The political elite recruitment in the Baltic: the role of the ethnic factor

The role of the ethnic factor in political processes in Lithuania, Latvia, and Estonia has been rather significant since these countries' independence. The author investigates the assumption that after the completion of major Eurointegration procedures, the ethnic factor -which became especially important in the Baltics after independence- relegated to the periphery of political life. After a period of 'independence-induced euphoria’ faded, Lithuanian, Latvian, and Estonian power groups had to tackle the problem of civil society formation and the development of a political regime based on democratic procedures. In these countries the processes of elite recruitment were largely affected by the factor of ethic homogeneity of the social structure. This article analyses the process of elite group formation in the Baltics through the lens of the ethnic factor. By applying the ethnopolitical approach, the author concludes that the de facto barriers to non-titular population groups entering power structures, which exist in Latvia and Estonia, "freeze" the system of elite recruitment. In the conditions of increasing social unrest, it may have an adverse effect on the overall political stability in these countries. The results obtained can be used for research, educational, and practical purposes. In the field of research and education, they can be employed in further research on the transformation of the elite structure in the Baltics in view of the ethnopolitical factor, including comparative analysis of the elite re-grouping processes, as well as in developing corresponding university courses. As to the practical aspect, the results obtained can be used by the authorities of the Russian Federation in making decisions regarding interaction with the representatives of Lithuanian, Latvian, and Estonian political elites

The formation of the political elite in Lithuania at the turn of the 1980s—1990s: the role of “moral politicians”

This article considers the trend of structural changes in the political elite of the Republic of Lithuania in the post-Soviet period through analyzing the role of the so-called “moral politicians” — intellectuals, artists, and cultural figures, who played a decisive role in the period of the communist system disintegration and further development of the country's policy. The role of the political elite, which is understood according to R. Putnam and J. Higley's definition, is considered in the conditions of political instability and uncertainty typical of transformation processes. In this context, the role of key actors is interpreted on the basis of the methodological structure of the so-called Stanford model developed by G. Almond and P. Bourdieu's theory of capital. This article reconstructs the course of political changes in the Republic of Lithuania at the initial stage of its independence, in the framework of which the key role was played by «moral politicians», most of whom subsequently retired from politics. Focusing on the situation in Lithuania, this research sets out to show the continuous dependence of today's policies of the Baltic States on the key choices made by the authorities at the turn of 1980s—1990s. Today, Russian political science lacks concrete regional studies into the issues of changes of elites in the context of research on the processes of postcommunist transformations. This work addresses the scientific interpretation of the content of mechanisms of «new» political elite development in postcommunist societies under the influence of endogenous and exogenous factors in the course of transformation. The stabilisation of elite formation processes in Lithuania, the assessment of patterns and trends, the identification of power centres and the character of intra-elite interaction, and a profound understanding of the functioning of Lithuanian political system in general will allow Russia to formulate a more efficient policy towards the Baltic States, which would promptly respond to emerging challenges

Mathematical and physical modeling of heat transfer through window with heat-reflecting screens to determine the potential of reducing thermal costs for microclimate parameters maintaining

A mathematical model describing the process of heat transfer through windows with heat-reflecting screens, taking into account physical and geometrical parameters of the building construction, was developed. The computer program for the calculation of heat transfer through the window has been developed and results of numerical heat transfer simulation for different parameters of indoor and outdoor air are given. Expressions to determine the thermal resistance for the specific types of glazing with a heat-reflecting screens installed outside were derived on the basis of the developed method. The adequacy of the suggested mathematical model was confirmed by experimental data

Electron Spin Dynamics in Semiconductors without Inversion Symmetry

We present a microscopic analysis of electron spin dynamics in the presence of an external magnetic field for non-centrosymmetric semiconductors in which the D'yakonov-Perel' spin-orbit interaction is the dominant spin relaxation mechanism. We implement a fully microscopic two-step calculation, in which the relaxation of orbital motion due to electron-bath coupling is the first step and spin relaxation due to spin-orbit coupling is the second step. On this basis, we derive a set of Bloch equations for spin with the relaxation times T_1 and T_2 obtained microscopically. We show that in bulk semiconductors without magnetic field, T_1 = T_2, whereas for a quantum well with a magnetic field applied along the growth direction T_1 = T_2/2 for any magnetic field strength.Comment: to appear in Proceedings of Mesoscopic Superconductivity and Spintronics (MS+S2002

Морфология земли и власти в художественной системе А.С. Пушкина и Ф.М. Достоевского

This article is devoted to an analysis of the “land oath”, which was typical of the medieval mentality and was subsequently transformed in the poetical systems of A.S. Pushkin and F.M.Dostoevsky. This type of oath (“rota”) may be found in Russian annals and Greek chronographs, and is related to the idea of harmony or discordance between human beings and the universe.El artículo está dedicado al análisis del “juramento de tierra”, típico de la mentalidad medieval y que tiene su consiguiente transformación en el sistema poético de A. S. Pushkin y F. M. Dostoevsky. Dicho juramento (“rota”), conocido en los anales rusos y en cronógrafos griegos, está relacionado con la armonía y la discordancia entre el ser humano y el Universo

Семантика имен в романе Ф.М. Достоевского «Идиот»

This article analyses the chronotope and construction of the female character in Dostoevsky’s novel The Idiot. Thework reveals the mythological origins of the knightly theme of the novel in the light of the “Russian idea” defendedby the protagonist. The “new life” starts for him with the apprehension of the national character of the Russianwoman, which mimics the heroines of the Russian epic songs, the bylini. Hermeneutics of the semantics of thefemale names in the novel allows us to understand the nature of this “mimesis”, influenced by the epic tradition.The heroic female character, consolidated in Russian folklore, forms part of the national consciousness and stronglyinfluences the structure of the female character in cult Russian fiction. However, up to now insufficient attention hasbeen paid to its reception in Dostoevsky’s novel. This article shows that the images of women who star in the actionhave a mythological dimension rooted in the image of the “warrior women”, “polianitsi udalie” of the bylini, closelylinked to the domain of sacred knowledge, which helps them to succeed in all their endeavours. It is manifested inthe three Epanchin sisters, as well as in the image of Nastasia Filipovna, syncretized in this latter case by the victimmotif, another traditional female archetype hidden in the semantics of her spoken surname. The connection betweenthe epic-national principle in the nature of the Russian female soul and the archetype of the Beautiful Lady in theWestern chivalric tradition, gives the novel of Dostoevsky its universal character.В статье изучается генезис хронотопа и построения женских характеров в романе Ф.М. Достоевского“Идиот”. Работа раскрывает мифологические истоки рыцарской тематики в романе в свете «русской идеи»,носителем которой является главный герой, а также природу образов женских персонажей, сюжетно сним связанных. «Новая жизнь» для героя начинается с восприятия женского национального характера,выдержанного в традиции русских былин. Герменевтика семантики женских имен позволяет распознатьприсущее ему фольклорно-эпическое начало. Эпический женский характер в русском фольклоре выступаеткак составная часть русского национального сознания, существенно влияя на структуру женского характерав авторской художественной прозе, однако его традициям в романе Достоевского до сих пор еще не уделялосьдолжного внимания. В статье показано, что мифологоческие истоки образов героинь романа коренятсяв образе «женщины-воительницы», «поляницы удалой» из русских былин, тесно связаной с сакральнымзнанием, которое помогает ей добиться успеха. Влияние эпической традиции просматривается как в обликетрех сестер Епанчиных, так и в облике Настасьи Филипповны, в последнем случае осложненное мотивомжертвы, еще одного фольклорного женского архетипа, скрытого в семантике имени героини. Подключение кнациональной эпической традиции архетипа Прекрасной Дамы из западной рыцарской литературы придаетроману поистине универсальный смысл

Семантика образа “небесной девы” в романе Б.Л.Пастернака «Доктор Живаго»

The paper is devoted to the female archetypes that are immediately connected with the basic concepts of the Silver Age. The semantics of turning, which was historically significant for a boundary of the XIX-XX-th centuries and played a key role in the hero’s destiny, in Pasternak’s novel «Doctor Zhivago» reveals through a chain of various events and the system of images. These images have mythological character and finally go back to the archetype of White Lady. From this point of view the symbolism of the myth becomes an artistic way of expression of the central ideas in the novel.Статья посвящена женским архетипам, непосредственно связанным с основными концептами Серебряного века. Так, семантика поворота, исторически значимого для рубежа XIX-XX веков и играющего ключевую роль в судьбе героя, в романе Пастернака «Доктор Живаго» раскрывается через цепочку различных событий и систему образов, имеющих мифологический характер и в конечном итоге восходящих к архетипу Белой Дамы. С этой точки зрения, символика мифа становится художественным средством выражения центральной мысли произведения