Conflits ravivés, statu quo gelé : Relations russo-géorgiennes après la guerre

Les tensions accumulées dans les relations russo-géorgiennes ont abouti au déclenchement d’une guerre en août 2008, qui réduit les possibilités de Tbilissi de rétablir l’intégrité territoriale du pays. Les causes principales de la confrontation se situent en dehors du cadre strictement bilatéral, reposant plutôt sur le fait que la Transcaucasie est devenue une arène de compétition aussi ardue que dangereuse entre la Russie et les États-Unis. L’Abkhazie et l’Ossétie du Sud sont devenues des éléments de la stratégie de balancing que le Kremlin a adoptée depuis peu pour contrer la pression américaine. En offrant son appui aux séparatistes, Moscou préserve le statu quo sur le terrain, ce qui sert ses intérêts instrumentaux en ne laissant d’autre chance de règlement des conflits que la séparation.Tensions accumulated in Russian-Georgian relationship ended up with an armed conflict in August 2008. This armed confrontation seems to minimize Tbilisi’s possibilities to restitute Georgian territorial integrity. Numerous arguments exist that main causes of the conflict overcome Russian-Georgian bilateral relations, and the main reason of the confrontation is that Georgia has become an arena of competition between Russia and the United States. Abkhazia and South Ossetia are merely elements in the strategy of balancing that Kremlin has adopted to address American pressure in the region. By offering a definitive support to separatist republics, Moscow is preserving the status quo and securing Russian instrumental interests

Confucianism as the Axiological Basis for China’s Management Model

Received 11 March 2018. Accepted 28 March 2018. Published online 3 April 2018.The study of China’s management model is not only important in terms of its essential description but also in the context of the search for optimal management models. Reflection on Chinese management practice is informed by its uniqueness, which reflects national identity, especially as manifested in traditional texts from Confucius, Lao Tzu, Sun Tzu until Mao Zedong. The relevance of this study is also connected with the interest of Chinese people themselves in pragmatising the intellectual tradition in their search for axiological bases of rapid contemporary social and economic change. One of the most important ideological doctrines of the Asian society underlying the practice of governance is Confucianism. The article analyses its main theses and their transformation during the centuries-old history of China. The phenomenon of Neo-Confucianism is separately understood as a source of spiritual traditions, socio-political attitudes and psychological stereotypes of the Chinese people. The purpose of the article is to describe the system of value categories of Confucianism and Neo-Confucianism that influence the folding and development of modern China’s management model

Film-study as a source of formation of creative cross-cultural skills in multicultural context

The authors propose to look at the cinema in the education process in terms of its potential use as a tool of formation of creative cross-cultural competence. Nowadays cinema is not just a synthetic art, it is deeply integrated into the basic structure of modern culture, and forms means capable of becoming an effective source of educational innovations. The article proposes the concept of film-study as a reference for the complex of methodical use of cinema in education. Analysis of different cases of inclusion of cinema in practical lessons allowed the authors to substantiate the connection of film-study method with the formation of students’ creative cross-cultural skills. As stated in the article, techniques of film-study method used by the authors contribute to the development of students’ cross-cultural competence relevant in a multicultural context of their professional and daily activities

The architecture of constructivism: The creative transformation of aesthetic codes and narratives

The architecture of constructivism (functionalism) has a kind of symbolic meaning associated with the modernist project. The authors conducted a study of the architectural avant-garde of Sverdlovsk, Russia which showed that the weak perception of the historical and cultural importance of constructivist buildings and complexes is associated not only with the lack of the people awareness and creativity, but also with the underestimation of their aesthetic value. Meanwhile, the study of space-planning solutions for specific architectural projects reveals really conceptual aesthetics of the buildings. In addition, the study of the social history of constructivist architectural complexes, conducted by the authors, helped us to identify and articulate their cultural and historical significance and to highlight in a creative way the visual perception of these architectural reference markers in the space of the city. The authors also rely on their own experience of the exhibition, publication and sightseeing activities. The analysis of this experience allows the authors to draw some conclusions about the practice of developing and shifting the visual perception of constructivist monuments by the people. The originality of the presented approach to the study of architecture is an appeal to the social history of architecture which helps to enhance its aesthetic value. Copyright © 2018 The Author(s). Published by VGTU Pr

«Birth of a Citizen»: Avant-garde Architecture and Transformation of Social Experience

The authors describe the transformation of the perception practices of the avantgarde architectural object in the urban space. In the article, the avant-garde object is represented not only as an architectural or artistic phenomenon, but also as a social phenomenon forming a city identity. The purpose of the article is to identify and describe the specific character of the transformation of the avant-garde architecture object symbolic content understood as an element of urban identity. The object of analysis in the article is the Scientific Research Institute (SRI) of Maternity and Infancy, which is viewed both as a monument of the constructivist architecture and as an institution whose functioning cannot be adequately understood without the regard to a unique architectural project designed specifically for it. The historical analysis shows that the SRI of Maternity and Infancy is transformed from an avant-garde object associated with the industrialization of public life, into a significant monument of the past, which is due to the internal logic of the development of a modern city. In addition to the analysis of scientific literature and secondary sources, the methodology of the study includes data collection through interviews with the staff of the Scientific Research Institute of Maternity and Infancy.   Keywords: avant-garde, constructivism, city, social history of architecture, architectural heritage, city identity, industrialization, the Scientific Research Institute of Maternity and Infanc

Regional differences in mainland China after the 1970s economic reform

Relevance. In recent years, China’s GDP has continued to grow, however, the regional gap in socio-economic development is still huge. It is, therefore, crucial to investigate the reasons behind regional disparities and the possible solutions to this problem.  Research objective. This paper aims to examine the patterns of regional differences in mainland China after the economic reform of the 1970s.Data and methods. The study relies on the methods of comparative analysis and the data from the National Bureau of Statistics of the People’s Republic of China and the Statistical Yearbook Sharing Platform as well as the information from the national media portal - Xinhua News Agency.  Results. The Chinese government’s application of differentiated measures, strategies and policies to different regions exacerbated the existing disparities. This paper elaborates on the future regional economic adjustments and plans and thus can be of interest to investors and business activists in China and other countries