The article contains the materials of a scientific discussion held in April 2022 by the National Communications Development Research Institution. The authors discuss the following issues: the concept of a “split people”; the right to reunification in the context of equality and the right of peoples to self-determination; historical precedents of the reunification of peoples; legal, social, economic, political and other grounds and mechanisms of reunification; the right to reunification and the problem of territorial integrity of the state; the role of external actors in unification processes; the conflict of national and state identities.

   The article deals with the issues of bilateral relations between the Republic of Kazakhstan and the Russian Federation in the border area in the sphere of transport and logistics. The analysis is based on the idea that the study of the situation in the sphere of transport and logistics can be associated with the consideration of the barrier and communicative function of the border. The authors drew attention to how transparency issues affect the economic aspects of interaction. Based on the dynamics of trade turnover, the peculiarities of cargo traffic, conclusions are drawn about the dynamics of the development of relations for nearest future. As a result, key indicators and the main directions of Kazakh-Russian cross-border cooperation in the sphere of railways were identified. Based on the study of the specifics of transport flows, the dynamics of economic interaction between the border regions of the Russian Federation and Kazakhstan is shown. The main problems that economic entities of the border regions of the two countries regularly face due to logistical problems were formulated. Conclusions are also drawn about how the consistent solution of these problems will contribute to the expansion and deepening of relationships not only in the border area, but also at the country-wide level.

   The article presents the materials of a scientific discussion related to the topic of post-conflict settlement in the Arab world, organized by the National Communications Development Research Institution together with the Institute of Oriental Studies of the Russian Academy of Sciences. The authors analyze theoretical models and specific cases of settlement in the regions of the Middle East, North Africa, the Arab world and related challenges. The humanitarian aspect of post-conflict political settlement and economic reconstruction, which has been associated with a number of challenges in recent years, is considered.

   In this analytical article, the authors study the public discussion of constitutional reforms in Uzbekistan. The reasons and necessity of amendments to the legislation are analyzed. The motives underlying the support of the President’s ideas by the political parties of the country, including such parties as, among them, the Liberal Democratic, People’s Democratic, as well as the Milli Tiklanish and Adolat parties, are investigated. Particular attention is paid to the open and pragmatic work of the constitutional commission established in the Parliament of the Republic of Uzbekistan. The authors explore the substance and the content of the information and psychological influence, including calls for separatist actions from the outside, spread among the population of Karakalpakstan. The causes, conditions and behavior of some youth representatives participating in illegal meetings are analyzed. Observing the information flows in social networks and the Internet, the authors compiled an analytical chronology of the events that took place in Nukus from June 26 till July 3.

   Analyzing of communication modes is a new direction not only in Russian, but also in foreign studies. As a result, methodology is just being formed. The article is devoted to the description of the author’s methodology, which allows to identify the types of management and the degree of controllability of communication modes in different countries. The author relies on a systematic, cybernetic approach, on the theory of complex systems, uses the matrix method and the method of comparative analysis. Manageability is defined as a measure of control by the the management center (management entities that make decisions about rules and communication institutions), taking into account the voluntary consent of the objects of management with the level of their autonomy and subordination. The basis of the author’s methodology are three significant parameters: 1) location (inside or outside the country); 2) level of conventionality of the communication regime management centre; 3) assessment of the indicators of manageability. The main criteria of manageability are: the ability of communication mode control centres to transfer it from one state to another without conflict; the ability to achieve the controlled parameters of communication mode; the ability to use the mechanisms of self-organization and self-reflection of control objects to regulate communication modes.

   The article is devoted to the issues of the influence of external actors on country communication modes and their dependence as the result. This influence is a consequence of the unsettled global communication, which allows hegemons to influence states and country communication modes in the field of information and communication exchange. The communication regime of Ukraine, which was not previously the subject of scientific research, and its formation under the influence of external actors are of particular importance in the context of the current geopolitical situation. Based on the designed system criteria of dependence of the communication mode, which include the commonality of the past and its influence on the modern structure of communication, the language of communication (actual and official), the presence of preferences / restrictions on the activities of communication channels, the participation of foreign actors in rulemaking, the development of strategies in the field of information and communication exchange, dependence on external decision-making centers, communication coverage (territory control, broadcast to the whole territory), investments and financing of the communication sphere, ownership of communication media, the author analyzes the impact of the United States on the communication regime of Ukraine. The influence revealed as a result testifies not only to the dependence of the communication regime, but also in the context of the current conjuncture of international relations allows us to judge the fragmentation of the communication regime of Ukraine under the influence of external actors, which in the future will not contribute to the formation of a single stable information and communication space in Ukraine.

   The article discusses the main components of the military-political strategy of Russia in the «short» 20th century – from 1900 to 1991. Special attention is paid to how the foreign policy and the use of Armed Forces were planned. Reconstructing the intellectual ideas that created the framework of the foreign and military policy of the Russian state at that time, the author focuses on the elements that unite the leaders of Russia of the 20th century from Nikolai Romanov to Mikhail Gorbachev. Such issues as the «globalization» of the USSR in world affairs, relations with neighboring Asian centers of power, such as China and Iran, the sphere of «special state interests» of the USSR in Eastern Europe are discussed in the work. The evolution of Russian military strategy in the 20th century is studied: from betting on victory in the World War in the first half of the century to focusing on the actions of expeditionary groups during the Cold War. The article analyzes in detail the strategic deterrence measures carried out by the Armed Forces of the USSR in the 1950-1970. The issue of the resources of military-political strategy is considered separately.

   The article contains a number of arguments defending the idea that Russian civilization is independent and separate and explains the conclusion that the current confrontation between Western and Russian civilizations is essentially a civilizational conflict.

   The article is devoted to the problem of the emergence and disclosure of the potential of modern industrial society as the implementation of the European «Enlightenment project» in the XVIII-XX centuries. The main principles and stages of the formation of an integral ideological and political system, which served as the ideological basis for the emergence of a model of modern industrial society in Western European countries, and in the future - the spread of this model around the world as a normative one, are shown. At the same time, by the end of the 20th century, the universality of the “Enlightenment project" gradually raised doubts in non-Western societies that did not experience the fundamental upheavals of the Reformation and bourgeois revolutions, but remained faithful to the original foundations of their civilizations. In turn, in the Western «core» of modern society, the potential of the «Enlightenment project» was completed, during which its ideals came into conflict with its principles. In the 21st century, the development of a new project that meets the conditions of the technological revolution and the features of a multipolar world system becomes an urgent task.

   The article deals with the problems of state policy in the field of railway transport. Are analyzed two approaches to the state policy in the field of railway transport, the forms of ownership in the situation of sanctions on railway transport and competitors close to it – first of all, this is the aviation transport. The question is about the effectiveness of public policy to achieve the stability and sustainability of transport. The article analyzes the goals, implementation, and effectiveness of the state policy in the field of railway transport from the end of 2019 to the beginning of 2022 under the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic and sanctions. The question of the role of ideology in the formation of the concept of public policy and the ways of its implementation is raised. The role of the driver, conductor and police for security on the territory of transport, including in the conditions of a pandemic, is being studied. A comparative analysis of the goals of state programs is carried out.

   The article reveals the peculiarities of national legislation in the sphere of migration in Russia, Germany and Switzerland. These countries are very attractive for migrants within their regions, so the topic of improving legislation is relevant for all of them. A comparative analysis of a number of norms has been carried out, the results of which demonstrate the most effective methods and approaches of working with migrants: protection of their rights, adaptation measures, modes of stay of citizens on the territory of the country. Based on the data obtained, recommendations for changing the national migration policy are proposed.

   The article deals with the problem of the socio-political activity of young people in modern Russia and its civic position. Regional experience is analyzed on how to politically activate the youth. On the example of the Belgorod region, the forms of the growth of the socio-political activity of young people, including youth representation and youth public associations, are considered. Much attention is paid to the professional education of political science students as the most socially and politically active part of the student body, to the areas of prevention of destructive political behaviour. Problems are identified that impede the socio-political activation of young people, primarily students who are not political scientists, students of colleges, lyceums, colleges and schools. Among the problems are an insufficient level of knowledge about political life, a low level of awareness of ongoing political events, and an unformed civic position. Promising, in the author’s opinion, forms of growth of social and political activity of young people with interest and leadership qualities are proposed - participation in the activities of youth parliaments, youth governments, youth election commissions, specialized political science clubs. There is a need for mass political education and prevention of destructive political activity among the youth.