the family, state and municipal authorities, civil society institutions, using modern information and communication technologies, taking into account international experience, the historical development of the Russian state, the interests and initiatives of the youth.

Keywords: political parties, youth, electoral activity, elections, participant culture, civil society, political culture, electoral process, suffrage, youth policy

Abstract: The author of the article analyzes the causes of political apathy in the Ukraine and studies consequences of the government confrontation and passive adaptation of population to the situation in the Ukraine. The author also describes the levels of trust towards social institutions and views the sources of political minus-mobilization of the Ukrainian society. It is shown that a peculiarity of the political process in the Ukraine is a group inexpressiveness of positions, interests and views, diffused group beliefs and advantages of the mainstream population. Results of opinion surveys show that there is a tendency in the Ukrainian society towards reduction of the number of citizens who feel involved in the social and political life in the country. The author of the article also underlines polarization of public opinions between regions which is made even more complicated because there is no consensus on the matter in different social groups. The author also stresses out a need in modernization and democratization of political institutions. This is caused not by social perceptions of freedom, rights and justice but by the reasonable need in supporting the government. It is also demonstrated that constant minus-mobilization of the Ukrainian society provides for legitimacy of the political regime in the Ukraine.

Keywords: indifference towards politics, political apathy (indifference), inactivity, political nihilism, minus-mobilization, Ukrainian people, Ukraine, political regime (government), social institutions, regional polarization.

Abstract: Development of the political system of Russia, transfer to the rule-of-law state and civil society are dependent upon participation of all of the social groups, including the youth. Formation of the young people as citizens is closely connected with the political socialization problem. Growing value of the political socialization is due first of all to the need to form new civil characteristics, legal and political culture for the young people. The article includes analysis of the key forms and institutions of the political socialization of the youth, thanks to which the youth shall join in the democratic values. The author comes to a conclusion that political socialization of the youth should become a part of a state youth policy. In the conditions of a sustainable political system the education of the youth, including its political socialization, shall allow to guarantee a rather harmonic transfer of the key political values from the older generation to the younger generation. Their recognition shall allow the youth to recognize legitimacy of political power and political system.

Keywords: a-socialization, social des-adaptation, de-socialization, political socialization, system of education, family, mass media, political parties, youth, political culture.