Abstract: In this paper, the author examines the main theoretical directions in the study of information wars as a phenomenon of the modern political process in the world. Much attention is paid to the analysis of domestic approaches to determining the components of information wars, their goal-setting and mechanisms. Separately, the paper examines the phenomenon of social networks as the most important component of information warfare. The relevance of the research topic is determined by the increasing use of political propaganda in today's informational and increasingly digitalised world. The paper operationalises the concepts of "information warfare" and "political propaganda", studies technologies and methods of political influence, factors and stages of development of political propaganda, and describes the role of social networks as tools of political propaganda. As a result of the conducted research, the close relationship between social networks and information warfare technologies was confirmed. This is facilitated by the following factors: a large number of users, lack of control over the virtual space, imitation of real communication by virtual. The study conceptualised the main concepts in the works of Russian scholars to analyse the use of social networking technologies in political propaganda and information warfare. The relevance of the research topic is determined by the the fact that in the modern information and increasingly digitalizing world. The paper operationalizes the concepts of "information warfare" and "political propaganda", examines technologies and methods of political influence, factors and stages of development of political propaganda, and describes the role of social networks as tools of political propaganda.  

Keywords: information security, mass media, desinformation, cognitive warfare, conceptualization, hybrid warfare, contrpropaganda, social networks, propaganda, information warfare

Abstract: The subject of this research is Donald Trump’s activity during the first year of his presidency. The article analyzes the claims made by the candidate in the run-up to elections and their translation into action while already serving as the 45th President of the United States. Particular attention is given to Trump’s promises that caused public outcry. The goal of this work lies in determination of the motives that impelled the future President to assert himself so ambiguously, as well as in the attempt to grasp whether his promises were intentionally populist, geared towards the vast audience appeal, or rather well planned and thought through part of the actual events aimed at improving the economic wellbeing of the United States of America and quality of life of the American citizens. Relevance of this article is defined by the undying interest to the election campaign in the United States and the implemented technologies at the time of campaign. The analysis of tactical and strategic moves undertaken by D. Trump and his team contributes to identification of the common and separate peculiarities that affected the course of elections, as well as allows forecasting the political and economic decisions of the 45th President of the United States. The conclusion is made that multiple Trump’s announcements were justified by his personal peculiarities that fancifully combine strive for extravagancy with conservativeness, as well as precise business orientation.

Keywords: United Mexican States, China, trade war, tax reform, Obamacare, populism, presidential elections, Donald Trump, NAFTA, migration policy

Abstract: The subject of this research is the formation of a proper and positive image of a country abroad. The authors meticulously reviews the experience of Germany and Russia in establishing an international image, comparing the strategies of both countries. An analysis is conducted on the components of strategies, particularly the application of the “soft power” concept that makes the expansion of country’s influence in the world contingent on the country’s attractiveness. Special attention is given to how successful is the achievement of their goals in the process of establishment of the international image, as well as what limitations can emerge on the way. A conclusion is made that Germany stakes on the economic development, while Russia holds itself ad a powerful state, particularly through converting the “hard” power into “soft”. For enhancing the international image, both countries implement the institutions of “soft power”. At the same time, it is determined that the concerns of the EU neighbors impede the accomplishment of foreign policy goals for Germany; while for Russia it is the weak conceptual framework on establishment of the international image alongside the domestic issues.

Keywords: world politics, a great power, an economic miracle, the image of the country, hard power, soft power, Germany, Russia, international relations, domestic politics

Abstract: At the present time, the states dedicate more attention to the capabilities of “soft power” in foreign policy. Namely this, increases the relevance of establishment of a positive image of Russia in the international arena. This article examines the capabilities of “soft power” and its key components. The main attention is given to the image of the state as the core element of “soft power”. The work also analyzes the methods of adjusting the formed image of the country and significant aspects that must be considered in this regard. The object of this research is the concept of “soft power”, while the subject is the image of the state as the key component of “soft power”. Methodological foundation contains the comparative analysis, induction and deduction, as well as other general scientific methods. The scientific novelty consists in suggesting the relevant methods of adjusting the image of Russia that lean on the theoretical basis of the “soft power” concept. An attempt is made to determine the most efficient ways of advancing the Russian “soft power”. The author concludes that the key aspect of the image optimization can become the promotion of the cultural-humanitarian image of Russia, as well as an essential role is played by application of the mechanism of national branding and constant monitoring of the current status of Russia’s image.

Keywords: Russia, national branding, international relations, brand, image, branding, soft power, strategy, foreign policy, concept

Abstract:   This article is dedicated to the examination of the current issues of the Russian “soft power” in the post-Soviet space. The Ukrainian crisis, as well as internal transformation in other post-Soviet states testify to the Russia’s loss to the West in this regard. If the situation does not change, that the post-Soviet space will continue to “crumble”; thus, Moscow will face the new difficulties, including in the content of its new project – the Eurasian integration. The object of this research is the “soft power”, while the subject is the methods and mechanisms of its implementation (in theory and practice, applicable to the post-Soviet countries). The scientific novelty of this work consists in the critical view upon the weak spots of the Russian practice pertaining to the question of “soft power” in the post-Soviet space, which manifested over the last two years as the result and on the background of the Ukrainian crisis. It is important to notice that these weak spots concern not only the Ukrainian vector; therefore, the acquired conclusions can and must be considered in reference to the other partners of Russia.  

Keywords: Western approach, diplomacy, NGO, European Union, Russia, post-Soviet space, soft power, public demands, ideology, integration

Abstract: The object of this research is the influence of mass media upon public opinion. The subject of this research is the information coverage of the Ukrainian crisis in mass media. The author set a goal to determine the level of influence produced by mass media upon the perception of the Ukrainian events by the citizens of various countries. The author carefully examines the images of Russia and President of the Russian Federation that have formed in the consciousness of the citizens my means of mass media in the context of Ukrainian situation; as well as presents the results of sociological research, which confirm the changes in public consciousness. During the course of this research, the author used the method of content analysis of the publications of Russian, Ukrainian, and Western mass media; the annexation of Crimea was used as the main event. The main conclusion consists in the fact that the foreign mass media, using the manipulative methods of influence, have established the image of Russia as the enemy and counterrevolutionary force, which acts against the West; and the President Vladimir Putin as the dictator. Such interpretations promoted increased hostility towards Russia in Western countries. The Russian mass media on the contrary, presented the annexation of Crimea in connotations contribution into the establishment of positive perception of the events among Russians, producing an outburst of patriotism and increasing the level of trust towards the President. The author believes that mass media should me attracted into the political struggle for power, processes of changes in the level of trust to the government and the leading regime.

Keywords: Ukrainian crisis, mass media, agenda for the day, cognitive system of an individual, degree of confidence to the mass media, image of Vladimir Putin, government information policy, public opinion, information warfare, manipulative methods of influence

Abstract: The object of this research is the political situation and political process in the Kyrgyz Republic. The subject of this research is the risks and treats of the color revolution on Kyrgyzstan at the present stage. The author thoroughly examines the current political situation in Kyrgyzstan in the context of regional processes that destabilize the situation in Central Asia., as well as draws peculiar attention to the color revolutions, which are used by the West as the main instruments of political destabilization and dismantlement of the political regimes. It is noted that the modern color revolutions consists in the techniques of the government overthrows, in which the main mechanism is the youth protest movements that often on the collision courses with the authorities under nationalistic slogans. From the perspective of implementation of the color revolution scenarios, Kyrgyzstan remains in the high-risk zone for almost a decade. It is namely associated with its geostrategic location in Central Asia, as well as participation in the Eurasian integration projects. The risks of the color revolution just prior to the 2015 Parliamentary elections in Kyrgyzstan are justified by the presence of the constantly existing source of political instability in the Osh Region (the unofficial capital of the southern part of Kyrgyzstan); as well as by the unsolved problems pertaining to the distribution of power among the northern and southern elites, which bring a schism into the society, and also by the fact that the Kyrgyz Republic among all countries of Central Asia is the “weakest link” that is the easiest to break. In addition to these factors, the majority of the residents are villagers, usually with a poor level or lack of education, who could be easily affected by the pro-American or Islamist campaign or propaganda.

Keywords: interests, democracy, color revolutions, hybrid war, state, USA, society, politics, values, security

Abstract: This article is dedicated to the modern ideologies of fear management. The author examines the motive of fear within the foreign and domestic policy of a state on the example of national security, making an accent on it, and intentional exaggeration of fears in society for the purpose of legitimation of the important political decisions. In the author’s opinion, the authorities must legitimate their political decisions through the public support. This public support however, should not contradict the official policy, which in turn, generates the need for formation of public opinion.  The author also reviews the topic of human security is called upon to overcome the negative consequences of the national security policy. A conclusion is made that the modern ideologies of fear management still remain a quite effective instrument of state policy. The scientific novelty consists in the author’s attempt to present a comprehensive outlook upon this problem by analyzing the emotion of fear in politics from various perspectives. This article can be used by the experts in the area of social philosophy and political science.

Keywords: person, society, state, human security, homeland security, control, fear, policy, manipulation, rhetoric

Abstract: In the modern world along with the classical instruments of foreign policy, the leading states use the technologies of so-called “color revolutions”, the essence of which consists in removal the governments of other countries that do not support their national interests, and placement into power of their own puppets. It is a known fact that all new is a “well-forgotten old”, but with adjustment for modernity and tactical methods. The subject of this research is the mechanism of organization and realization of the “red revolutions” in Transcaucasia through the prism of correspondence of the Soviet State leaders during the 1920’s. Within the framework of this work the author set the following tasks: give an analysis to the theoretical and practical aspects of the “red revolutions”; demonstrate their basic model on the example of Sovietization of Azerbaijan, Armenia, and Georgia; illustrate the model of organization of the new government structures in these countries.  The novelty of this article is determined by introduction into the scientific circulation and analysis of a large amount of unpublished archived material from the compilations of documents of J. S. Stalin, G. K. Ordzhonikidze, as well as from the fund of the Council of People’s Commissars of RSFSR of the Russian State Archive of Sociopolitical History on the problems of organization of “red revolutions” in Transcaucasia. The personal correspondence of the representatives of the party, military, and Soviet authorities of Transcaucasia with the Soviet government and among themselves, contains rich material that allows restoring the real picture of organization in the 1920’s of the “red revolutions” in this region, as well as understand and clarify the role of the separate representatives of the Bolshevik elite in this process.

Keywords: Georgia, Sovietization, Communist Parties, establishment of Soviet government, coup, Armenia, Bolshevik leadership, Transcaucasia, Azerbaijan, Sovietization

Abstract: In the modern world along with the classical instruments of foreign policy, the leading states use the technologies of so-called “color revolutions”, the essence of which consists in removal the governments of other countries that do not support their national interests, and placement into power of their own puppets. It is a known fact that all new is a “well-forgotten old”, but with adjustment for modernity and tactical methods. The subject of this research is the mechanism of organization and realization of the “red revolutions” in Transcaucasia through the prism of correspondence of the Soviet State leaders during the 1920’s. Within the framework of this work the author set the following tasks: give an analysis to the theoretical and practical aspects of the “red revolutions”; demonstrate their basic model on the example of Sovietization of Azerbaijan, Armenia, and Georgia; illustrate the model of organization of the new government structures in these countries.  The novelty of this article is determined by introduction into the scientific circulation and analysis of a large amount of unpublished archived material from the compilations of documents of J. S. Stalin, G. K. Ordzhonikidze, as well as from the fund of the Council of People’s Commissars of RSFSR of the Russian State Archive of Sociopolitical History on the problems of organization of “red revolutions” in Transcaucasia. The personal correspondence of the representatives of the party, military, and Soviet authorities of Transcaucasia with the Soviet government and among themselves, contains rich material that allows restoring the real picture of organization in the 1920’s of the “red revolutions” in this region, as well as understand and clarify the role of the separate representatives of the Bolshevist elite in this process.

Keywords: establishment of Soviet authority, Communist Parties, coup, Bolshevik leadership, Transcaucasia, Azerbaijan, Sovietization, Armenia, Georgia, red revolutions

Abstract:   This article is dedicated to the study of the role of information technology and services in the realization of scenario of the 2011 color revolution in Egypt, which carried the name of "Twitter Revolution." The object of study is the color revolution of 2011 in Egypt that led to the coup and the overthrow of the President Hosni Mubarak. The subject of this research is the forms and methods of the use of Internet technologies and services in the mechanisms of conflict management to mobilize citizens and political protest in the Egyptian Color Revolution of 2011.The author draws attention to the fact that the color revolution of "Arab Spring" threw Egypt a few steps back – deprived of its independence in making foreign policy decisions, deprived the region of stability, and encouraged the activity of terrorist organizations. The Internet technology played a crucial role in mobilization of the Egyptian youth and their involvement into the protest movement; it is the namely the youth who gave the Cairo protest movement its massiveness. The Internet, compared to the other sources of information, which represent the potential instruments of the color revolution, had more freedom in Egypt, than television, newspapers, etc. If the main emphasis in promoting and preparing the revolution was made through telecommunication, most likely the failure of the "Twitter" revolution would be inevitable.  

Keywords: international conflicts, diplomacy, coup d’état, global instability, world politics, Russia, geopolitics, state, safety, color revolutions

Abstract: The subject of study is the process of heroization of an individual, group of people or profession. The research object is a person, a hero or a citizen. The author considers the folk process of the birth of myths and legends and deliberate formation of heroic individuals and groups of individuals for the interests of state institutions. Special attention is paid to systems of values and causes that determine the criteria for the classification of an action as heroic. The author emphasizes the need to take into account the probabilistic nature and subjectivity of historical facts in the perception of ethics and heroic actions. An attempt is made to show that the opposition of the interests of the individual and the state through the heroic act is immoral, historically unjustified and strategically unacceptable. The research is based on the method of analysis of the systems of historical facts, study of scientific works and periodic literature, exposing essence problem questions of popularization of heroism in Russia. The basic conclusion of the article is that the policy of state institutions should be aimed at creating a stable civil position. Deliberate generation of heroic professions, social layers and separate individuals in the favour of the state of affairs of situation fraught the dissidence of society. The research novelty is caused by the fact that the author offers a number of principles that are supposed to provide internal logic of the system of popularization of heroism in Russia and assist strengthening stability of the state system.

Keywords: state, civil position, citizen, heroization, moral, ethics, hero, heroic act, society, popularization

Abstract: This article is devoted to the evaluation of risks and threats of the implementation by the West (the United States and its closest military and political allies in the European Union) the scenario of a color revolution in Russia. The author analyzes the necessary and sufficient conditions for the implementation of the schemes of color revolution in Russia at the present stage of the political development and assesses the ability of the Russian government and the Russian political system to successfully withstand the onslaught of color revolutions. Karpovich also examines the role of the socalled non-system opposition to organize mass protest movement in Russia as the main element of the classical schemes and technologies of color revolutions. The research methodology is based on the system, structural and functional, and comparative political approaches. The author concludes that the risks of the color revolution in Russia continue to grow, especially with the devaluation of the ruble and growing economic crisis in the background. However, the results of the study indicate that the Russian “non-systemic opposition” technically cannot turn into ideology or a driving force of color revolution because it does not fit the parameters of the basic Anglo-Saxon scheme and does not meet the requirements for leaders and activists of the “color revolutions” or “Maidans”.

Keywords: politics, society, USA, color revolution, conflict, state, security, interests, Russia, war.

Abstract: The article is devoted to the two topics. First, Rozin discusses the concept of Foresight and compares it to the concept of social action based on the ideas of politics and society. At the same time, the author analyzes anthropological interpretations of human in modern philosophy and views the difference between politics and the social engineering action. According to the author, the former involves personality and society while the latter involves a social engineer and human as an object of such action. Independently or based on experts, a social engineer decides how others should live and what they should do while personality and society decide for themselves. A social engineering action is based on rules of nature (in this case, what human is and how human changes) developed by scientists and politically triggered by social engineering. A political action is formed in the process of communication of personalities, each personality tries to propose their own idea for others and society. The methodological basis for the research involves the following: problematization, situational and comparative analysis, categorization and case study. As a result, the author shows that the social-engineering variant of Foresight has a number of drawbacks. The author underlines that it is inefficient to view ‘general human’ instead of particular individuals. The author stresses out the need for further anthropological researches on the matter.

Keywords: foresight, politics, society, action, personality, human, concept, consequence, freedom.

Abstract: The author proceeds from the established tendency of the political decision-making process that has the intuitive nature and carried out on the basis of personal and professional experience of the offi cial making the decision. Appealing to the expert community or improvement of one’s own professional competence through receiving the basic o additional professional education is now rather an exception than a rule. The author of article proceeds from the belief that for defi nition of the term "political marketing" it is necessary to view the historical stages of the development of the term as well as conceptual approaches that accompanied that process. The scope of the article relates to defi ning contents of the concept of political marketing by analyzing its foreign and Russian analogues. The methodology of article is based on systems approach as a universal principle of the organization of scientifi c research and assumes the discovery of the contents and the main theories and technologies of political marketing both through history and in the modern political process. According to the author, the scientifi c novelty of the article is in assessment of the perspective use of the concept of political marketing in the analysis of modern voting technologies and also activity of certain political actors in the modern political process. Revealing two basic variants of concepts of political marketing the author comes to the conclusion about domination of its mobilization version in the Russian political space while prospects of the modernization approach are much more obvious.

Keywords: Political marketing, political advertising, political PR, political process, political culture, public authority, political communication, political modernization, political technologies, political image.

Abstract: This article demonstrates that, epistemologically, modern Russian elitology is not a science, but rather an ideology, which explains, and thus legitimates the dominance of the ruling elite. To have an epistemological status of an academic discipline, or a science, any social and humanitarian research requires several functions to be exercised. It needs to explain the motives and the aftermath of people’s actions in the past and in the future, shed light on the probabilities of the future and formulate goals to which they must aspire to. Thus, to become a science, a social and humanitarian theory must not only explain and describe the past and predict the future, but it also must formulate ideals and goals for the society. The author points out that Russian elitology does not match those criteria, because it only explains the mechanisms of the dominance of elites. To become a science, elitology must build a foundation of Public Law constitutionalist ethics which would allow evaluating the results of the ruling elite’s actions.

Keywords: Philosophy, elitology, ideology, science, constitutionalism, public law ethics, axiology, ethos, dominance, elite.