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The author analyses the collection of scientific articles of the 14th International Scientific Conference “The Current Problems of Parliamentarism: History and Modernity (2020 Tauride Readings),” held in St Petersburg in December 2020. The review examines the problems and topics of the articles included in the collection as well as the issues tackled during the discussions and the round table. The analysis of various aspects of the activities of the State Duma of the early 20th century plays the lead role in most of the studies presented in the collection.

The paper deals with the problems of banknote production of the Imperial Russian State Papers Manufactory (hereinafter — Manufactory) during the First World War. The purpose of the work is to provide information about the project of cooperation between Manufactory and the Partnership of Typography «A. A. Levenson» that arose in wartime circumstances. The relevance of the work is seen from the fact that the issues not reflected in historiography. The study will provide more complete and clear picture of the Russian banknote production during the First World War; the solutions to the crisis of the industry and the role of prominent printer S. S. Ermolaev in this process. Unpublished sources from the Central State Historical Archive of St. Petersburg (hereinafter — CSHA St. P) served as the basis for preparing the work

The review analyzes the collected materials from the 13th International Scientific Conference “The Current Problems of Parliamentarism: History and Modernity” (Tauride Readings 2019). Most of the papers in the collection cover various aspects of the activities of the parliament of the Russian Empire. Some of the materials touch on the issues of the current situation in the people’s representation in the Russian Federation and the CIS countries as well as important aspects of the history of foreign parliamentarism. The review considers the key articles of the collection and notes the role of the published proceedings of the conference discussion platforms. It is concluded that the collection under review is of great relevance for studying history, theory, and practice of Russian and foreign parliamentarism.

The review analyzes the collected materials from the 12th International Scientific Conference “Current Problems of Parliamentarism: History and Modernity (Tauride Readings 2018).” Most of the collected scientific papers cover various aspects of the activities of the State Duma of the Russian Empire. The review considers the key articles of the collection and notes the significance of the published materials of the conference discussion platforms. It is concluded that the collection of articles under review is of great relevance for studying history, theory and practice of the Russian parliamentary system.

The paper analyzes monograph «The Money of the Revolution and the Civil War: 1917–1920», prepared by the head of the Department of Modern History of Russia at St. Petersburg State University, Doctor of History, Professor M. V. Khodyakov. The book is released in 2019 by the St. Petersburg State University Publishing House (St. Petersburg). It analyzed features of the author’s approach in covering financial history at a turning point in the functioning of Russian statehood during the Revolution and the Civil War. An attempt is made to analyze the most significant regularities of the interrelated development of the state-political and financialeconomic spheres. The scientific, methodological novelty of the monograph is noted, as well as certain aspects that are promising for further study of the problem covered in the reprinted work

This comprehensive study explores the realm of organic photovoltaics, a pivotal green energy technology, tracing its journey from early theoretical concepts to its current status as a promising avenue for sustainable energy production. The research meticulously examines the series of developmental milestones in the conversion of solar energy into electrical power, with a specialized focus on the evolution, technological advancements, and the inherent challenges faced by organic solar cells. Delving into the foundational aspects of organic photovoltaics, this paper reviews the initial discovery and subsequent enhancements in material science that have significantly influenced the efficiency and practicality of organic solar cells. It provides a detailed analysis of the various organic materials used over the years, including small molecules and polymers, discussing their light-absorbing capabilities, charge transport properties, and the innovative engineering behind the architectures of organic photovoltaic devices. A substantial portion of the study is dedicated to highlighting the unique advantages of organic photovoltaics, such as their lightweight nature, flexibility, and potential for low-cost production through roll-to-roll processes. These benefits are juxtaposed with the current limitations of organic photovoltaic technology, including comparatively lower efficiency and lifespan issues, to present a balanced perspective on the current state of organic photovoltaic development. Furthermore, the paper explores the environmental impact of organic solar cells, emphasizing their role in reducing carbon footprint and dependency on fossil fuels. It assesses the lifecycle analyses of organic photovoltaics, from manufacturing to disposal, to underscore their potential as an eco-friendly alternative to traditional photovoltaic technologies. In addressing the future prospects of organic photovoltaics, the research outlines the ongoing efforts in material innovation, device engineering, and scalability challenges. It discusses the role of interdisciplinary collaboration in overcoming the technical hurdles and enhancing the commercial viability of organic photovoltaics. The potential for integration of organic photovoltaics s into the urban landscape, wearable technology, and portable power sources is also explored, highlighting the versatile applications of organic solar cells in meeting the diverse energy needs of the modern world. In conclusion, this paper not only provides a thorough historical overview and current state analysis of organic photovoltaics but also forecasts the exciting advancements on the horizon. By identifying the critical factors for the success of organic photovoltaics and proposing strategic directions for future research, this study contributes valuable insights into the ongoing quest for renewable energy solutions. It calls for increased investment and research focus on organic photovoltaics as a key player in the global transition towards a sustainable and energy-efficient future.

This comprehensive review explores the multifaceted realm of Prussian Blue, a pigment with a rich history and varied applications tracing its origins, artistic applications, and chemical properties. Beginning with its origins as a laboratory creation, the paper traces its evolution into a revered pigment in the artistic world. The review explores the electronic transitions responsible for Prussian Blue's deep blue hue, shedding light on the intricate chemistry behind its vivid coloration. Additionally, the pivotal role of iron ions in determining the pigment's properties is examined in detail, highlighting the importance of precise composition in achieving desired color characteristics. Challenges in the reintegration of Prussian Blue into conservation and restoration projects are also explored, emphasizing the importance of careful preservation techniques to maintain the pigment's integrity and vibrancy. The review discusses the pigment's lightfastness and stability, addressing common issues such as fading and discoloration over time. A notable phenomenon of bronzing particularly associated with Chinese Blue has been characterized by the appearance of yellow or brown hues on the surface of the pigment, that has puzzled artists and conservators for centuries. The review delves into the underlying causes of bronzing, examining factors such as environmental conditions, pigment composition, and application techniques. The review explores the pigment's interactions with other blues and whites, offering insights into the spectrum of shades achievable through careful color mixing and layering techniques. The paper revisits the perennial debate surrounding the permanence of Prussian Blue. While some argue for its enduring stability and longevity, others point to instances of fading and discoloration observed in historical artworks. The manuscript navigates these conflicting perspectives, providing an understanding of Prussian Blue's permanence in different contexts. Prussian Blue stands as a testament to the symbiotic relationship between science and art, where its molecular structure and vibrant shades continue to inspire both chemists in laboratories and artists in studios. The Prussian Blue emerges as a captivating convergence of art and chemistry that has left an indelible mark on laboratory benches and artists' canvases. The unique interplay of ferric and ferrous ions, not only renders a deep blue color but also makes it sensitive to the variation of its environment. The interplay of its refractive index, bronzing tendencies, and tinting strength shapes its artistic applications, influencing the vibrant hues it contributes to diverse palettes. The permanence paradox surrounding Prussian Blue underscores the importance of precision in its preparation. As artists mix and blend, the pigment unveils its versatility, playing a pivotal role in color harmonies and shade variations. Beyond its role in art, Prussian Blue finds diverse applications in medicinal and industrial contexts. From its use as an antidote for heavy metal poisoning to its incorporation into high-performance materials such as batteries and sensors, Prussian Blue continues to demonstrate its versatility and utility in modern society. The review highlights these varied applications, showcasing Prussian Blue's enduring relevance and evolution beyond its historical roots.

Continuity of generations is a very serious issue for Harbin residents. Harbin residents have always tried to preserve the memory of their ancestors. Preserving the history of Russian emigration has a high relevance of the problem. The history of many Russian families is connected with Harbin, where there was the largest Russian diaspora. Nowadays this city is the administrative center of the Chinese province of Heilongjiang. We should not forget about the people who built the Chinese Eastern Railway, as well as about the Russian emigrants who lived in Harbin, but kept the image of Russia in their hearts and contributed enough to Russian culture and science. The purpose of this paper is to study the Russian emigrants life in Harbin and to restore contact with their descendants. The article uses historical and system analysis and bibliographic research method. The paper tells about the amazing life of Nikolai Nikolaevich Znamensky: his childhood in Harbin, his relatives, his move to the USSR, his admiration of nowadays China, and also focuses on the message of Nikolai Nikolaevich Znamensky to modern Harbin residents.

This paper studies the role the Organisation of African Unity played in the Chadian conflict (civil war and Libyan intervention) resolution process between 1979 and 1987. It focuses on the analysis of documents deriving from this organisation devoted to the matter in concern. Special attention is paid to the determining of the stages of OAU peacekeeping development and evolution in Chad, highlighting the differences among participant states in their approaches to conflict resolution and particular political forces involved in the conflict and partially reflecting the Cold War context. Emphasis is put on the matters of the extent to which the war in Chad was influenced by the global context of a standoff between the West and the Socialist blocs, the transformation of external actors’ policies towards Chad during the conflict, and the impact these changes had on the success of the peace-making efforts. The events in focus are the first case of a peacekeeping operation mandated and fielded largely by Africa’s key integration organisation as its track record significantly determined the further development of African peacekeeping efforts. Today this experience is crucial to the modern African Union and other relevant regional structures’ peacekeeping operations. The paper relies on a complex of general historic methods related to the introduction, analysis, and structuring of new information deriving from archival sources found in the collections of the Organisation of African Unity. The author also refers to publications by Russian and foreign scholars specialising in this field, simultaneously offering alterations to the narratives they previously introduced concerning the interpretation of the Chadian conflict events based on the source analysis conducted in this article.

This paper discusses some observations and conclusions made by Astolphe de Custine, a French traveler and writer, during the summer months he spent in Russia in 1839. He traveled a lot around Russia and visited not only the largest cities of the empire but also the provinces. There are quite a few works about de Custine and his book Russia in 1839 in Russian historiography. However, it is important to pay attention not only to his generalized judgments about Russia but also to the specific details that are included in his famous book. The book contains few sketches of Russian provincial life, but a lot of road impressions of Custine’s travels in the Russian provinces. The road tradition encompasses the conditions, circumstances and situations that accompanied the long-distance overland movement. This topic is located at the intersection of historical knowledge, anthropology, and ethnography. It is connected with the social dimension of daily life. The road tradition of Russia attracted close attention of foreign travelers, who voluntarily or involuntarily compared it with their native road circumstances and situations to which they were more accustomed. Custine noticed the peculiarities of traffic and carriages, road improvement, scenes on suburban highways, and much more. The material reviewed and commented on in this paper makes it possible to clarify Custine’s attitude to the road tradition of Russia. It would be wrong to assume that he did nothing more than criticized the Russian provincial road infrastructure. Some of his observations are quite accurate, which is confirmed by other historical sources, and therefore are of interest to us now. However, in the case of a parallel road between St Petersburg and Moscow, which allegedly existed for the convenience of the Russian tsar, he turned out to be mistaken. In that instance, Custine’s habit of moralizing, shining with his thoughts and formulations on various occasions, played a mean trick on him.

The perestroika-time public discussion about the “white spots” of history in the Kaliningrad region focused on the history of East Prussia, which had previously been under a tacit ban. This article analyzes publications about the pre-war past of the region in the popular youth newspaper “Kaliningradskiy komsomolets” from 1985-1991. It examines the process of changing the regional historical narrative and characterizes the transformation of the historical memory of Kaliningrad residents during the years of perestroika. The paper aims to trace how the “discovery” of East Prussian themes occurred, who promoted the new historical narrative and by what means, and the stages through which the process of “appropriation” of the cultural heritage inherited after the war by the inhabitants of the region went. The study utilized a qualitative-quantitative content analysis method of newspaper texts, conducted with the help of the MAX QDA 2020 program. The results were interpreted using the categories of “Our Own” and “the Other” from B. Wandelfels’ philosophical concept and P. Nora’s “place of memory” one. The paper concludes that by the early 1990s, Kaliningrad society had varied approaches to the “pre-Soviet” period ranging from denial of the significance of the “foreign” and “the Other” heritage to its full acceptance as “one’s own”. The analysis of the content of the publications, including the commemorative practices reflected in the newspaper, shows that the regional historical narrative changed during the years of perestroika. The course of “exorcising the Prussian spirit”, approved immediately after the war, although not completely eradicated, became a marginal phenomenon, while the study, preservation, and utilization of the experience and historical and cultural heritage of the predecessors became the dominant trend in which the press of the glasnost’ era played a significant role.

The paper presents a defense of the standard psychological theory of personal identity against Mark Walker’s criticism of it. Walker claims that the conceptual tools of standard psychological theory of personal identity are insufficient to solve the problematic cases of branching in the context of moral and legal responsibility questions, and argues in favor of an approach to these problems that involves the type/token distinction. In the current paper I argue against Walker that the approach he suggests is untenable, and that the conceptual tools of standard psychological theory are sufficient to provide an adequate analysis of the cases mentioned.

Based on documentary materials, this paper reviews the development of Northwestern Caucasus by the Cossacks in the 1860s. For the development of new territories, a defensive-offensive strategy was used. With the help of fortified settlement structures, the advancement and retention of Russian borders in the trans-Kuban areas were carried out. The “inducted” settlements are of particular interest because they were invariably tied to the cordon lines during the settlement period of the Trans-Kuban region. Among them, Cossack villages were the most stable settlement type. The focus of the scientific problem is the civil-settlement aspect and the military-organizational narrative of the Adagum cordon line. Historical settlements arose from a complex interweaving of politics and geography, power, and settlement modus vivendi, reflecting not only the Cossacks' way of life but also their identity. The purpose of this paper is to analyze and determine the significance of the Cossack settlement structures throughout the regional historical process to understand the process of development of the Trans-Kuban areas and the emerging network of fortification objects with key settlement structures in the form of fortified stanitsa settlements, as well as the penetration of Russian influence into a new area of the historical region of Kuban. This article is intended for historians and anyone interested in the history of the Cossacks.

This paper is aimed at presenting a preliminary comparative study of the Qur’anic translations produced by two autochthonous European Muslim communities: Spanish Mudéjars (Muslims who remained in the Iberian Pen- insula after the Christian reconquest) and Moriscos (former Muslims forced to convert to Christianity) and, on the other side of Europe, the Tatars of Grand Duchy of Lithuania (GDL). The framework for this comparison is provided by some basic facts: over the span of two centuries, in the case of the Morisco pop- ulation (starting with the conquest of Granada in 1492, until the expulsion of the Moriscos in 1609)1, and three centuries in that of the Tatars of the GDL (17th to 19th centuries), their literary production was exclusively hand-written. Both groups preserved their Muslim religiosity but, with some erudite exceptions, had only scarce knowledge of Arabic, the holy language of Qur’anic revelation. Moreover, without having access to one another’s culture, both Moriscos and the Tatars of the GDL adapted the Arabic alphabet to their vehicular languag- es, Romance and Slavic respectively2. Thanks to this adaptation strategy, they maintained the sacred aspect of their writings and were able to translate the Qur’an into a language they fully understood. However, in spite of these strik- ing similarities between the two groups, there were also notable differences. While the Tatars of the GDL were granted full religious freedom, the Moriscos were heavily persecuted for any signs of adherence to Islam. In order to shed more light on the phenomenon of European Muslim cultures, in this paper I will present various manuscript examples of these groups’ Qur’anic translations, and draw some preliminary conclusions regarding the information that can be retrieved from this kind of sources.

The Crusade of Nicopolis (1396) was one of the last crusades directed against the Ottomans, led primarily by joint Franco-Burgundian and Hungarian forces. Albeit on the margins, the Byzantines and Emperor Manuel II Palaiologos were also involved in this crusading project as they hoped to relieve Constantinople from the Ottoman blockade it endured since 1394. The resounding defeat inflicted on the crusaders by the Ottomans was echoed in both Byzantine, French and Ottoman sources. This paper shall attempt to offer a comparative reading of Byzantine, French and Ottoman sources on some aspects of the Crusade of Nicopolis. The first part of this paper will seek to analyze the Byzantine sources, consisting of histories, letters and orations, investigating their literary, political, and religious perceptions of the event. The second part will deal with French and Ottoman sources, especially focusing on their depictions of the Byzantine involvement in the crusade, as well as the narrative links between Nicopolis, the blockade of Constantinople and the travels of Manuel II.

Building on the recent results of Serbian and Croatian historiography and the reinterpretation of some data from primary historical sources, the paper examines the issue of the conflict between the Serbian ruling house, the Nemanjić dynasty, and the Croatian magnate family of Šubić Bribirski in the region of Hum (Zachlumia, Humska zemlja) in the first twenty years of the 14th century. The paper reviews the conclusions of historians who dealt with this issue in more detail, highlighting the fact that, due to the scarcity and typology of the sources, only two reliable conclusions can be drawn: 1) from the beginning of the conflict until the collapse of the regional domain of Mladen II Šubić in 1322, neither side completely withdrew from Hum, and 2) knez Konstantin (comes Constantinus), who governed Hum on behalf of the Šubić family (ca. 1304-1307), was not the son of knez Izan Nelipčić, as some historians believed, but a member of the older generation of the Nelipčić family who bore the same name.

This paper analyzes the information provided in the Byzantine historical narratives composed between the end of the 10th and mid-13th century on Bulgarians, Serbs and the Rus as these peoples permanently settled or just temporarily resided in the area of the Central Balkans. This paper attempts to show how the Byzantine historiography of the mentioned period presented the peoples in question.

The paper presents the circumstances in which musicological medievalism emerged in Serbia after the Second World War as a separate discipline within the research projects of the newly founded Institute of Musicology of the Serbian Academy of Sciences. It focuses on the contributions of three first musicologists medievalists: Miloš Velimirović, Stojan Lazarević and Dimitrije Stefanović. It outlines the conditions under which these researchers adopted the methodological principles of the Western musicological school - Monumenta Musicae Byzantinae - which were current at the time but soon became outdated. In light of the disagreements among Western and Greek scholars regarding the approach to the interpretation of the development of neumatic notation immediately before and after the fall of Byzantium, the paper also shows the personal scholarly credo and interests of certain Serbian researchers, as well as their (un)willingness to adopt and even present new knowledge and trends to the wider academic community.

This paper discusses how the Venetian chronicles written in the 14th-18th centuries represent the episode in which the ban on wearing beards in Venice under Doge Domenico Michiel is connected to the hostilities with the Byzantine Empire in the context of the expedition against Cephalonia in 1126. It is about a strange connection at the first glance; however, some Venetian chroniclers that inserted this event were tempted to consider this decision as an act of contempt against the Greeks that even made Emperor John II Comnenus decide to end the hostilities and demand peace. The paper also brings fragments that introduce this event in Venetian chronicles.

The office of praetor in Byzantium represents a vestige of antiquity revived in the middle years of the reign of Justinian I. The paper offers a history of the function following the chronological timeline, as well as an analysis of the praetor’s competences in the judicial and administrative spheres. Firstly, relying on the few available sources up to the 10th century, it brings an overview of the praetor’s competences. In the 10th century, the praetor became a thematic judge, the supreme civil officer in the province, outranking the strategos, which is how most sources portray the praetor in the 11th and 12th centuries. The paper examines the praetor’s service in law and juxtaposes it with his authority as the supreme figure in the province. Simultaneously, in the 11th century, the praetor was part of the capital’s judiciary system, with a possible scope of duties in private law. The last known sources describe the praetor as the court’s official in contacts with the Latins.

The paper examines some of the main metaphysical concepts of the thought of Dionysius the Areopagite and Maximus the Confessor, such as unity, differentiation, movement, limit, and logoi, in the context of the metaphor of circles and radii. It begins with an analysis of simple diagrams that appear in some Greek and Slavonic manuscripts of Dionysius’ works On the Divine Names. The paper goes on to examine more complex diagrams involving a circle or square centre, outer circumference, concentric rings, multicoloured radii and twisted cruciform bands that accompany the Instructions of Dorotheus of Gaza in many Greek and Slavic manuscripts. The paper argues that these new diagrammatic elements were employed to visualize complex ideas such as the Holy Trinity as unity of differentiations, the ontological limit of creation set by divine providence, the triadic structure of logoi of beings and the double movement of procession and reversion.

This paper takes a fresh look at the sources of Leo the Deacon and comments on what has been written about them by other Byzantinists. It will also study Leo the Deacon’s style of writing, which is certainly innovative, since the History he authored stands apart from the historiographical works that preceded it, as it seeks to meld the new historiography that had emerged from the circle of Constantine VII Porphyrogennetos with the classical tradition. And Leo blazes new trails by praising specific individuals, the vast majority of them military men, around whose actions and achievements - on the field of battle, in the main - his narrative near exclusively revolves. The paper then goes on to indicate that one of the most important texts that has been identified as a source of Leo’s History is the Pophyrogennetos’ vast collection conventionally labelled the Excerpta Constantiniana; the Excerpta are then re-evaluated, particularly in terms of their links to Leo, which turn out to be close, as a number of examples illustrate.

The paper examines the complex, multifaceted role that the settlement of Tana played for the Venetian and Genoese Republics, Byzantium, the Golden Horde, the Russian principalities, the Mendicant Orders, and long-distance trade in the Late Middle Ages. The author discusses some of the essential problems in the history of Tana, such as the relations between Venetian and Genoese settlers, between Venetian Tana and Genoese Caffa, and between the Western inhabitants of Tana and various groups of local population (Muslims, Greeks, Jews, Zich, and Circassians). It concludes that while the Venetians and the Genoese in Tana treated each other with a combination of rivalry and mistrust, they cooperated in trade to their mutual benefit and were usually able to form a united front in response to an external threat. In general, there was an intense confrontation between Venetian Tana and Genoese Caffa, but this does not seem to be the case between the Venetians and the Genoese within Tana. Other controversial issues raised in the paper include the so-called double suzerainty of the Italian settlements in Tana, the discrepancy between their economic and strategic significance and the size of the site, and the dating of the capture of Tana by the Ottomans.

The paper explores the problem of the tomb of Queen Theodora, the first wife of King Stefan Dečanski and mother of King and later Emperor Stefan Dušan, at the Banjska Monastery, a foundation of King Stefan Uroš II Milutin. The tomb is the main topic of the charter King Dušan issued to this monastery. The paper minutely examines the previous research on the subject, including different identifications of the personages buried at Banjska. Special attention was accorded to the analysis of new sources, written and material, relevant to this problem. The author concludes that the transfer of Queen Theodora’s remains to Banjska, on the orders of King Dušan, was an ideologically motivated move. The tomb on the north side of the west bay is identified as Theodora’s. The author cautiously proposes that Konstantin, King Milutin’s younger son, might have also been interred at Banjska, in the north parekklesion along the narthex. The funerary program of Banjska is assessed from the perspective of traditional solutions and the reception of new models adopted from Byzantium.

This paper examines the extent to which the Xenon of the Kral, founded by Stefan Uroš II Milutin in Constantinople in the first part of the 14th century, reflected Byzantine hospital traditions. Milutin’s biography, written around 1332 by the Serbian Archbishop Danilo II, is of great value as a document of medical history, as it contains essential details on the Xenon’s infrastructure and medical staff and the purposes of this charitable foundation in comparison with Byzantine institutions. The regulations on patient admission allow the conclusion that the Xenon of the Kral was probably a hospital for emergency admission. Recent research has tended to focus on the hospital infrastructure at the Xenon of the Kral rather than its status as an international centre of education associated with the teaching activities of the Byzantine humanist John Argyropoulos in the period between 1444 and c. 1453. Furthermore, his teaching had an extremely interesting focus on the intensive study of Galen’s works. Special attention should be paid to the close connection between the Prodromos Monastery τῆς Πέτρας, its library and the Xenon, whereby some traces might also lead to Bessarion’s library and especially to his collection of medical manuscripts. The aim of this paper is thus to contextualise the already available research results on the Xenon of the Kral with some sources of Byzantine medical literature, opening up new aspects and research questions which might be of interest for elucidating the intellectual and cultural exchange between Byzantium and Serbia.

The paper examines the social position and reputation of artists, primarily painters, in Byzantium and the countries under its cultural influence, in the area of the socalled Byzantine Commonwealth. It concludes that painters were treated like all other craftsmen in many aspects of social life from the time of the Book of Eparch (from the tenth century). Nevertheless, some artists were highly respected, and this prestige manifested itself in different ways: prominent painters were praised for their artistic skill or their wisdom and education, some were engaged as witnesses or guarantors in court cases due to their civic and personal credibility, some enjoyed a reputation that stemmed from their other profession - many of them were members of the clergy (priests, hieromonks, monks, hegoumenoi, chartophylaxes, metropolitans), some were elected state, city or military officials, and judges, and some were sent on diplomatic missions. Accordingly, many painters were addressed by the title kyr (Sir), which also testifies to their reputation and social status. Others, however, were forced to earn a living by trading, sometimes even by farming or herding. On the other hand, sources testify that occasionally figures of the highest social ranks (emperors, archbishops, metropolitans, nobles) also dabbled in painting, but they usually did so for fun, and are thus rightly seen in scholarship as amateur painters and cannot be used to illuminate the social status of painters. It seems, however, that the artist’s reputation, about which this paper provides original testimonies and a range of other indicators, generally did not bring a better or higher social status to the painters themselves, so until the end of the Middle Ages, much as in the tenth century, as evidenced by the Book of Eparch, they retained the status of artisans. To corroborate that claim, the paper brings original data on the social strata from which apprentices in painting workshops were recruited and the social circles from which came the spouses of painters or their family members.

Many changes took place in the upper echelons of Lithuanian society at the turn of the 18th and 19th centuries: a divide began to emerge between the conservative aristocracy and the supporters of Enlightenment ideas. The latter sought reforms, the independence of the state and progress in society. The former did not support the changes, and sought to preserve the former structure of society, often seeking the support of politicians in the Russian Empire. It is important to study not only the actions of the elite of that period in the field of politics, but also their households and lifestyles. The paper explains what can be learnt about factors that may have influenced the health of Ludwik Skumin Tyszkiewicz (1751–1808), one of the most prominent Lithuanian political figures at the turn of the 18th and 19th centuries. The main character in the article is regarded in historiography as a noble with conservative views, who focused on the accumulation of material goods. The paper investigates what is known about the health problems of the count. It also explains what products were used in his kitchen, and what the stresses were in his life that could have affected his health. The circumstances of his death and funeral are also mentioned.

The post-frontier is the least studied stage of the Siberian frontier. The aim of the paper is to analyze the functioning of Siberia within the framework of the post-frontier and identify the mechanisms and consequences of the region's going beyond its borders. The study also provides a brief description of the features of the early and active frontier. The agrarian development of Siberia, which largely determined the frontier processes, provides a basis for the subject area of the paper. As a result of the study, it was concluded that the zone of the active frontier in Siberia was constantly shifting. Its most developed territory entered the post-frontier stage. One of the features of the Siberian post-frontier was the formation of a sub-ethnos of the Great Russian ethnos on its territory, namely, the Siberian old-timers. The agrarian system of Siberia at this stage of development also had qualitative features. The specificity of the region was determined by its logistical isolation from the main territory of Russia. The Trans-Siberian Railway put an end to it and allowed the start of mass agrarian migration. One of its consequences, among others, was the beginning of the process of de-ethnicization which ended in the Soviet period. The ethno-social result of collectivization, industrialization, urbanization, and the Cultural Revolution was the transformation of the Siberians from a sub-ethnos of the Russian nation into its geographical group. The agrarian system of the region also lost its qualitative differences. As a result, Western Siberia and a significant part of Eastern Siberia became parts of the Russian heartland.

The paper analyzes the structure and content of the journal «Bulletin of the Police» on the basis of archival materials as a valuable historical source that allows reconstructing data on the dynamics and nature of crime in the Russian Empire during the First World War. From the standpoint of the theory of historical everyday life, it is argued that the distinctive features of the journal «Bulletin of the Police» are the regularity of coverage of criminal crime on the pages of the publication, a wide geographical coverage and a detailed description of events, as well as the publication of court photographs. At the same time, from a source point of view, this publication has a number of drawbacks, among which there is a onesided positive coverage of the work of the police in the fight against crime, the bureaucratic style of presentation of many published articles, as well as the silencing of many problematic issues in the field of studying crime during the war period and measures to combat it. The paper substantiates the conclusion that for a deep and comprehensive scientific analysis of the dynamics of crime in the Russian Empire during the First World War, this historical source contains extremely important information that allows revealing the state of the criminogenic situation from the perspective of everyday life and the activities of police agencies and displaying its results in the public mind.

Contemporary activities in the geopolitical space including the countries of the Caspian Sea Basin and its adjacent regions give relevance to the problem under study. Globalism has an impact on the development of regional processes, making adjustments in their course. This article aims to analyze the consensus achieved by the political leaders of the Caspian states regarding their integration. The leading approach in the research explores the position of modern Russian elitology, taking professional elites to be a synergetic system striving for the acmeological pinnacle of their (elites’) competence. This approach helps to find out the adequacy of their professional activities, the objectivity of their assessments of reality, and the impact of their political decisions. Comparative analysis has made it possible to identify the points of convergence, while the use of political conflictology techniques has made it possible to identify and curb the emergence of threats in a timely manner. The combination of such methods and approaches enhances the objectivity of conclusions and assessments of the Caspian leaders’ actions. The paper analyses the activities of regional political elites who created a political and legal platform for a new stage of constructive development of dialogue between cultures and socio-economic cooperation. It is noted that this process had a complex gradual nature of harmonizing different positions, compromises and smoothing over the contradictions of national interests. In this process, the Caspian countries have demonstrated genuine tolerance, political correctness and democracy in addressing the complex geopolitical challenges and reaffirmed their desire to resolve existing problems in a peaceful manner. The materials of this paper may prove useful for the development of further integration strategies, as well as for the expert support of the critical decisions on security issues and the formation of independent regional financial, political and cultural systems.

During the years of implementation of the first Soviet five-year plans, great attention was paid to the pulp and paper industry. In the forest industry structure, this component was characterised by a weak level of development. The bet was made on the creation of medium and large pulp and paper industries. In the Urals, where there were large reserves of forest resources and rivers, they built several plants. The largest centre of the pulp and paper industry in the Urals and in the eastern regions of the USSR was formed. The purpose of this article is to study the location, design, and launch of production of the Solikamsk Sulphite Pulp Mill. In the mid-1930s, it was decided to build an enterprise. The project involved innovative technological solutions for the pulp and paper industry. The launch of the plant was postponed several times, the project was altered, and the construction was entrusted from the People’s Commissariat of Forest Industry of the USSR to the People’s Commissariat of Internal Affairs of the USSR. In 1940, the Solikamsk Sulphite Pulp Mill became an independent enterprise, but its construction continued. In March 1941, three months before the outbreak of the Great Patriotic War, the company began the production of pulp. The production was only possible within a simplified scheme due to the absence or malfunction of equipment. The performance of the enterprise was set in insignificant volumes. With the outbreak of war, party-state bodies and economic departments continued the construction of the Solikamsk Sulphite Pulp Mill and providing additional equipment. The company’s development was boosted by the evacuation of several industries, the start of the sulphite waste liquor alcohol plant and the construction of a defense plant nearby. This allowed the plant to develop cooperative ties and master new types of products.

The paper is devoted to a historiographical review of the literature dedicated to the study of the history of the Russian necropolis in Japan and the prospects for further research on this topic. The external conditions of increasing interest in the topic of the history of the Russian necropolis abroad are characterized. The definition of the historical necropolis is given. The review is structured according to the chronological principle. The main studies of Japanese and Russian historians are revealed. The authors identified the primary studies in Russian and Japanese and concluded that is not much research on the history of the Russian necropolis in Japan until the end of the twentieth century, but the relevance of this topic in the past three decades. The paper shows the predominant exhaustion of the subject within the framework of traditional necropolistics. The paper proposes possible options for further study of the history of the Russian necropolis in Japan within discipline Memory studies and also with the use of cultural anthropology, social history and political sciences approaches.

This paper aims to introduce an important document of the Petrine time into scholarly circulation. The last will of the wife of Tsarevich Alexei, Crown Princess Charlotte Christina Sophia, written on the day of her death on October 21, 1715, in the form of a petition addressed to her father-in-law — Peter I — has been known until now only in two translations, made in the eighteenth and in the first half of the nineteenth centuries, going back to an unknown original. This publication contains the text of the petition testament of Crown Princess Charlotte Christina Sophia recently discovered by A. V. Morokhin in the Manuscripts Department of the Russian National Library (St Petersburg). The document is in German written in fluent Neo-Gothic italics of the early eighteenth century on both sides of two sheets of yellowed paper. Comparing the signatures of Crown Princess Charlotte Christina Sophia under several of her letters originating from the archives of Germany with the signature on the document published makes it possible to conclude that the document is authentic. The article provides a complete transcription of the original source, as well as its literal translation into modern Russian. A comparative analysis of the original text with later editions of the petition testament allows the authors to define the newly found document as the original source. The letter of Crown Princess Charlotte Christina Sophia is considered in the broad context of the political and dynastic history of the Petrine state. The circumstances that come to light during the analysis of the tragic story of Princess Charlotte’s death help visualise the expressive features of everyday life in Peter I’s inner family circle.

The paper offers an analysis of the office based on different types of sources. The first stage in the shaping of the imperial quaestorate was the creation of the function of quaestor sacri palatii and its subsequent use in the Dominate period. In the legislation issued by Emperor Justinian I, the quaestor became the quaesitor (quaesitorος) and acquired new roles. Later legislators did not distinguish between the quaestor and the quaesitor and hence describe a hybrid institution rooted in both Roman and Justinian’s laws. The legal sources, particularly the surviving documentary and sigillographic material, leave plenty of room for an analysis of the duties performed by the quaestor, most commonly referred to in post- -tenth century sources as the κοιαίστωρ. In line with this explanation, after an overview of the relevant sources and the existing literature on the subject, the paper describes the first stage in the shaping of this office (I); offers a scholarly exploration of the laws promulgated by Justinian I (II); analyzes the office of the quaestor/quaesitor in the most under-researched periods in the evolution of this function, the Middle and Late Byzantine periods (III and IV); finally, the last chapter (V) brings a list of the known holders of the quaestor/quaesitor office (and dignity) starting from the 7th century, which is included as an appendix.

Historically, the contacts between the Cossacks and the Chinese population were established and their particular strengthening occurred during the construction of the Chinese-Eastern Railway between 1897 and 1903. The imperial authorities devised a plan to establish the Sungurian Cossack army, which was to be augmented by the Cossacks dispatched to protect the ‘KVZhD’. These troops were to comprise the descendants of Albazin and the local population. In the context of the present circumstances, the Cossacks in the peripheral Ussuri Territory and Manchuria served as the frontiers of the system of relations with the local Chinese and Korean populations, as well as the modernizing transformation of the region. As the most mobile and passionate segment of the population, the Cossacks played a pivotal role in the socio-economic and cultural transformation of the region. Their extensive involvement in the agrarian economy and their diverse socio-class and ethno-confessional composition contributed to the diversification of the regional mosaic. During this historical period, the Cossacks served as the driving force of the Russian exploration of the Far Eastern space. Moreover, they facilitated the militarization of the newly developed territories. The format of the study permits presenting a set of relations risen along the Center–Far Eastern Cossacks axis. The objectives of this paper is to ascertain the nature of this relationship within the system and to study the dissemination of the experience of the Cossack self-government system to neighboring regions, including the process of Japanese colonization of the island of Hokkaido. The research findings indicate the efficacy of applying the Cossack administrative and economic management experience to the Far East and Manchuria, as well as in adjacent regions, such as Hokkaido. The article is intended for Cossack specialists and sinologists.

The paper analyzes the historical circumstances of the 1920s, under which in three regions of the Russian-Belarusian borderland – Pskov, Smolensk and Bryansk governorates – it was necessary to reach the objectives of ‘Belarusization’: the size of the Belarusian population, the state of the school network in the NEP era and staffing for the solution of the “Belarusian question.” Belarusization is regarded as an integral part of the new Soviet national policy based on the resolutions of the 10th and 12th Congresses of the RCP. The purpose of the study is to identify and characterize the basic conditions for carrying out Belarusization in Russian regions with compact residence of the Belarusian population. First, this concerns the size of the Belarusian population in these governorates at the beginning and during the process of Belarusization, and detection of the dynamics and reasons for its significant reduction, starting from the end of the 19th century. Secondly, special attention must be paid to the problems in the school education system during the NEP era (financial, material, personnel), the solution of which was of much higher priority for local authorities in comparison with the objectives of Belarusization. The results of the study show that the policy of Belarusization in the Russian border regions failed to receive the due support either from local authorities overloaded with many other urgent tasks, or from the residents of the above mentioned governorates, including Belarusians. The practice of “self-Russification” became a kind of hidden form of protest among the Belarusian part of the population of the Russian border regions. Conclusions: The policy of Belarusization in the Russian-Belarusian border regions was not carried out in full even in the “minor format” proposed by Moscow, largely due to its artificiality and implementation without taking into account the opinions of the majority of Russian Belarusians themselves. The study is intended for specialists in national and regional politics, and in Russian and Belarusian history.

The paper is devoted to the analysis of the arguments of foreign jurists about the nature and advantages of inclusive legal positivism as a legal theory that justifies the existence of moral foundations of the legal system. Examples from judicial practice are considered, as well as key theoretical approaches that reveal the necessary and sufficient features of inclusive legal positivism, as well as its subject specifics and basic provisions on the relationship between law and morality. The paper is prepared within the framework of the HSE research project «Applied Ethics».

The study focuses on the issues related to the process of adaptation and economic behavior of German entrepreneurship in Western Siberia in the late 19th – early 20th centuries. The construction of the Siberian Railway and migration processes changed the economy, social structure and cultural practices of “old” Siberia. The “yesterday’s outskirts” became a “place of modernity”. The paper aims at presenting economic practices and strategies of German entrepreneurship adaptation in the conditions when the socio-spatial structures of the imperial periphery. were experiencing transformation. On the basis of representative resources, the mechanisms and methods of German entrepreneurs’ adaptation to the local community are shown. The structure of the market space and its segmentation as well as economic niches and economic strategies of German entrepreneurship are defined. The author comes to the conclusion that German entrepreneurs acted in the region as a “market ferment” changing Siberian society, and they could be regarded as actors of socio-economic, cultural modernization of the Siberian space. At the same time, the German merchants themselves experienced external influence from the host society. The research is based on the combination of macroanalytical strategies and microhistorical approach. The concept of “entrepreneurial minority” is a methodological basis for the study presented in the paper. The materials of the paper are addressed to the experts in the field of the history of Siberia as well as to the professional corporation of the researchers interested in the history of ethnic entrepreneurship and in the issues of various ethnic groups’ adaptation to the conditions of a non-ethnic host environment.

The growth of the vehicle assets and bus services in Ukrainian cities increases the level of environmental pollution. During the environmental crisis, electric transport (e-transport) is becoming a matter for scientific inquiry, a subject of discussion in politics and among public figures. In the program for developing the municipal services of Ukraine, priorities are given to the development of the infrastructure of ecological transport: trolleybuses, electric buses, electric cars. The increased attention to e-transport on the part of the scientific community, politicians, and the public actualizes the study of its history, development, features of operation, etc. The historiographic analysis carried out by the authors allows us to say about insufficient coverage by Ukrainian researchers of a number of aspects and periods in the history of e-transport. A small number of special works on the history of the operation of foreign-made trolleybuses in Ukrainian cities in the first half of the 20th century and an analysis of their technical characteristics determine the relevance and scientific novelty of this study. When writing the work, Ukrainian and foreign scientific reference publications, monographs, papers, mainly from foreign electronic resources, have been used. The authors have used both general scientific (analysis, synthesis, deduction, induction) and historical research methods, in particular, problem-chronological, comparative-historical, retrospective methods, etc. The aim of the study is to highlight little-known facts of the history of production and operation of MAN trolleybuses in Ukrainian cities, as well as to introduce their technical characteristics into scientific circulation. The etymology of the model names of German trolleybuses, which usually consisted of the names of the manufacturers of chassis, body, and electrical equipment, has been clarified. The types, specific design solutions of the first MAN trolleybus generation and the prerequisites for their appearance in Chernivtsi have been determined. Particular attention has been paid to trolleybuses that were in operation in Germany and other Western European countries from the first half of the 1930s to the early 1950s. In the mid-1930s, the MAN plant in Nuremberg began production of trolleybuses; its models had the most modern constructive solutions at that time, a characteristic design and a state-of-the-art heating system. Depending on the length, German manufacturers divided the trolleybus models into four types. As a result of problems with the operation of the bus fleet in Chernivtsi, the city authorities have decided to build a trolleybus line in the city; four trolleybuses manufactured by the MAN plant were purchased. The paper traces the stages of operation of the MAN trolleybuses in Chernivtsi, where they worked during 1939–1944 and after the end of the Second World War, they were transferred to Kyiv. After two years of operation in the Ukrainian capital, the trolleybuses entered the routes in Dnipropetrovsk during 1947–1951. The technical characteristics of the first MAN trolleybus generation, which were operated in Ukrainian cities, have been presented and analyzed. It was determined that in all the main indicators and operational parameters, they were as close as possible to similar models of German trolleybuses. The proposed methodology and the structure of the study can later be used to write papers on the history of science and technology, in particular, of an e-transport.

The paper is devoted to the study of what changes the course of the probability theory has undergone from the end of the 19th century to our time based on the analysis of The Theory of Probabilities textbook by Vasyl P. Ermakov published in 1878. In order to show the competence of the author of this textbook, his biography and creative development of V. P. Ermakov, a famous mathematician, Corresponding Member of the St. Petersburg Academy of Sciences, have been briefly reviewed. He worked at the Department of Pure Mathematics at Kyiv University, where he received the title of Honored Professor, headed the Department of Higher Mathematics at the Kyiv Polytechnic Institute, published the Journal of Elementary Mathematics, and he was one of the founders of the Kyiv Physics and Mathematics Society. The paper contains a comparative analysis of The Probability Theory textbook and modern educational literature. V. P. Ermakov's textbook uses only the classical definition of probability. It does not contain such concepts as a random variable, distribution function, however, it uses mathematical expectation. V. P. Ermakov insists on excluding the concept of moral expectation accepted in the science of that time from the probability theory. The textbook consists of a preface, five chapters, a synopsis containing the statements of the main results, and a collection of tasks with solutions and instructions. The first chapter deals with combinatorics, the presentation of which does not differ much from its modern one. The second chapter introduces the concepts of event and probability. Although operations on events have been not considered at all; the probabilities of intersecting and combining events have been discussed. However, the above rule for calculating the probability of combining events is generally incorrect for compatible events. The third chapter is devoted to events during repeated tests, mathematical expectation and contains Bernoulli's theorem, from which the law of large numbers follows. The next chapter discusses conditional probabilities, the simplest version of the conditional mathematical expectation, the total probability formula and the Bayesian formula (in modern terminology). The last chapter is devoted to the Jordan method and its applications. This method is not found in modern educational literature. From the above, we can conclude that the probability theory has made significant progress since the end of the 19th century. Basic concepts are formulated more rigorously; research methods have developed significantly; new sections have appeared.

An analysis of numerous artefacts of the first third of the 20th century suggests that the production of many varieties of art-and-industrial ceramics developed in Halychyna, in particular architectural ceramic plastics, a variety of functional ceramics, decorative tiles, ceramic tiles, facing tiles, etc. The artistic features of Halychyna art ceramics, the richness of methods for decorating and shaping it, stylistic features, as well as numerous art societies, scientific and professional associations, groups, plants and factories specializing in the production of ceramics reflect the general development of this industry in the first half of the century and represent the prerequisites the emergence of the school of professional ceramics in Halychyna at the beginning of the 20th century. The purpose of the paper is to analyze the formation and development of scientific and professional schools of art-and-industrial ceramics of Halychyna in the late 19th – early 20th centuries. The research methodology was chosen, in accordance with the specific factual material, the goals and objectives set in the work, developed on the basis of a systematic approach and the principle of historicism, using the method of complex art analysis, synthesizing the research capabilities of comparative historical, functional, typological research methods. The principle of consistency assumed the consideration of certain issues, in accordance with the sequence of processes that took place in such a popular variety of professional decorative applied art as art ceramics. Due to this approach, the authors tried to focus on a detailed elucidation of the ways of building professional creativity in an inextricable relationship, taking into account the characteristics of a certain material, the needs of appropriate material support, and the establishment of technological processes. Furthermore, such a presentation of the paper material has provided a clearer indication of the possibilities and prospects for the development of the artistic ceramics art. In the process of work, the authors were aware that all the problems related to the art of the first half of the 20th century, including the development in the production of art ceramics in Halychyna, are only at a certain stage of thorough study. That is why this work is one of the stages on this path. In this regard, this study was interpreted by the authors not as one that should finally exhaust the chosen topic, but on the contrary – the work should create an opportunity for further more detailed study of individual phenomena, the work of artists, or the analysis of groups of specific pieces of art.

This paper aims to outline and explore the development of iconographic forms and metaphysical grounding of one of the most venerable and distinguished Buddhist female deities, Prajсāpāramitā. The Buddhist female pantheon gained a paramount pre-eminence with the idolization of Prajñāpāramitā, establishing the significance of female figure and, especially, mother symbolism during the early medieval period under the liberal patronage of the Pala dynasty of Eastern India. The religious imageries and practices of this deity gradually disseminated to the adjoining Himalayan kingdoms of Nepal and Tibet through pedagogic and religious linkages, and became an integral part of their society. To understand the factors of cross-cultural assimilation through the study of representational forms and its metaphysical grounding, the paper explores and shows the metaphorical meaning of ‘prajсā’ propounded in the Prajñāpāramitā discourse, and its representation in cultic icons of the goddess Prajñāpāramitā and the manuscript. This thematic narrative opens up new avenues of interpretations on gender-subjectivity in Buddhist cosmology and pantheistic belief system which are touched upon in this paper. The idea of pronouncement and expansion of female-oriented texts and icons is highlighted through a study of select devotional icons of this deity, Prajсāpāramitā, from the collection of the National Museum, Delhi.

The paper analyzes the arguments of the British jurist P. Devlin on the possibility of ensuring the achievement of moral goals by legal means. The views of P. Devlin and his debate with H. L. A. Hart gave rise to deep discussions on the relationship between moral and legal prescriptions in legislation and the search for moral grounds for legal norms and practice of its application. The paper also reconstructs P. Devlin’s arguments on the specifics of the application of the principle of harm compensation in assessing actions that contradict public morality

This paper considers an attempt at forming imperial identity in Austria in the early nineteenth century by means of constructing historical memory. The re-interpretation of the past for the sake of promoting dynastic patriotism can be most clearly seen in Joseph Hormayr’s Österreichischer Plutarch, a work which was aimed at creating an “All-Austrian Pantheon” and contributed a lot to mobilising the peoples of the empire to fight against Napoleon. Цsterreichischer Plutarch and its role in forming the historical memory and supranational identity of the Habsburg Empire between 1804 and 1815 have not been studied closely in Russian historiography. The author of the paper attempts to analyse the concept of Austrian history as a multinational state provided in the work. Besides, he assesses the influence of the work on the political discourse of the Habsburg monarchy paying close attention to the formation of identity by means of historical memory, and the methods for multinational state image integration into historical context. The analysis helps establish that Hormayr’s narrative became a means of constructing the supranational identity in the Habsburg monarchy, and the basis for the formation of conservatism and romanticism in Austria. Österreichischer Plutarch became a turning point for common historical memory touching upon the identity of all peoples living in the Habsburg monarchy. The concept found its place in conservative propaganda and education in the Empire. The image of Austria as a “family of peoples” found in the work is presented as historically motivated, having its own logic and the purpose to counter external threats. These results retained the same meaning even after Hormayr changed his political views.

This article investigates V. P. Aksyonov’s argument with L. N. Tolstoy about the role of personality in history in his trilogy Generations of Winter. The saga protagonists’ spiritual awakening and self-identification are discussed in the context of Tolstoy’s view on the activity of the general mass of people who take part in a historical event and determine its outcome. This allows to elicit Aksyonov’s view on man’s personal responsibility under Stalinism. The main sources of this paper are Tolstoy’s War and Peace and Aksyonov’s Generations of Winter. Its purpose is to explain Aksyonov’s artistic conceptualization of the role of the masses and the individual under the Stalinist regime and in the Great Patriotic War. The major results of the research have been achieved by comparing the artistic devices employed by Tolstoy in fracturing the myth of Napoleon’s genius as leader of the general mass with Aksyonov’s approach in satirical portrayal of Stalin. The article explores Aksyonov’s contribution to the literary tradition of the grotesque, his utilization of the functions of the body “bottom” and of Russian popular demonic motifs in the depiction of Stalin. The paper’s author utilizes a comparative hermeneutical analysis and concludes that Aksyonov’s metaphor of “Stalinist hypnosis” is the writerly equivalent of Tolstoy’s conception of “swarm behavior”, and that Aksyonov’s argument with Tolstoy’s negation of the role of the individual in history is a postmodern playful ironic device, a means for his conceptualization and revision of Leo Tolstoy’s philosophic-historical view for the twentieth century.

This paper attempts to show how the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD) ’s economic and political gains could help develop a shared outlook to regulate Ethiopia’s opposing political trajectories, i.e., the ethnocentric and pan-Ethiopian nationalist camps. Presently, different ethnic-based “in-group and out-group” contrasting political discourses have dominated Ethiopian polity. The paper reviews and exposes relevant philosophical concepts, including “mirror identity,” primordial and instrumental conception of ethnicity. Notably, following Anderson’s (2006) line of thought, nationalism as a “cultural artefact” and expression of an “imagined community,” the paper argues that GERD could serve as a shared symbolic and developmental language to reshape Ethiopian national consciousness and imagination by improving the political and economic domains of the country. Accordingly, the GERD covertly or overtly helps reform the polity’s self-recognition mechanisms and circuitously re-approaches outstanding political differences by inspiring trust-based relations among major political actors. Ethnocentric motivations raise political questions such as secession, the right to linguistic and cultural recognition, economic equality, and political security and representation by using their respective ethnic lines as means of political mobilization. In current Ethiopia, political identities have been practically blended with ethnic identity. In this sense, as diverse ethnic groups exist, political borders sustain among the multiple ethnic-based nationalists and between pan-Ethiopian and ethnocentric actors. Thus, a comprehensive dialogue and constructive political cross-fertilization are required between various political actors, horizontally and vertically, among ethnocentric nationalists and the pan-Ethiopian advocates. In Ethiopia, the realization of internal political consensus requires an instantaneous remedial mechanism. Accordingly, the politically drawn antithetical ethnic demarcations and occasionally fabricated historical narratives have undeniably pushed politics into unfavourable conditions. That is why, as the paper maintains that developmental projects such as the GERD would have pertinent economic and political mechanisms to developing a national sentiment, which in turn symbolically facilitate national consensus among the major political actors. Hence, borrowing Fukuyama’s (2018) notion of “creedal national identity”, one could resonate that developmental projects can help realize symbolic worth by constructively enabling citizens to recognize their countries’ foundational ideals and elevating common factors. The present paper does not examine the GERD project’s external geopolitical and legal concerns concerning scope, although these topics are worth examining for further investigations.

This paper considers a relevant but practically unexplored topic, i.e. visual anthropology as a tool of scientific cognition as well as constructing and representing the image of a territory. Professional researchers and travellers contributed considerably to the formation of images of the frontier regions of Russia in the imperial and Soviet periods. This work opens a little-known page in the history of the study of Sakhalin — the work of Pyotr Ignatievich Polevoy (1873–1938), one of the pioneers in the scientific development of the island. Based on archival data, many of which are published for the first time, the article focuses on the analysis of the scientist’s visual and anthropological legacy and follows the main directions of his work — anthropology, geology, and local history. The reflection of the post-penal period in the history of Sakhalin related to the transformation of the colonisation policy, gives special ideas in terms of studying and representing the island’s image in the Asia-Pacific. The authors compare text and photographic materials and specify the key images of Sakhalin in the works of Polevoy, an “island of oil”, “island of foreigners” and “island of colonists”. Interconnected by the cross-cutting theme of colonisation, these images clearly illustrate the researcher’s position on the futility of Sakhalin as an agricultural colony and the rationality of its industrial development. The paper also develops concepts from visual anthropology (“visual representation of a region”, “ethnographic photography”) and cultural geography (“image of a region”, “cultural landscape”). The authors come to the conclusion that the legacy of Pyotr Polevoy (his scientific works and photographic representations) can be considered an informative historical source for studying the dynamic image of the Far Eastern frontier in anthropology and related humanities.

The paper is devoted to the analysis of the history of the creation of the laser as one of the greatest technical inventions of the 20th century. This paper focuses on establishing a relation between the periodization of the stages of creation and implementation of certain types of lasers, with their influence on the invention of certain types of equipment and industrial technologies for processing the materials, the development of certain branches of the economy, and scientific-technological progress as a whole. In preparing the paper, the generally accepted methods, which are widely used in the preparation of historical research works, have been applied: the historical method – for the study and interpretation of the texts of primary sources and the search for other evidence used for research, as well as for the presentation of historical events associated with the development of laser technology; the historical-genetic method – for studying the genesis of specific historical phenomena and analyzing the causality of changes in the development of laser technology; the historical-critical method – for displaying cause-and-effect relationships, reconstructing events that influenced the development of laser technology; the method of historical periodization. The variety of different possible options for the use of lasers did not allow placing all the collected materials within the framework of one paper, and therefore, the authors have decided to dwell on the facts, which, in the opinion of the paper’s authors, are the most interesting, significant, poorly studied, and little known. The paper discusses the stages of: invention of the first laser; creation of the first commercial lasers; development of the first applications of lasers in industrial technologies for processing the materials. Special attention is paid to the “patent wars” that accompanied different stages of the creation of lasers. A comparative analysis of the market development for laser technology from the stage of creation to the present has been carried out. It has been shown that the modern market for laser technology continues to develop actively, as evidenced by the continued stable growth of laser sales over the past 10 years. This indicates that the demand for laser technology is inextricably linked with the development of high technology production and scientific-technological progress. The analysis has shown that recently, the trends in the use of laser technology have changed; in particular, their industrial and medical applications are decreasing, while there is an increase in their use in the fields of sensor production and communication.

The issue of the journal opens with an article dedicated to the formation of metrology as government regulated activity in France. The article has discussed the historical process of development of metrological activity in France. It was revealed that the history of metrology is considered as an auxiliary historical and ethnographic discipline from a social and philosophical point of view as the evolution of scientific approaches to the definition of individual units of physical quantities and branches of metrology. However, in the scientific literature, the little attention is paid to the process of a development of a centralized institutional metrology system that is the organizational basis for ensuring the uniformity of measurements. The article by Irena Grebtsova and Maryna Kovalska is devoted to the of the development of the source criticism’s knowledge in the Imperial Novorossiya University which was founded in the second half of the XIX century in Odesa. Grounding on a large complex of general scientific methods, and a historical method and source criticism, the authors identified the stages of the formation of source criticism in the process of teaching historical disciplines at the university, what they based on an analysis of the teaching activities of professors and associate professors of the Faculty of History and Philology. In the article, the development of the foundations of source criticism is considered as a complex process, which in Western European and Russian science was the result of the development of the theory and practice of everyday dialogue between scientists and historical sources. This process had a great influence on the advancement of a historical education in university, which was one of the important factors in the formation of source studies as a scientific discipline. The article by Tetiana Malovichko is devoted to the study of what changes the course of the probability theory has undergone from the end of the 19th century to our time based on the analysis of The Theory of Probabilities textbook by Vasyl P. Ermakov published in 1878. The paper contains a comparative analysis of The Probability Theory textbook and modern educational literature. The birth of children after infertility treatment of married couples with the help of assisted reproductive technologies has become a reality after many years of basic research on the physiology of reproductive system, development of oocyte’s in vitro fertilization methods and cultivation of embryos at pre-implantation stages. Given the widespread use of assisted reproductive technologies in modern medical practice and the great interest of society to this problem, the aim of the study authors from the Institute for Problems of Cryobiology and Cryomedicine of the National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine was to trace the main stages and key events of assisted reproductive technologies in the world and in Ukraine, as well as to highlight the activities of outstanding scientists of domestic and world science who were at the origins of the development of this area. As a result of the work, it has been shown that despite certain ethical and social biases, the discovery of individual predecessor scientists became the basis for the efforts of Robert Edwards and Patrick Steptoe to ensure birth of the world's first child, whose conception occurred outside the mother's body. There are also historical facts and unique photos from our own archive, which confirm the fact of the first successful oocyte in vitro fertilization and the birth of a child after the use of assisted reproductive technologies in Ukraine. In the next article, the authors tried to consider and structure the stages of development and creation of the “Yermak”, the world's first Arctic icebreaker, and analyzed the stages of preparation and the results of its first expeditions to explore the Arctic. Systematic analysis of historical sources and biographical material allowed to separate and comprehensively consider the conditions and prehistory for the development and creation of “Yermak” icebreaker. Also, the authors gave an assessment to the role of Vice Admiral Stepan Osypovych Makarov in those events, and analyzed the role of Sergei Yulyevich Witte, Dmitri Ivanovich Mendeleev and Pyotr Petrovich Semenov-Tian-Shansky in the preparation and implementation of the first Arctic expeditions of the “Yermak”icebreaker. The authors of the following article considered the historical aspects of construction and operation of train ferry routes. The article deals with the analysis and systematization of the data on the historical development of train ferry routes and describes the background for the construction of train ferry routes and their advantages over other combined transport types. It also deals with the basic features of the train ferries operating on the main international train ferry routes. The study is concerned with both sea routes and routes across rivers and lakes. The article shows the role of train ferry routes in the improvement of a national economy, and in the provision of the military defense. An analysis of numerous artefacts of the first third of the 20th century suggests that the production of many varieties of art-and-industrial ceramics developed in Halychyna, in particular architectural ceramic plastics, a variety of functional ceramics, decorative tiles, ceramic tiles, facing tiles, etc. The artistic features of Halychyna art ceramics, the richness of methods for decorating and shaping it, stylistic features, as well as numerous art societies, scientific and professional associations, groups, plants and factories specializing in the production of ceramics reflect the general development of this industry in the first half of the century and represent the prerequisites the emergence of the school of professional ceramics in Halychyna at the beginning of the 20th century. The purpose of the next paper is to analyze the formation and development of scientific and professional schools of art-and-industrial ceramics of Halychyna in the late 19th – early 20th centuries. During the environmental crisis, electric transport (e-transport) is becoming a matter for scientific inquiry, a subject of discussion in politics and among public figures. In the program for developing the municipal services of Ukraine, priorities are given to the development of the infrastructure of ecological transport: trolleybuses, electric buses, electric cars. The increased attention to e-transport on the part of the scientific community, politicians, and the public actualizes the study of its history, development, features of operation, etc. The aim of the next study is to highlight little-known facts of the history of production and operation of MAN trolleybuses in Ukrainian cities, as well as to introduce their technical characteristics into scientific circulation. The types, specific design solutions of the first MAN trolleybus generation and the prerequisites for their appearance in Chernivtsi have been determined. Particular attention has been paid to trolleybuses that were in operation in Germany and other Western European countries from the first half of the 1930s to the early 1950s. The paper traces the stages of operation of the MAN trolleybuses in Chernivtsi, where they worked during 1939–1944 and after the end of the Second World War, they were transferred to Kyiv. After two years of operation in the Ukrainian capital, the trolleybuses entered the routes in Dnipropetrovsk during 1947–1951. The purpose of the article by authors from the State University of Infrastructure and Technologies of Ukraine is to thoroughly analyze unpaved roads of the late 18th – early 19th century, as well as the project of the first wooden trackway as the forerunner of the Bukovyna railways. To achieve this purpose, the authors first reviewed how railways were constructed in the Austrian Empire during 1830s – 1850s. Then, in contrast with the first railway networks that emerged and developed in the Austrian Empire, the authors made an analysis of the condition and characteristics of unpaved roads in Bukovyna. In addition, the authors considered the first attempt to create a wooden trackway as a prototype and predecessor of the Bukovyna railway.