Abstract: This article is devoted to the study of the role of Confucius Institutes in the dissemination of the Chinese language in the Russian Federation. The relevance of the research topic is due to several factors: the rapid growth of the influence of the People’s Republic of China on the international arena, the growth of bilateral cooperation between the PRC and the Russian Federation under conditions of transformation of the international relations situation, phenomenon of «power transition». The object of this study is «soft power» of the PRC. The study focuses on the role of the Confucius Institutes in promoting the Chinese language in the Russian Federation. The author considers in detail the role of Confucius Institutes in the context of the implementation of the «soft power» of China, the activities of Confucius Institutes in the Russian Federation. The author pays special attention to the study of the policy of «soft power» of the PRC in the context of «power transition». This study is based on neo-liberalism. The main conclusions of the study are the characterization of «soft power» of China as a historically deep phenomenon, the evaluation of the Chinese language as one of the key elements of «soft power» of the People’s Republic of China at the present stage, analysis of the competitiveness of the «soft power» of the People’s Republic of China with the same form of political power of the USA, identification of differences in the activities of the Confucius Institutes in the countries of the collective West and the Russian Federation. The scientific novelty of the conducted study lies in the analysis of the activity of the Confucius Institutes in the dissemination of the Chinese language in the Russian Federation in the context of the process of «power transition».

Keywords: Hanban, Confucius, power transitio, Confucius Institute, Chinese language, Soft power, USA, Russia, PRC, China

Abstract: This paper responds to an existing demand to take Africa as a continent out of a place of exception and marginality while placing it at the center of international relations and world politics. The rapid growth of the study and research of international relations in Nigeria is commendable as it challenges the structural and epistemic biases of International Relations that render the contributions of the continent invisible. The relevance of this paper is to provide and maintain means of information upon international relations questions in Nigeria and to promote the influence of Nigeria on the African continent and beyond.This study adopts data collection and a descriptive summary, as well as the use of secondary data analysis.The scientific novelty consists in the entrance of new knowledge of data obtained by analyzing materials on the researches and prospects made by Nigeria government and privately owned institutions and universities to enhance Nigeria’s stand in the international arena. As accounted for, International Relations study and its related courses are being taught and researched in 31 Universities in Nigeria.

Keywords: prospects, Africa, universities, Nigeria, study, research, International arena, International Relations, government, researchers

Abstract: The article is devoted to manifestation of anti-Americanism in Germany after the end of the Cold War. The relevance of the topic is determined by the fact that the USA and Germany today are allies and leaders in many areas despite all the controversy. The author pays special attention to the positive development of relations which are sometimes replaced by a negative attitude towards Washington. In addition, the author closely examines the position of Berlin on two key issues: operations in Afghanistan and the United States’ abandoning the Kyoto Protocol. The historical method was used in the course of study of the German policy in the sphere of economy, which allowed the author to trace the evolution of conceptual foundations of the modern approach of the German government to the way out of the crisis of 2008. Also, the author used a structural method to study the German-American cooperation, which allowed him to determine the origins of relations problems between the countries in the cultural and investment spheres. The author comes to the conclusion that German anti-Americanism, escalated especially during the reign of Bush Jr., has not disappeared in recent years, but changed the nature and became somewhat softer. As a result, it can be concluded that Washington's aggressive foreign policy can generate new negative manifestations of anti-Americanism in German society in the near future. 

Keywords: War in Afghanistan, Kyoto Protocol, NATO, Schröder, George W. Bush, Anti-americanism, Germany, USA, Nuclear power, Soft power

Abstract: The subject of this research is the Arctic policy of the Republic of Korea and associated opportunities and challenges for the Russian Federation. South Korea is an active participant in polar researches and has been following its own national Arctic strategy aimed at its national priorities in Arctic zone since 2013. The policy is oriented at transport and economic development of the region and correlates to Russia's interests in attracting foreign investments and technologies to Arctic zone based on a range of parameters. The main research method is the comparative analysis of materials posted on the site of Korean Polar Research Institute. The novelty of the research is caused by the fact that it is the first research in Russian academic literature to be based on analysis of original South Korean materials including official documents. Taking into account an increasingly competitive climate in the region, Russia is interested in keeping the existing parity, thus the Republic of Korea could have become one of Russia's allies. The author of the article defines promising areas of cooperation such as development of the icebreaking fleet, creating the gas hub in Korea, and collective exploration of Northern Sea Route (NSR). 

Keywords: polar researches, Northern Sea Route, Russia, national interests, national strategy, Republic of Korea, Arctic zone, infrastructure, cooperation, policy

Abstract: The subject of the article is the interests pursued by Tajikistan and Russia within the Central Asian region. The article elaborates on different categories of interests: national, economic, regional security interests. The author closely examines three strategic goals of the Republic of Tajikistan and Russia's role in addressing regional security issues within the Central Asia region. The relevance of the topic is conditioned bythe growing pace of regional integration in recent years. In this regard, the interests of the parties, their compatibility within the framework of bilateral and multilateral cooperation, the place and role of Tajikistan and Russia in addressing regional issues of economy and security should be identified. The research applies general scientific and particular political and historical research methods, mainly content and event analysis. The novelty of the study is that for the first time the article explores strategic interests of Tajikistan  in the context of its current economic situation and the possibility of economic integration with other states of Central Asia that have already begun to form a new economic space. The main conclusion of the article is that the economic problems of Tajikistan can be solved primarily through breaking the transport impasse, which can only be achieved by establishing cooperation with bordering Uzbekistan and Kyrgyzstan, with which Tajikistan has disagreements over demarcation of the state borders. Also, the author concludes that Russia is the main guarantor of security of the region; under its authority the regional military-political organizations should operate and do operate now.

Keywords: regional security, national security, interests, CSTO, Commonwealth of Independent States, Central Asia, cooperation, region, Tajikistan, Russia

Abstract: The author analyses the PRC's experience in developing the energy strategy and the place of African states in China's energy security. The subject of the study is evolution of approaches of the PRC to energy security, development of a holistic energy security strategy and actions to ensure it. The purpose of the work is to identify the causes of the increasing attention of China towards Africa, to conduct an analysis of methods for energy security implementation, to disclose the PRC's energy functions, to determine the nature of China's interaction with leading African countries on energy security matters, and the investment policy of the PRC. The article uses a system approach, i.e. the foreign policy of the State is seen as a system of political intentions, as well as a historical comparative method that allowed the author to conduct an analyse of changes in private and general factors of the PRC's foreign policy on the African continent based on the chronology of the development of inter-State relations. The conclusions of the study can be used to predict the direction for the development of relations between the PRC and African countries. The scientific novelty of the study is determined by a comprehensive analysis of the PRC's energy strategy with the aid of various sources and literature with due consideration of the evolution of the PRC's foreign policy doctrine. Given a low level of self-sufficiency in fuel resources, the leaders of the PRC as well as state energy companies are interested in reducing the risks of supply disruptions, stability in energy products exporting regions. In view of the results of the XIX Congress of the Chinese Communist Party, there is no doubt that the content of the "new era" should bring the PRC to the world leaders, which is impossible without the establishment of energy security. For a long time Africa has been one of the important regions for the PRC in terms of the strategy of supply diversification. All of that requires close attention and deeper examination. 

Keywords: "Chinese dream", national interests, cooperation, diversification, PRC's investment policy, PRC's foreign policy principles, methods of energy security implementation , oil and gas companies, China, energy security

Abstract: The research subject is the peculiarities of the Russian-speaking community in the State of Israel. The author studies such aspects of the topic as the character of ties forming in the community of the Russian-speaking population of Israel. Special attention is given to the factors promoting the formation of a unique identity of the representatives of “Russian Israel”, the main stages of evolution of the Russian-speaking community in the political life of Israel and the formation of the Russian-speaking media space in the State of Israel. It is reasonable to consider the Russian-speaking community as a long-term phenomenon, which at the present time is an important actor on the political stage of the country. The main research methods are the system approach, analysis and synthesis, induction and deduction. The scientific novelty of the study consists in the complex analysis of the “Russian Israel” phenomenon on the basis of original sources. The author concludes that among the factors of consolidation of the Russian-speaking community of Israel were territorial localization, preservation of the cultural environment of the country of origin, a special status of the Russian language in Israel and its place in the media space, support for various community symbols and the socio-political development program. 

Keywords: integration, subculture, repatriates, media space, Russian street, Russian-speaking community, Russian language, The State of Israel, self-identification, Russian lobby

Abstract: The article considers interest alignment policy as a specific set of instruments, principles and measures of state management activity aimed at the provision of mutual integration and conflict-free realization of public interests. The subject and object area of state policy of interest alignment includes the set of political relations and political and communicational processes connected with articulation, representation and realization of public interests. The topicality of the problem in question is conditioned by the necessity to increase the effectiveness and legitimacy of the process of political decision-making by public authorities. The author applies the structure-functional approach and the inductive method to build a quinary model of interest alignment policy, which includes the normative-coherence, articulation, communication, mediation and integration blocks. The author describes the application political analysis of each of these blocks. Studying the normative-value aspects of interest alignment policy, the author suggests focusing on legal and moral-ethical principles of allocation of limited social resources. Comprehensive understanding of the articulation block of interest alignment policy, in the author’s opinion, can be based on the consideration of a set of mechanisms, methods and principles of regulating impact of the state on the functional representation system. The communication block can be studied by means of monitoring the information flows along the “society – power-society” trajectory. Analyzing the mediation direction of interest alignment policy, the author considers the ombudsmen institution, mediation committees and various forms of volitional interference of the state in the process of social, economic and political conflicts settlement. Finally, to study the integration block, the author suggests carrying out political analysis of the mechanisms of direct and indirect participation of interest groups in the mutually agreed process of political decision-making. 

Keywords: conflict of interests, social partnership, lobbyism, interest alignment policy, political decisions, political communication, state policy, interest alignment, structure-functional approach, social resources

Abstract: The author studies the modern peculiarities of political elite, conditioned by the global policy circumstances and the national political process. This scientific interest is caused by, firstly, the strengthened contradictions between the fundamental provisions of conventional study of elites and the current political practice, in which the new specific features of “elite” and “political class” emerge, and secondly, the nature of the so-called “transition” or “hybrid” regimes, in which elite configurations significantly differ from theoretical patterns, which hasn’t been understood sufficiently enough. The research methodology is based on the works of G. Mosca, V. Pareto, R. Michels, J. Ortega y Gasset, E. Schattschneider, C. W. Mills and the key modern thinkers as R. Putnam, T. Dye and others. The author detects the features, characterizing the specificity of the modern political establishment of Russia; special attention is paid to the recruiting mechanisms and instruments, supporting the sustainable reproduction of elite. The author considers the influence of the topical trends of information and media space on the nature of relations of power and the formation of elite community, both in the national and international dimension. 

Keywords: agenda, executive authority, society, power, media, globalization, political process, elite, communication, Russia

Abstract: The paper studies the two basic ideologemes of the modern political rhetoric of the People’s Republic of China: “the Chinese dream” and “harmonious culture”. Based on the wide range of materials, including the works of the modern Chinese political scientists of 2014 – 2015 and the works of the modern Russian and Western scholars, the authors reveal the content of “the Chinese dream” and “harmonious culture”. After the 18th Congress of the Communist Party of China, the realization of “the Chinese dream” has become the main purpose of domestic and foreign policy of the state. The main research method is the critical and analytical review of the most important expert opinions, including those of the General Secretary of the Communist Party of China Xi Jinping, Chinese political scientists, Western specialists in the contemporary policy of China and Russian scholars analyzing the concepts of the “Chinese Dream” and “harmonious culture”. Besides, the authors apply the method of conceptual analysis to the ideologemes the “Chinese dream” and “harmonious culture”. The authors fix the concrete content of these ideologemes. Harmony is the main national worth according to the party and government documents of the modern China. The authors agree with the conclusions of those scholars who claim that the political rhetoric of contemporary China tends to traditionalism and nationalism, though the real economic situation and global transformations are connected with cosmopolitism and the newest foreign cultural practices and technologies. Chinese leaders attempt at solving this contradiction via an active use of the concepts “harmony”, “harmonious society” and “harmonious culture”. The concrete content of the “harmony” concept is defined as rhetorical triunity of Marxism, traditionalism and the newest cultural technologies typical for the Western countries. 

Keywords: revitalization of the nation, soft power, Chinese socialism, harmonious culture, harmonious society, the Chinese Dream, 18th Congress of the Communist Party of China, Xi Jinping, Chinese ideology, China

Abstract: This article is devoted to the study of the US's role in the 2013 - 2014 Ukrainian crisis, which had led to the overthrow of the legitimate President Viktor Yanukovych and the rise to power of the right-wing anti-Russian forces, supported by the US and the EU. The object of the study is the 2013 - 2014 political crisis in Ukraine. The subject of the research is the US's role in the 2013 - 2014 political crisis in Ukraine. The purpose of this study is to identify and define the role of the United States (the "external factor") in the emergence and escalation of the political crisis in Ukraine which became fatal for the regime of Viktor Yanukovych. The author draws attention to the fact that the legitimate regime of Yanukovych was overthrown using the technologies of color revolutions designed by the Western states, primarily by the US. The research methodology is based on the system, structural-functional, comparative-political approaches, the methods of analysis, synthesis, induction, deduction and observation. In late November 2013, mass protest actions were taking place in Kyiv, known as Euromaidan, which had been provoked by the decision of the Ukrainian leadership (the then Ukrainian President V. Yanukovych) not to sign the Association Agreement with the EU. The Euromaidan eventually led to the overthrow of the legitimate regime and the establishment of the pro-Western government, loyal to the US. The coup and the preceding events in Ukraine led to severe consequences for the country: it actually split, as the Euromaidan hadn’t been supported by all the citizens; the mass disturbances broke out in the south-eastern parts of the country which led to the loss of the part of the territory by Ukraine (Crimea was attached to the Russian Federation); the confrontation between the Kyiv government and the south-eastern regions led to the civil war which resulted in the dozens of thousands of victims and more than a million refugees. 

Keywords: diplomacy, international relations, U.S. foreign policy, world politics, Russia, political system, interests, state, security, USA

Abstract: The characteristic feature of the process of humanity leaving the stage of civilization and information society and entering the noosphere stage is the development of scientific, technical, social, ethical, moral, and cultural potential. Currently the vastness of human mind becomes more and more manifest, and it forms a special attitude towards people and their environment in the search for the reasonable solution of the current nature management problems, harmonization of the relations with the natural environment, achievement of the sustainable development of the humanity in the future, resolution of the global contradictions and international conflicts based upon the reasonable (noo-vita) approach. The noo-vitism as a modern movement in the noosphere teachings is a result of development of the ideas of V.I. Vernadskiy in their application to the modern community, which is rapidly globalizing and uniting knowledge and intellectual potential within the common geo-informational field, just as it was predicted by Vernadskiy. It may be stated that there is an active process of formation of the global noosphere, but there is a “but”. While uniting and consolidating knowledge and intellectual resources into the intellectual capital, which may be converted into material profit in any place in the world, the humanity forgets that the main basis and element for the formation of the noosphere environment is the mind, which makes people live and act reasonably, follow the reasonable lifestyle. This principle and this lifestyle give rise to a new concept, which is manifested in different spheres, starting with private life and ending with the global policy – the theory and methodology of noo-vitism.

Keywords: international relations, politics, Vernadskiy, noosphere, mind, diplomacy, noo-vitism, values, security.

Abstract: The article is devoted to the key evolutionary stages of the definition of “patriotism” as one of fundamental values of the human civilization in the global political history. The author pays attention to the specific features of patriotism development in the Ancient Greece and Rome, as an ideological basis for the formation and existence of statehoods, unlike the Middle Ages, when patriotism lost its value as recognition of priority of state interests. In the opinion of the author formation of the national self-conscience at the time of Renaissance and the Modern Times in many states make the issue of raising patriotic citizens topical once again. There is a clear connection between the patriotism and the ideological bases for the support of state interests and security. In the opinion of the author the states, which defy patriotism or allow it to devalue, for example by substituting it with the provocative terms “nationalism”, “chauvinism”, etc. are doomed to degrade and be forgotten.

Keywords: international relations, foreign policy, Russia, patriotism, education, values, ideology, nationalism, conflict, cooperation.

Abstract: This article is devoted to the definition of public diplomacy and the main approaches to its definition. Much attention is paid to public diplomacy as an element of “soft power” in a modern state. The authors analyze the possibility for the influence of Universities on the international relations and global policy with the use of such instruments as discourse and elite formation, scientific and information campaigns. The authors provide a detailed study of political aspects in the positioning of higher educational institutions in the international ratings as a factor for greater prestige of state and support of its positive image. The authors evaluate the role of Universities in formation of social-economic and foreign political strategies of the states. The authors come to a conclusion that more and more active participation of the Universities in the public diplomatic activities and their greater influence upon the global political processes fall within the trend of power transformation in the modern global politics, making information and intellectual instruments (so-called “smart power”) more topical.

Keywords: international relations, foreign policy, the USA, soft force, smart power, public diplomacy, University, interests, values, security.

Abstract: Information guarantees of foreign policy provide the state with the factual data on target audience (domestic and foreign) in order to gain, protect and manage information via the communication channels. Informatization of Brazil in early XXI century facilitated the use of foreign political communication management, social diplomacy, inter-cultural communications for the development of foreign political relations with the EU states. Formation of the information-efficient government and embassy websites of Brazil, which were aimed at the foreign audiences in the EU, facilitated the bilateral contacts between two regions, including economic, political, scientific and cultural projects. By improving the quality of government and embassy websites and information agencies for the foreign audiences, Brazil has managed to improve the general level of social diplomacy by network communication with the European audience.

Keywords: information guarantees, Brazil, the EU, strategic partnership, bilateral relations, image-making, information agencies, embassy websites, inter-cultural communications, blogs.

Abstract: This article includes an evaluation of the national identity factor in the global policy and international relations. It is noted that national identity facilitates definition of the development vector of a nation in a political space, and the identification differences are able to cause intensive and socially dangerous international conflicts. The co-related development of national self-conscience and the formation of the culture of the particular people is formed within the system of relations with other peoples. At the first stages of the social evolution the relations between the peoples form one of the important factors for the formation and development of national identity and culture. It is through the contact and relations between literally peoples (as groups of humans) that the process of formation of a human being starts.

Keywords: political science, national security, international relations, politics, conflict, identity, nationalism, state, global economy.

Abstract: The article includes analysis of the dependency of the US foreign policy in Afghanistan upon two key factors: national interests and universal values. It is shown that the conflict of interests and values in the US policy in Afghanistan has caused its insufficient stability, balance and lack of adequate response to new threats and challenges. For a long period of time the foreign policy of the USA towards other states was formed based upon two dominating ideological concepts: political realism and political liberalism. Both of those concepts supported and developed the idea of global historical mission of the USA, which was meant to become the resource management center for the entire democratic world. However, they differ considerably in the choice of the political trajectory of the USA towards this goal, as well as in the choice of specific, means, methods and instruments, which are necessary for its achievement.

Keywords: international law, international relations, foreign policy, Afghanistan, Taliban, Pakistan, conflict, values, interests, the USA.

Abstract: The object of this study includes problems of national identity formation in the USA and in Russia. The specific object includes genesis, formation and functioning of the nation in the USA and in Russia. The goal of this study is to analyze the specific features and patterns for the formation of the national identity. According to the goal of this study, one may single out the following specific goals: to view the formation of nation, to uncover the causes and factors, which facilitate its formation; to show specific features of nation-building in the USA and in Russia; to analyze the general patterns, problems and tendencies in the nation-building development in the USA and in Russia.

Keywords: political science, identity, ethnic group, ethnos, nationalism, immigration, state, the Russian Federation, the USA, agenda, genesis.

Abstract: The problem of correlation of “values and interests” in the foreign policy is viewed in this article through the prism of the US policy in the Central Asia in 1991 – 2008. It is shown why the American administration failed to resolve it within the framework of the doctrine of “aggressive realism”. It is stressed out that the support of fast democratization of the region without due consideration of its specifi c features did not allow the Washington to fully implement its strategic goals in the Central Asia, including those in the sphere of security and confi guration of the regional sub-system of international relations.

Keywords: the USA, the Central Asian region, Russia, dilemma of “values and interests”, “aggressive realism”, democratization and security, Greater Central Asia.