EDITOR’S NOTE 

This article is devoted to the critique of the ‘democratic peace’ theory by various schools of IR theory, including Realism, Liberalism and Constructivism. 

Article retracted

The paper deals with the description of some components for cognitive- methodological construct considered in the context of state culture policy tools as factor of strengthening of cultural security in the system of national security of the modern Russia. The construct presents the possibilities to accumulate through state cultural policytools a powerful protecting potential of culture in Russia in social formation and strengthening of the state viability. 

In comparison with other countries, Russian citizens watch all the details of everything that happens outside the country, especially if it concerns economic partnerships and Russia’s participation in different organizations and associations. The official view of Russian cooperation with other countries in various formats is presented in nationwide media, though the public opinion is not usually accepted there. However, with the help of images, that are created in the political discourse, one can understand, what kind of support can the government expect, working in a certain direction, which is important, considering the aspiration to raise awareness and civil activity. 

The authors are inclined to regard the potential of quantitative analysis that can be used for studying asymmetric conflicts. 

In this article a brief analysis of the classical geopolitical theory of the confrontation of land and sea powers was described. Relations of center of the empire and its provinces was considered, economic and administrative trends have been simplistically divided into centripetal and centrifugal. There was also made a similar analysis for the aspirations of self-identification of people in both types of countries. 

On the basis of positivism and constructivism theories the article examines and analyzes the Spanish government’s point of view concerning the disagreement over the possession of Gibraltar, Ceuta and Melilla. The author has considered principal arguments of Spain in these territorial disputes that appear in the mass media, analytical articles and statements of different politicians concerned. The results of the research reveal the exact antithesis of the cases “Gibraltar” and “Ceuta and Melilla” in the context of positivism and constructivism theories. 

The article presents analysis of the self-perception of the citizens of Yakutsk and certain elements of their identity. 

The author questions the objectivity of geographic maps arguing that they are social constructions. The peculiarities of cartographic materials and their influence on the political process fall under the scope of the article. The author looks at the ways politicians use maps for personal and professional gain and presents, as a result, the features of the geographic maps capable of forming socially significant narratives and the classification of the ends and means of the politicized construction and popularization of maps performed by politicians. 

In the period before 1990s two concepts were used to describe the Scottish political development: “Nation without nationalism” and “The stateless nation”. After the devolution of 1998 and electoral achievements of SNP neither of these constructions can properly characterize the processes, undergoing in Scotland. The forming of new alignment of political powers in Scotland is not yet finished, but so far its development leads to the emergence of political configuration separated from that of All-British, with regard to extreme weakening of “big” parties in Scotland. 

Recent negotiations earlier this year in Switzerland brought hope to the generation of Iranians whose life have been altered by the damaging influence of international sanctions on the country’s economy. Recent high-level negotiations in Vienna have a tangible promise of final relief for ordinary people. This nuclear deal has a high potential to influence on global energy markets, since Iran could be a major oil and natural gas supplier to the European Union and a number of Asian countries, since it holds fourth largest reserves of oil and largest reserves of natural gas. Decades of economic isolation from western technologies have had a detrimental effect on the industrial development and the economy needs major investments in order to bring Iranian gas and oil flowing in Eurasia. Iran has some idle capacity of oil waiting to pave its way to the customer once the sanctions are effectively lifted after the accord struck in Vienna on June, 14, and this certainly puts additional pressure on oil and gas prices. Moreover, Iran’s economic growth can restore its political influence in the Middle East which has already been source of contention in Israel and some Arabian countries. 

The article describes the methodological basis of the study of the spatial identity of the inhabitants of Moldova held a Сlub of Geopolitical Studies of MGIMO 

The article analyses the geographical identities of the citizens of Kishinev and specifically stresses their visualization – boards, leaflets, graphitty , mass-media and other printed and written materials. This method is used in the work of P.Shtompki ‘Visual sociology’ which presents a photo as a documentary evidence. 

The article focuses on the evolution of sub-national identity of Transnistria, the prerequisites for its formations and the features of its institutional and symbolic representation. 

Historically the gagauz developed a self-perception based on their difference from Moldova as well as the ‘Turkish world’. The article argues that this fact has determined their pro-Russian political orientation as the only possible way of maintaining their identity. 

The purpose of this article is to examine the model of Gagauz identity, to be precise, stages of its formation and its current characteristics. Furthermore, the author brings attention to the Gagauz problem in the context of geopolitical discourse of the Moldovan state. 

Ethnopolitical processes in Moldova have provided for actualization of local ethnoses’ national identities. Ethnoses, which have formed own territorial community, have got a chance to become valid political actors on the nationwide level. Such status allows ethnoses to consider own future in context of geopolitical perspectives, produce own unique interpretations of space, where they are placed, or modify them depending on external conditions. This paper investigates Moldova’s Bulgarians’ spatial identity and ethnonational self-identification on the example Bulgarian territorial community, which is in a position of choice one of spatial interpretations. 

The article is focused on the process of state-building of modern Moldova and gives various scenarios of its geopolitical development . To say it simply, Moldova faces a dichotomy. From the one hand, there are unionists (or “romano-unionists”/ “romanists”) who claims for political union of Moldova and Romania. From the other hand, – “moldovenists” who support the idea of Moldavian independent way. 

The article describes the methodological basis of the study of the spatial identity of the fake capital cities held a Сlub of Geopolitical Studies at MGIMO 

The article is focused on the explanation of the term ‘capital’ in the framework of post-modernism and the development of the concept ‘capitalness’ on the example of Ladoga. The author analyses the elements of ‘capitalness’ of Ladoga and make conclusions about the potential future development of this concept in the mind of Ladoga’s citizens. 

This paper considers the way of investigation of stolicnost’ (capitalness) phenomenon on the ground of analysis of entity’s spatial position by forming schemes of spatial patterns (configurations) (by the S.V. Rogachyov’s method). This approach complements necessary, but insufficient way of stolicnost’ (capitalness) studying through identity concept. It implies using interpretation of space stage (in research design) which promotes more detail consideration of phenomenon. Also there were analyzed spatial patterns (configurations) of Staraya Ladoga, which were given appropriate assessment. 

The article concerns the functional development of the term ‘capitalness’ in the mind of the citizens of Old Ladoga. The author pays a particular attention on the modern way of ‘capitalness’ developing due to an official discourse. 

Capital represents the most typical institutional body that determines the functions of a political center separating it from a “periphery” a historical memory of the previous “capitalness” has an impact on people’s identity even when a state has disappeared or is invented. 

The article concerns functional elements of “capital” at the example of the Russian provincial town – Kasimov and seeks to explain the influence of the muth about “capitalness” on the construction of a nation. 

The article concerns comparative analysis of the spread of the term ‘capitalness’ in two small Russian towns. 

In this article the concept of capitalness as a component of spatial identity is observed on the example of small towns Kasimov and Myshkin. The author analyses, why the concept of capitalness has not got full development while in Myshkin it has been able to gain a foothold in the minds of its citizens. 

The term ‘capital’ is ambiguous. It means a certain geographical category, which has a sense in the context of various factors. A particular interest lays in the research of in small towns that have neither institutional structure nor any other prerequisites for naming themselves ‘capital’. However, their geographical image can be seen as the element of historic-cultural memory or as a touristic brand. 

The article describes the methodological basis of the study of the spatial identity of the inhabitants of Russia-China borderland held a Сlub of Geopolitical Studies of MGIMO 

In this article the phenomenon of Blagoveshchensk and Heihe – border ‘twin cities’ – is in the spotlight of the researcher. The author observes, how these cities separated from each other by the Amur and the state border have been able to construct their own model of spatial identity taking into account Russian and Chinese national identities. 

The article regards the influence of Chinese city Heihe on the structurualisation of geographical identity in the Russian wide-open frontier city – Blagoveshensk. 

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