Vol 23, No 3 (2023)

The article deals with three research problems that the authors consider to be the key ones for modern sociology. This is due to the fact that the modern new world has given rise to new relationships between people and new techniques used by them – put forward new scientifi c problems for sociology. Once the classics of sociology of the 19th century showed the most important guidelines for the social sciences, which can be expressed by the idea - not only to study, but also to change, and before changing to understand. But these three – research problems, of course, are not the limit for sociology. First of all, and this is the fi rst thing, the authors draw attention to the fact that the modern world, understood as a social system, needs a theoretical explanation based on modern facts and realities of the present time. And the modern sociological picture of the world is in need of revision and rethinking, relying on previous sociological theories. The another direction, or the second sphere of sociological problems, is the development of applied theoretical foundations, or “middle level theories” for empirical research methods. This is especially necessary for empirical research in modern institutions and enterprises aimed at improving the organization of intellectual work. And the third important direction is that is the empirical methods themselves need to be improved in connection with the changed conditions for collecting and processing information. This is due to the fact that Internet surveys have practically replaced personal surveys, new forms of observation are emerging, and digital methods of document analysis have appeared. In this regard, new requirements arise for the formation of a representative sample and the methods for creating valid instruments.

Based on many years of sociological research, the article analyzes the sociodynamics of the state of a number of characteristics of rural communities world: consciousness, behavior, values, and objective prerequisites for changes. The world of rural communities consists of refl ection and action in public and private life, based on the historical experience. The sociodynamics of socio-cultural processes is revealed in the context of the infl uence of economic practices that combine borrowed innovations and traditions of peasant culture. The organization of agricultural production, at the fi rst stage based on Western models, turned out to be largely untenable, since business entities approached it from the standpoint of traditionally peasant and post-Soviet culture. Confi dence in one’s own culture will remain a domain of rural residents in the future. The world of rural society in Russia is permeated with the meanings of interaction and cohesion, logically connected with the ethos of life “in the world”, which are genetically inherent in the peasantry, and survived in the post-reform period on the basis of the socio-economic activity of the most creative part of the inhabitants, and so far poorly manifested in the formalized socio-economic space of the agro-industrial complex.

The specifi c problems of the development of the educational potential of Russians related to the sharp aggravation of the military confrontation in the world, the intensifi cation of hostilities in the Ukraine, the implementation of partial mobilization, as well as the mobilization of educational training of part of the economically active population of Russia are clarifi ed. Theoretical developments devoted to the study of educational potential are analyzed, and these concepts are conditionally ranked into interdisciplinary, general sociological and military-sociological ones. The integration of diff erent views made it possible to substantiate the need to clarify the trend in the development of the educational potential of the population as a set of knowledge, skills, abilities, culture and practical experience of individuals in the areas of both general and partially military-professional action. The hypothesis is put forward according to which the modernization of the educational potential of the population under the conditions of partial military mobilization in Russia involves: updating its content (introduction of additional military educational components); saturation of scientifi c and spiritual quality (accumulation of the innovative component of the abilities of its carriers); allocation of adaptive potential as an independent component of self-development (accumulation of the adaptive component of the abilities of carriers of educational potential). The ways of modernization of the educational potential of Russians are presented. The fi rst one is the transition to a comprehensive and continuous formation of educational potential. At all levels of general, professional, and additional education, there should be a dual target orientation: general and special civil; general military. The second one is the formation of a proactive (proactive) type of formation of educational potential. In the education system it is important: to transform the nature of scientifi c and investment fl ows; to activate the channels of socio-cultural mobility; to reverse the saturation of civilian and military human capital of trainees and trainees. The third one is the allocation of adaptive potential as a separate component of educational potential. It is proved that under the new conditions, the realization of educational potential depends on the ability of individuals to quickly assess changes in the external social environment, adapt, form new models of infl uence in the process of work, service, military infl uence on the enemy. Adaptive educational potential is proposed to be considered as a characteristic of an individual's educational abilities to adapt their own activities in both peacetime and wartime.

The article touches upon the most urgent problem of information manipulation with the aim of infl uencing society. In most sources manipulation is interpreted as the use of certain techniques and technologies, under the influence of which the behavior of people changes in the direction necessary for the manipulator. It is noted that the most favorable conditions for the implementation of manipulation technologies are formed in the information society, in which information, knowledge and information technologies play a special role. The analysis of existing theories allows us to consider the information society as a special type of society at the post-industrial stage of development, the production of which is based on information. Various algorithms for presenting information are used, from the elementary dissemination of information that cannot be verifi ed to its purposeful combination, taking into account the peculiarities of perception by diff erent audiences, including the specifi cs of the preferable communication channels. At diff erent stages society development manipulation has its own characteristics. In today's information society, the biggest threat is the media. The media today is a real force in society, which, with the help of information messages, forms certain social attitudes and infl uences the change in a person's beliefs. The process of manipulation includes the imposition of a certain social stereotypes, thanks to which an individual reproduces the necessary behavior patterns, perception and thinking changes. The results of a number of sociological studies reveal the features of impact technologies, among which the authors note the special role of the media in imposing stereotypes through the creation of socially signifi cant images, which also act as propaganda and agitation tools.

The article analyzes the economic and political consequences for Germany of the essentially total breakdown of Russia-Germany cooperation on energy. The author notes that the breakdown jeopardizes Germany’s entire contemporary economic model built around imports of cheap Russian energy resources and makes the country increasingly dependent on the US and other exporters of hydrocarbons to keep its economy afl oat. Special attention is given to political consequences of the crisis, including emerging geopolitical and domestic issues. The West consolidation to counter Russia and, further out in time China, is forcing Germany to sacrifi ce pragmatic defense of its national priorities in favor of the West’s ideological interests. Domestic consequences of the disrupted Russia-Germany energy cooperation include dissent growing within and among the political parties that make up the ruling coalition; deteriorating public approval of the federal government; increasing likelihood of dramatic changes in Germany’s Party system; and intensifying protests instigated by right-wing extremists in the East Germany States.

The article presents an approach to the analysis of modern dystopia as a space for the representation and construction of political ideology. The modern dystopia is understood in the work as a direction of creative thought, which is a cultural example of understanding the ideological and value foundations of modernity, the historical consciousness of society and citizens, as well as possible scenarios for further development and goal setting in the future. Attention is focused on the fact that modern dystopia has a number of its own features and distinctive features, and can also be implemented in the form of “dystopia” or “heterotopia”. In this study, a classifi cation of dystopian writers is formed according to generational characteristics (“late Soviet” – “perestroika” writers of the 2000s and 2010s), as well as according to ideological affi liation (“left Slavophiles” and “right Westerners”). It is also proposed to study the works of writers and their continuation in the form of fi lm adaptation and socio-political discourse using three levels of analysis: the macro level (enclave-conglomerative theory by A. D. Bogaturov and A. V. Vinogradov, game theory by J. Huizinga, postmodernism); mesolevel (critical discourse analysis, content analysis); micro level (semiotic analysis). As a result, three versions of a work of art are formed.: the author’s intention; interpretation of the reader; images, ideas and symbols of the work, which have become an element of mass culture, which have been formed as a result of averaging ideas, values and meanings, supported by the majority and become popular. Thus, with the help of the formed classifi cation of writers, understanding of modern dystopia and the presented scientifi c methods, it is proposed to analyze this phenomenon in the context of the formation and representation of political ideology.

The article provides a forecast of the risks associated with plans to continue reforms in Russian education. For many years and to these days one source of risk is the absence in the fundamental documents regulating the process of reforming domestic education, the exact formulations of those state interests for the benefit of which the reforms are being carried out. Another source of risk is the contradiction between the radical -liberal formulations, with the help of which their goal is brought to Russian society in normative documents and public speeches of the leaders of educational reforms, and the conservative “reversal” that is observed today in the rest of Russian domestic and foreign policy. The main risk itself lies in the fact that the unspoken state interest in reforming the educational sphere can become a defi ning characteristic of the state strategy at the new, so far only planned stage of educational reforms.

The author focuses on the strategy of the US ruling elites in the Indo-Pacifi c region. Documents of American senior offi cials responsible for US foreign policy are used as sources. The concept of “Free and Open Indo-Pacifi c”, which refl ects the vision of Washington, is analyzed. The research hypothesis assumes that the US elite is pursuing a systematic policy of creating political and economic alliances with the countries of Southeast Asia to ensure world hegemony in the 21st century. China is their main competitor. The US is trying to create a chain of politically unfriendly states with the democratic values around PRC’s borders. Such a bloc policy makes it possible to obtain reliable allies who are ready to make any sacrifi ce to achieve the interests of their patrons

This article reviews Z. Lautsch’s monograph “The Foundations of NATO Operational Thinking. A Retrospective Analysis of Operational Thinking in the 80s and Assessment of Development Prospects”. A brief introduction to the author is given. His approaches to the basic concepts defi ning operational thinking as a complex phenomenon are reviewed. It is noted that the author uses the points of view of both Western and Soviet military science in his refl ections. The author analyses Z. Lautsch’s refl ections on Germany’s role in the multinational alliance structure during the last decade of the Cold War. The evolution of NATO operational thinking from air-to-ground combat doctrine in the 1980s to cognitive warfare in the sixth operational domain in the 21st century is examined. The concept of „petty warfare” in the views of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization and the role of operational command in its conduct are touched upon. Particular attention is paid to analyzing the relationships between the framework states of the North Atlantic Alliance and their role in the development of operational thinking at the present stage. In particular, the role of Germany as a logistics centre for the entire alliance in Europe is emphasised. The importance of rearming the Bundeswehr and enhancing its credibility in the eyes of the population and at European level is noted. It underscores the need to forge links between the military doctrines of all alliance members and to adopt uniform standards for combat and operational training. This direction of development is of primary importance for the USA, France, the UK, Germany and Italy. The author notes that the Western and Eastern models of operational thinking had conceptual similarities in content and scope