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This study attempts to detect papers originating from the Russia‐based paper mill 'International Publisher' LLC. A total of 1,063 offers to purchase co‐authorship on a fraudulent papers published from 2019 to mid‐2022 on the 123mi.ru website were analysed. This study identifies at least 451 papers that are potentially linked to the paper mill, including one preprint, a duplication paper and 16 republications of papers erroneously published in hijacked journals. Evidence of suspicious provenance from the paper mill is provided: matches in title, number of co‐authorship slots, year of publication, country of the journal, country of a co‐authors and similarities of abstracts. These problematic papers are co‐authored by scholars from at least 39 countries and are submitted to both predatory and reputable journals. This study also demonstrates collaboration anomalies in questionable papers and examines indicators of the Russia‐based paper mill. The value of co‐authorship slots offered by 'International Publisher' LLC from 2019 to 2021 is estimated at $6.5 million. Since this study only analysed a single paper mill, it is likely that the number of papers with forged authorship is much higher. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Nguyen, O. T. H., Aksenov, I., Phan, N. T., & Sakulyeva, T. (2021). Russia's foreign policy priorities in the Asia‐Pacific region. Journal of Public Affairs, e2745. https://doi.org/10.1002/pa.2745. The above article, published online on 17 August 2021 in Wiley Online Library (wileyonlinelibrary.com) has been retracted by agreement between the journal's Editor‐in‐Chief, Laura Corazza and Shaista Wasiuzzaman and John Wiley & Sons Ltd. The retraction has been agreed following concerns regarding manipulation of the peer review and publishing process. Concerns were originally raised by a third party (1). Further investigation by the publisher has found manipulation of the peer review process, and overlapping text with other publications. The retraction has been agreed because the peer review of the article was compromised and there is unattributed overlap between this article and several other articles (2)(3). Abalkina, A. (2022). Publication and collaboration anomalies in academic papers originating from a paper mill: evidence from a Russia‐based paper mill https://arxiv.org/abs/2112.13322 Burdzik, T. (2019). Slowly but Surely: Russia's Foreign Policy in Southeast Asia https://russiancouncil.ru/en/analytics‐and‐comments/columns/asian‐kaleidoscope/slowly‐but‐surely‐russia‐s‐foreign‐policy‐in‐southeast‐asia/?sphrase%5fid=34631795 Rumer, E., Sokolsky, R., Vladicic, A. (2020). Russia in the Asia‐Pacific: Less Than Meets the Eye https://carnegieendowment.org/publications/82614 [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The above article, published online on July 2021 in Wiley Online Library https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/spe.2964 has been retracted by agreement between the journal's Editor‐in‐Chief and John Wiley & Sons Ltd. The retraction has been agreed following concerns regarding manipulation of the peer review and publishing process. Concerns were originally raised by a third party (1). Further investigation by the publisher has found manipulation of the peer review process. The retraction has been agreed because the peer review of the article was compromised. The authors disagree with this retraction. Abalkina, A. (2022). Publication and collaboration anomalies in academic papers originating from a paper mill: evidence from a Russia‐based paper mill https://arxiv.org/abs/2112.13322 [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Withdrawal: The withdrawal has been agreed following concerns regarding manipulation of the peer review and publishing process. Concerns were originally raised by third parties [1, 2]. Further investigation by the publisher has found manipulation of the peer review process. The withdrawal has been agreed because the peer review of the article was compromised. [1] B. E. Perron, O. T. Hiltz‐Perron, B. G. Victor, Revealed the inner workings of a papermill, 2021. https://retractionwatch.com/2021/12/20/revealed‐the‐inner‐workings‐of‐a‐paper‐mill/ [2] A. Abalkina, Publication and collaboration anomalies in academic papers originating from a paper mill: evidence from a Russia‐based paper mill, 2022. https://arxiv.org/abs/2112.13322 The above article, published online as accepted article, prior to the version of record, on June 07, 2021 in Wiley Online Library (http://wileyonlinelibrary.com) has been withdrawn by agreement between the journal's Editor in Chief and Wiley Periodicals LLC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Arnold, L. J., Roberts, R. G., MacPhee, R. D. E., Haile, J. S., Brock, F., Möller, P., Froese, D. G., Tikhonov, A. N., Chivas, A. R., Gilbert, M. T. P. & Willerslev, E. 2010: Paper II - Dirt, dates and DNA: OSL and radiocarbon chronologies of perennially frozen sediments in Siberia, and their implications for sedimentary ancient DNA studies. Boreas, Vol. 40, pp. 417-445. 10.1111/j.1502-3885.2010.00181.x. ISSN 0300-9483 The sedimentary ancient DNA ( sedaDNA) technique offers a potentially invaluable means of investigating species evolution and extinction dynamics in high-latitude environments. An implicit assumption of the sedaDNA approach is that the extracted DNA is autochthonous with the host deposit and that it has not been physically transported from older source deposits or reworked within the sedimentary profile by postdepositional mixing. In this paper we investigate whether these fundamental conditions are upheld at seven perennially frozen wetland sites across the Taimyr Peninsula and coastal lowlands of north-central Siberia. Optically stimulated luminescence (OSL) and radiocarbon (C) dating are used to constrain the ages of both the inorganic and organic fractions of perennially frozen deposits from which sedaDNA of extinct and extant species have been recovered. OSL and C age/depth profiles, as well as single-grain equivalent dose (D) distribution characteristics, are used to assess the stratigraphic integrity of these sedaDNA sequences by (i) identifying the presence of primary or reworked organic and inorganic material, and (ii) examining the types of depositional and postdepositional processes that have affected specific sedimentary facies. The results of this study demonstrate that even though DNA preservation and stratigraphic integrity are commonly superior in perennially frozen settings, this does not, in itself, guarantee the suitability of the sedaDNA approach. The combined OSL and C chronologies reveal that certain perennially frozen sites may be poorly suited for sedaDNA analysis, and that careful site selection is paramount to ensuring the accuracy of any sedaDNA study - particularly for 'latest appearance date' estimates of extinct taxa. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Arnold, L. J. & Roberts, R. G. 2011: Paper I - Optically stimulated luminescence (OSL) dating of perennially frozen deposits in north−central Siberia: OSL characteristics of quartz grains and methodological considerations regarding their suitability for dating. Boreas, Vol. 40, pp. 389-416. 10.1111/j.1502-3885.2011.00209.x. ISSN 0300−9483. Optically stimulated luminescence (OSL) dating of coarse-grained quartz is increasingly being used as the main chronological tool in late Quaternary palaeoenvironmental reconstructions of Siberia. However, relatively little information has been published on the suitability of OSL dating for the various types of perennially frozen sediments found in this region. Here we provide a systematic examination of the quartz luminescence characteristics of 21 perennially frozen samples from the Taimyr Peninsula and adjacent coastal lowlands of north-central Siberia, and discuss their implications for the reliability of single-grain and multi-grain OSL chronologies in such contexts. The results of this study suggest that the quartz luminescence characteristics of these samples are, in principle, favourable for OSL dating but, in practice, require that a series of validation checks are made of the chosen experimental conditions. If these tests are satisfied, then reliable OSL chronologies should be obtained for sedimentary deposits in this region. Importantly, however, the single-grain and multi-grain aliquot equivalent dose (D) distribution characteristics for our samples reveal that there are advantages in targeting certain types of depositional settings for OSL dating studies of Siberian sediments. We also show that samples from the same depositional settings, and even from the same sites, do not necessarily display similar D distribution characteristics. The latter complication favours the use of single-grain analysis to unravel the bleaching and burial histories of young (mid- to late Holocene) sediments in these Arctic environments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: To describe the mental health care system in Russia against the background of rapid social, economic and political change since the late 1980s. Method: Indicators of social stress and deteriorating population mental health and official data on service provision are presented. Results: In the current system of psychiatric care dispensaries take a central position. Key issues of the discussion on mental health care include ways of coping with social stress disorders, strategies to redefine psychiatric rehabilitation in a changed social-economic context and steps towards strengthening social support networks for people with mental illness. Following political abuse of psychiatry, professionals have had to face justified and unjustified accusations, and been faced with a general challenge to their role. Conclusion: Tackling problems of social stress, the integration of mental health care in the general medical care system and the building-up of general hospital in-patient psychiatric units are of strategic importance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article analyzes the effects of publication language on the international scientific visibility of Russia using the Web of Science ( WoS). Like other developing and transition countries, it is subject to a growing pressure to 'internationalize' its scientific activities, which primarily means a shift to English as a language of scientific communication. But to what extent does the transition to English improve the impact of research? The case of Russia is of interest in this respect as the existence of many combinations of national journals and languages of publications (namely, Russian and English, including translated journals) provide a kind of natural I experiment to test the effects of language and publisher's country on the international visibility of research through citations as well as on the referencing practices of authors. Our analysis points to the conclusion that the production of original English-language papers in foreign journals is a more efficient strategy of internationalization than the mere translation of domestic journals. If the objective of a country is to maximize the international visibility of its scientific work, then the efforts should go into the promotion of publication in reputed English-language journals to profit from the added effect provided by the Matthew effect of these venues. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Russia–Ukraine war requires management scholars to reflect on the interconnectedness of research themes across countries, and across management disciplines. This paper introduces the papers in this mini special section and discusses the interdisciplinary implications of the Russia–Ukraine war on themes that include – but are not limited to – management theory, banking, energy, culture, psychology and international entrepreneurship and innovation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary: This ethnographic story explores fiction‐making in the context of audit cultures and accountability regimes. Based on a critical multi‐sited ethnography conducted between 2011 and 2015 in the Russian Federation, this composite narrative draws on eighty interviews, casual conversations, and observations at several universities. It documents how educators at higher education institutions responded to audit reviews by constructing paper façades of reports and curriculum documents that obscured what they were doing or how their departments were run. When an inspection took place, the reviewers focused on paperwork to infer the quality of educational services. The fictions and paper façades created to convince the state that institutions were functioning well also sheltered the illicit practices and corruption that operated at various levels of the institutional hierarchy. In this audit theater, faculty participated in producing fakery, dupery, and swagger that protected them from immediate punishment, but they ended up feeling cheated by their own production. As educators navigated new reporting requirements, they also made sense of the state's own fakery, hypocrisy, and duplicity. New relationships among educators, institutions, and the state created by accountability regimes produced a politics of disposability to sustain state fictions of success. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Is the ideal of a one‐size‐fits‐all university model—where universities are capable of successfully performing all competencies simultaneously—ever achievable? Has the balance between teaching and research activities grown even more fragile or is such a balance unfeasible? In this paper, we review studies of institutional diversity in higher education and bibliometric analyses. We prose a two‐dimensional typology based on diversity in teaching and research by scientific fields. We investigate the diversity in teaching and research, respectively, at the disciplinary level and address whether these primary activities mirror each other. As a measure of mismatch between the two activities, we assess the distribution of students and publications by scientific fields through a clustering analysis. Our study of higher education institutions (HEIs) in Russia reveals that private universities are less diverse both in research and teaching and have high teaching intensity compared to state universities. Expectedly, universities in the rankings have more diverse profiles and they have a higher research intensity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In spite of the region's diverse peoples and unique environments, Arctic political analyses frequently remain focused on the traditional level of the state and inter‐state relations. While states undoubtedly play a significant role in Arctic governance arrangements, this paper seeks to direct attention to the agency of the many people and actors performing politics in the region. A more 'peopled' analysis includes renewed attention to professionals – e.g., state personnel, politicians, and diplomats – as well as non‐state actors involved in Arctic politics through different avenues and with different levels of agency. This paper focuses on the so‐called Barents Cooperation, a peace‐building initiative set up in the wake of the Cold War between Nordic states and Russia in the Barents Euro‐Arctic border region. It draws on interviews with professionals involved in the daily running of the Barents Cooperation, including its funding of 'grassroots' and people‐to‐people activities, to ask what can lessons can be learnt about Arctic political participation beyond the state. Based on their reflections, key challenges, successes, and future opportunities are highlighted, and the paper argues for strengthening both the analytical attention to and the practical agency of a wider range of political actors. Geopolitical analyses frequently remain focused on the traditional level of the state and inter‐state relations. While states undoubtedly play a significant role in Arctic governance arrangements, this paper seeks to direct attention to the agency of the many people and actors performing politics in the region, focusing on the political initiative The Barents Cooperation. The paper argues for strengthening both the analytical attention to and the practical agency of a wider range of political actors in geopolitical analyses. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Russia's invasion of Ukraine in February 2022 has severely impacted the healthcare system, including the provision of HIV care. The ongoing war is a human‐caused mass trauma, a severe ecological and psychosocial disruption that greatly exceeds the coping capacity of the community. The bioecological model of mass trauma builds on Bronfenbrenner's concept of interaction between nested systems to argue that social context determines the impact of life events on the individual and how an individual responds. This paper uses the bioecological model of mass trauma to explore the impact of Russia's aggression against Ukraine and the ongoing war on HIV‐positive people who use drugs in Ukraine, a particularly vulnerable population that may be negatively affected by disruptions to social networks, healthcare infrastructure and economic conditions caused by mass trauma. Methods: Data were collected between September and November 2022. A convenience sample of 18 HIV‐positive people who use drugs were recruited from community organizations that work with people living with HIV, drug treatment programmes, and HIV clinics through direct recruitment and participant referral. A total of nine men and nine women were recruited; the age ranged from 33 to 62 years old (mean = 46.44). Participants completed a single interview that explored how the war had affected their daily lives and access to HIV care and other medical services; their relationships with healthcare providers and social workers; and medication access, supply and adherence. Data were analysed using the Framework Method for thematic analysis. Results: The war had a profound impact on the social, emotional and financial support networks of participants. Changes in social networks, coupled with limited job opportunities and rising prices, intensified financial difficulties for participants. Relocating to different regions of Ukraine, staying at somebody else's home, and losing connections with social workers impacted medication adherence and created lengthy treatment gaps. Participants also experienced a decreased supply of antiretroviral therapy, concerns about accessing medication for opioid use disorder, and overwhelming fears associated with the war, which overshadowed their HIV‐related health concerns and negatively impacted medication adherence. Conclusions: Our analysis reveals the complex impact of war on social networks and healthcare access. Maintaining support networks and competent healthcare providers will be essential amid the ongoing war. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper provides an ex‐post impact assessment of the Russian invasion of Ukraine on international grain and oilseed trade. We use a commodity‐level empirical model to assess the counterfactual trade effects and evaluate the region‐specific global trade reallocation effects. We find that grain and oilseed imports from Ukraine were 78.2% below the counterfactual between February and July 2022. The Russia–Ukraine war caused substantial trade diversion, mainly benefiting countries in North America and Europe. The adjustment of global grain and oilseed trade operates primarily through price adjustments, with considerable heterogeneity across commodity groups. Our ex‐ante analysis demonstrates that the Ukraine–Russia war had substantial trade implications for the directly involved countries but only limited ones for the global grain and oilseed markets in terms of traded quantity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summer heatwaves over Europe, which can cause many deaths and severe damage, have become increasingly frequent over central and eastern Europe and western Russia in recent decades. In this paper, we estimate the contributions of the warming due to increased greenhouse gases (GHG) and nonlinear variations correlated with the Atlantic Multidecadal Oscillation (AMO) to the observed heatwave trend over Europe during 1980–2021, when the GHG‐induced warming over Europe exhibits a linear trend. It is found that GHG‐induced warming contributes to ∼57% of the European heatwave trend over 1980–2021, while the cold‐to‐warm phase shift of the AMO‐like variations accounts for ∼43% of the trend via the intensification of midlatitude North Atlantic jet. The recent trend of heatwaves over western and northern Europe is mainly due to GHG‐induced warming, while that over central and eastern Europe and western Russia is primarily related to the combined effect of the AMO‐like variations and GHG‐induced warming. To some extent, GHG‐induced warming is an amplifier of the increasing trend of recent AMO‐related European heatwaves. Moreover, European blocking (Ural blocking, UB) is shown to contribute to 55% (42%) of the AMO‐related heatwave trend via the influence of midlatitude North Atlantic jet. In the presence of a strong North Atlantic jet during the recent warm AMO phase, UB events concurrent with positive‐phase North Atlantic Oscillation can cause intense, persistent and widespread heatwaves over Europe such as that observed in the summer of 2022. Plain Language Summary: In recent decades, severe summer heatwaves frequently occurred in Eurasia and North America. However, what leads to the increased European heatwaves in recent decades is still debated. In this paper, we quantify the contributions of greenhouse gases (GHG)‐induced warming and the multidecadal variations correlated with the Atlantic Multidecadal Oscillation (AMO) to increased European heatwaves in recent decades by assuming that GHG‐induced warming shows a linear upward trend. It is revealed that GHG‐induced warming contributes to ∼57% of the recent European heatwave trend during 1980–2021, whereas the cold‐to‐warm transition of the AMO‐like variations contributes to ∼43% of the trend via strengthening the midlatitude North Atlantic jet. In particular, European blocking (EB) (Ural blocking, UB) accounts for ∼55% (42%) of the AMO‐related heatwave trend, even though the area extent and intensity of European heat waves depend strongly on whether the EB or UB is concurrent with the positive phase of NAO and whether the midlatitude North Atlantic jet is strong. Key Points: Severe summer heatwaves frequently occurred in central and eastern Europe and western Russia in recent decadesThe greenhouse gases‐induced warming and the positive phase of Atlantic Multidecadal Oscillation favor increased European heatwavesThe increased quasi‐stationarity, persistence, zonal scale, and slow decay of the European blocking and Ural blocking favor increased duration, extent and intensity of the European heatwaves [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Dubbed as the beginning of the "new dawn," the year 2018 has served as a watershed moment in terms of South Africa's domestic and international affairs. The basis for this narrative is the fact that in February 2018, Cyril Ramaphosa succeeded Jacob Zuma as the President of South Africa. Among others, this change of guard in South Africa's presidency has ushered an emerging narrative about South Africa's future engagement with Russia in the context of Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa (BRICS) grouping. Unlike former President Zuma who was seemingly inclined towards the East, President Ramaphosa has been linked by observers to the West. It is on this basis that, this paper attempts to address the following central question: Does the Ramaphosa presidency represent a catalyst for change or continuity in terms of South Africa engagement with Russia in the context of BRICS? As a way of departing from the dominant tradition in International Relations of either locating studies of this nature within the realist or liberal perspective, the authors of this paper proposes a holistic approach which is based on the theory of Afrocentricity (also read as a Diopan perspective) and interdisciplinary critical discourse analysis in its broadest form. In this context, this paper establishes an argument that it is not "business as usual" insofar as South Africa's present engagement with Russia is concerned. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Before full‐scale war broke out in 2022, over 1 million Ukrainians resided legally in Poland. Within weeks of Russia's aggression, around 1.5 million new Ukrainian forced migrants had arrived, many of whom remain in Poland. As of September 2023, 970,000 Ukrainian refugees were still in Poland, where they enjoyed temporary protection status. This paper analyses data from a 2022 survey of both forcibly displaced and pre‐war Ukrainian migrants with the aim of establishing what measures are needed to facilitate the economic integration of the former group. The two cohorts differ in terms of gender, age, family status, ways of seeking employment, employment situation and aspirations. Although 66 per cent of respondents had completed tertiary education, only 30 per cent of the forcibly displaced group had Polish‐language skills. The paper recommends strategies for the provision of language education along with solutions to enable the labour market participation of this group and otherwise support their integration. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The COVID pandemic highlighted the interdependence which the expansion of global value chains (GVCs) has fostered across the world economy. Perceived fragilities in the supply of key products led to a growing global debate about the wisdom of high levels of reliance on overseas sources, with several commentators suggesting that the pandemic will foster 'de‐globalisation'. Russia's invasion of Ukraine and the economic disruption which accompanied it, have only served to strengthen concerns about interdependence, especially in Europe. In this paper, we draw on analysis of EU policy responses and GVC governance theory to inform the question of whether it is likely that there will be a major reduction in the geographical reach of GVCs due to the COVID‐19 pandemic. We argue that, although changes in certain GVCs are likely to be fostered (and reinforced) by the response to the pandemic, it does not make widespread 'de‐globalisation' inevitable. Some GVCs will likely reduce in geographic scope, becoming more regional or national, especially in industries which are considered 'strategic'. However, pressures to de‐globalise and their practical impacts will vary significantly across countries and industrial sectors, depending not only on public policy responses, but on variations in the governance of GVCs themselves. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper constructs a regional value chain network based on complex network analysis, and analyses its structural features and dynamic evolution process. The results show that at the macro level, the scales of the domestic trade value‐added (DVA) network and foreign trade value‐added (FVA) network of the 'Belt and Road' (B&R) show an expanding pattern over time. Moreover, the core‐periphery analysis shows that the network exhibits a vivid core‐periphery structure. Then, community analysis reveals that the network has prominent characteristics of regional agglomeration. After 2005, the division of communities tended to be stable, and the representative countries of the DVA network and FVA network communities differed. Finally, at the individual level, as for degree centrality and strength centrality, China, Russia and Thailand are all the cores in the DVA network, while India, an emerging economy, shows increases in the breadth and depth of relations and becomes more important. In the FVA network, Singapore and Russia are more significant. As for PageRank centrality, Russia, Singapore, China and India are all the cores in the DVA network and FVA network, but for betweenness centrality, the core countries that play the 'bridge' role in the DVA network and FVA network are not unified. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Russia has been a powerful ally in Venezuela's complex crisis, having developed political, economic and cultural relations with the Venezuelan state by employing various foreign policy instruments such as mutual support in multilateral fora, foreign aid, loans, commodity trading, military support and cultural diplomacy. What explains this support, despite Venezuela's severe political and economic crisis? Different perspectives have contributed to discussions on shifts in Russian foreign policy towards Latin America since the end of the Cold War. However, studies subscribing to traditional international relations theories have occasionally focused on a single issue or dimension. Such a focus may be problematic when analysing the multifaceted portfolio applied to Russian foreign policy. Based on the Two‐Good Theory approach, its focus on change and maintenance of the status quo, and the concept of substitutability, this research paper elaborates on Russia's foreign policy strategy towards Venezuela to explain policy priorities by examining the alliance with the Venezuelan Maduro regime. Furthermore, the paper highlights the link between the tangible characteristics of energy security and arms sales and intangible aspects, such as cultural diplomacy, which are important explanatory factors of Russian support for Venezuela. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Remittances are an important source of external financing in low‐ and middle‐income countries. This paper uses the gravity model to analyze remittance flows in Russia and Caucasus and Central Asia countries. Standard gravity determinants, such as gross domestic product in sending and receiving countries, bilateral distance, existence of common borders and common official language, and fit remittance, flow well. Remittances also react to inflation and exchange rate movements in recipient countries to sustain their purchasing power. In line with the altruism hypothesis, remittances flow to countries with higher age dependency ratio. Remittances are countercyclical and help stabilize outputs in recipient countries. However, global shocks resulting in sharp output losses of sending countries would lead to large volatility and decline in remittance inflows in recipient countries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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The unprovoked and brutal invasion of Ukraine by Russia on 24 February 2022 is imposing a terrible human cost. In this paper, we use the National Institute Global Econometric Model (NiGEM) to quantify the impact of the war on the global economy. The war represents a massive cost, equivalent to 1% of global GDP in 2022, or about $1.5 trillion valued at purchasing power parity exchange rates (PPP), compared with our GDP forecast made at the beginning of 2022. Europe is the region affected most, given trade links its proximity to Ukraine and Russia and its reliance on energy and food supplies from those countries. GDP in Europe is expected to shrink by more than 1% in 2022 compared with our forecast at the beginning of 2022. In Western Europe, Germany will be worst affected, followed by France and Italy. GDP in 'Developing Europe', where Ukraine is the largest representative, is expected to shrink by 30%. The war will also add about 2% to global inflation in 2022 and 1% in 2023, compared with NIESR's inflation projection at the beginning of 2022. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The paper provides an overview of the—evolving methodology for the land degradation neutrality (LDN) assessment based on studies at national, regional, and local levels in Russia. A review of more than one hundred publications in Russian language over the past 6–7 years allowed for analysis of the following areas: LDN terminology, LDN assessment at different levels, adapting a transition matrix; using the LDN concept for economic valuation of land, estimating LDN baseline, and using LDN as an integral indicator for sustainable land management. With the LDN concept, a global approach to monitoring land degradation has become applicable beyond the limited geographic scope of the drylands. The paper observes how the LDN concept has been broadened with the introduction of the LDN Index proposed to evaluate the rate of LDN achievement; a proposal on reconstructing transition matrices and adding land cover sub‐categories; approach of integrating traditional national sectoral systems for assessing land quality with an LDN add‐on. The broader relevance of the paper includes the justification that it provides for using the LDN concept by policy‐makers at national and subnational levels, in particular in Russian‐speaking countries. It includes the application of additional indicators to capture soil erosion, salinity, soil depletion, aridity, etc., and using different site‐specific LDN baselines, not only those time‐based but also factoring natural background trends like climate change, natural succession cycles linked with geological and geomorphological processes. Approaches for LDN‐based economic valuation of lands and typology of sustainable land management practices and models were also fruitful. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

How do a university leader's publication patterns change after appointment? Until now, few studies have examined whether administrative burden has a significant effect on a leader's publication patterns. This study seeks to evaluate changes in individual publication patterns in relation to academic productivity and increased administrative load. The main expectation is that rectors opt for collaboration instead of publishing single‐authored papers. The analysis of publication data on Russian rectors demonstrates that: (1) a rector's academic productivity is significantly positively related to the share of single‐authored papers and papers in inter‐organizational co‐authorship; (2) every additional year in office adds to the share of co‐authored papers and impedes a yearly increase in article numbers; and (3) previously high individual productivity has a mitigating effect on an increasing share of institutionally co‐authored papers. The results suggest that administrative burden induces changes in collaboration patterns of university leaders. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study examines how news images of refugees in the context of the war in Ukraine mobilize intergroup relations. A visual rhetorical analysis is used to examine the rhetorical strategies employed in news images of Ukrainian refugees in a mainstream Finnish national newspaper from February 25 to May 31, 2022. The data consisted of 465 images. The study constructed four humanizing visual rhetorical strategies based on the visual expression in news images: maternalizing, fragilizing, agonizing, and activizing. The rhetorical strategies constructed four subject positions for Ukrainian refugees: vulnerable victims, innocent victims, suffering Ukrainians, and persistent/resilient Ukrainians. All rhetorical strategies implicitly communicated the subject position of evil to Russia. The paper contributes to the current knowledge of the humanization of refugees in media discourse and the potential of media images to mobilize intergroup relations. Methodologically, the paper elaborates visual rhetorical analysis as a means of social psychological study of refugee discourse in the context of war. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper investigates corporate announcements related to the Russia‐Ukraine conflict of S&P 500 firms. We observe that firms withdrawing from Russia or suspending operations possess higher cash levels. Additionally, firms with more cash seem to announce withdrawals or suspensions more promptly. These findings suggest that cash levels are pivotal in how firms respond to geopolitical events. While cash does not seem influential when firms announce donations due to the conflict, it does affect the speed of such announcements. Social media also appears to play a significant role. Examining investor reactions to donation or withdrawal/suspension announcements, we report negative returns surrounding these announcements. Our paper underscores the critical role of cash reserves (i.e., financial flexibility) in shaping firm reactions to geopolitical events. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Editorial. Focuses on the papers presented at EUROMECH Colloquium 418 on Fracture Aspects in Manufacturing conference held at the Institute for Problems in Mechanics in Moscow, Russia between September 25 to 29 2000. Discussion on fracture in manufacturing operations; Information on manufacturing aspects of polymers, composites and ceramics; Contribution of Russians in the field of fracture mechanics.

Economic sanctions are more popular than ever. But do they affect agricultural trade? Combining two new datasets and capitalizing on the latest developments in the empirical structural gravity literature, we investigate the effects of sanctions on international trade of agricultural products. We find that trade sanctions impede agricultural trade, whereas other sanctions do not show any significant impact. Complete trade sanctions have led to about a 67% decrease in the agricultural trade between the sanctioned and sanctioning countries, or a corresponding tariff equivalent of 25%, and we also obtain significant estimates for partial sanctions. At the industry level, we find substantial heterogeneity depending on the sanctioning and sanctioned countries, the type of sanctions used, and the direction of trade flows. The 2014 sanctions on Russia substantially decreased Russia's agricultural trade, mainly due to reduced trade with the EU but also due to reduced trade with other countries. Although no definitive evidence exists that sanctions alter the actions of governments of receiving countries, this paper provides broad evidence that sanctions hamper agrifood trade and hurt producers, consumers, and real output. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the World Trade Organization (WTO), the co‐sponsors of the Joint Initiative on Services Domestic Regulation signed the Declaration at the conclusion of the negotiations. Incorporating disciplines developed by a group of members into the WTO rulebook is fraught with certain difficulties because of the plurilateral nature of the outcome and possible resistance from non‐participating WTO members. Russia is a member of this initiative, which aims to reduce regulatory barriers to trade in services and does not address market access issues. Despite the significant role of the service sector in the economy, Russia faces systemic restrictions on increasing services trade, although the need to change the structure of foreign trade and diversify the economy has long been overdue. The paper argues that the implementation of disciplines in line with the common intention to improve domestic regulation will help improve Russia's trade in services performance and the business environment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Arctic has experienced the frequent and severe fires in recent years. Due to the unique geography and vegetation type in Arctic region, the fire trend and its driving mechanism are different from other regions and still unclear. This study investigated the fire trends across Arctic region based on Moderate‐resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) burned area product MCD64A1 during 2001–2020. In addition, the burned area change was attributed at spatial and temporal scales based on 15 natural and anthropogenic factors. Results show that the average burned area in Arctic region during 2001–2020 is 31.2 × 103 km2, with a maximum of 51.9 × 103 km2 in 2019. The change of burned area in Arctic region is spatially heterogeneous, with a significant increasing trend (Z > 1.96) in central Russia and a significant decreasing trend (Z < −1.96) in western Russia. There is a clear seasonality in the occurrence of fires in the Arctic, with a peak in the summer months and almost no fires in the winter. Relative humidity has the largest explanatory power for the spatial variation of burned area (q = 0.487), followed by vapor pressure deficit (q = 0.475) and land surface temperature (q = 0.367). The combined effect of precipitation and land surface temperature is the most powerful interaction (q = 0.587) to explain the spatial variation of burned area. The significant increase in time‐series burned area is primarily driven by the decrease of relative humidity. The results of this study are helpful to understand the fire trends and the contribution of climate change to Arctic fires. Plain Language Summary: In recent years, the Arctic has experienced frequent and severe fires. Due to the unique geographical location and vegetation type of the Arctic, it is necessary to understand its fire trends and driving mechanisms. This paper explores the spatial and temporal trends of fires in the Arctic from 2001 to 2020 based on the MODIS satellite‐based burned area product MCD64A1, and considers 15 natural and human influences to explore the driving mechanisms. The results show that the Arctic region burned an average of 31.2 × 103 km2 in 2001–2020, with the highest burned area of 51.9 × 103 km2 in 2019, and that burning events were mostly concentrated in summer. The burned area increases significantly in central Russia and decreases significantly in the west. Relative humidity is the most influential factor in the spatial and temporal variability of Arctic fires, and precipitation and land surface temperature have the greatest combined effect on Arctic fires. The results of this study contribute to the understanding of the process of Arctic fire change and the impact of climate change on Arctic fires. Key Points: The burned area significantly increased (decreased) in central (western) RussiaThe interaction between precipitation and land surface temperature has the greatest effect on Arctic firesThe change in burned area is mainly driven by the change in relative humidity [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper analyzes descriptions of Ukrainian refugees in the aftermath of the Russian invasion of Ukraine. Findings of previous research on news media descriptions of refugees point to problematic descriptions of refugees that downgrade their deservingness of refuge and treat refugee status as an inherent feature of fleeing individuals instead of as contingent on external circumstances. However, there is a widespread perception that Ukrainian refugees are being reported on in a more positive light. We therefore examine how news media describe these refugees. Our corpus includes English media news coverage from February 25, 2022, to March 25, 2022, the initial period of the invasion. A discursive psychological analysis of news interactions where hosts elicit information from correspondents about current ongoings with Ukrainian refugees shows that Ukrainian refugees are constructed as vulnerable, and their actions are treated as reasonable given the situation. These descriptions construct Ukrainian refugees as those who are only contingently refugees and legitimate help‐giving by other parties. Our findings, therefore, highlight distinct, previously unanalyzed ways that refugees are constructed: contingent refugees. We discuss implications of our findings for understanding refugee inclusion and exclusion. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper studies the impact of remittance flows on the size of informal economies in post‐Soviet countries. We compile a unique data set from a cluster of transition economies and use panel data econometric models to estimate effect sizes. Identification comes from varying macroeconomic conditions in Russia, which are plausibly exogenous to currency demand in remittance–recipient countries. Our estimates indicate that, across our models, it seems plausible that around 25% of all remittances flow into the informal economies of the region. Since shadow economies facilitate numerous illegal activities (such as organised crime, informal money lenders and money laundering), stronger regulatory and institutional frameworks accompanied with provision of incentives for informal firms to be integrated in the formal economy are likely to curb undesirable economic behaviour. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Centralized state response is almost universally considered as the first best option for managing pandemics. This paper argues that in reality, states fall short of this ideal. Knowledge problems hinder the government's disease acknowledgement, resource allocation and feedback, while compulsion, political predation, and corruption exacerbate the situation further. On the other hand, a decentralized, voluntary response may overcome knowledge problems and opportunism through effective signals such as prices, better incentives, local knowledge, and internalization of disease‐related externalities. This results in a speedier, more effective, and responsive pandemic management, which also accounts for differences in risk preferences, and becomes a feasible second‐best option. I then apply these insights to Russia and its history of disease management. I focus on three diseases: plague, cholera, and COVID‐19, which results in a historical analysis that spans multiple centuries and different institutional settings. I show that government‐led pandemic response in Russia has been riddled with knowledge problems, abuse, political predation, and violence. On the other hand, a decentralized response was quicker and more effective at managing the disease, often emerging even in the most unfavorable circumstances. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper contributes to a growing literature on the international political world views and foreign policy agendas of European radical right parties with data from in‐depth interviews with current and former elected representatives of Alternative für Deutschland (AfD) and Rassemblement National (RN), focusing on their attitudes towards the United States and Russia. Despite very different party structures, the interviews point to a common pattern of intra‐party variation. Those who display deeper attachment to 'elite' and 'people' categories shaping interpretations of political events, revealed by attachment to conspiracy theories, showed inclination to more radical foreign policy agendas. This includes a stronger inclination to move away from traditional US‐led Western or NATO allies and security frameworks and a stronger preference for cooperation with Russia. For those less deeply committed to notions of malign elite conspiracy, anti‐American thinking was less prominent. For them, a sense of shared values and therefore cultural kinship with Western democracies retains relevance, and attitudes towards Russia are notably more cautious. This highlights the diversity of worldviews within the radical right, including with respect to the boundaries of transnational kinship. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Energy is unquestionably necessary for economic progress, but it also results in carbon emissions, which are the leading cause of environmental deterioration and climate change. From this perspective, clean energy can contribute to both sustainable development and ecological sustainability, as it consists of non‐carbohydrate energy sources that do not or rarely emit greenhouse gases. In this context, this paper investigates economic policy uncertainty (EPU), economic expansion (EE) and clean energy consumption (EC) on carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions in Russia from 1995 to 2021. The autoregressive distributed lag (ARDL) model was used to illustrate the interdependence of factors. The error correction model (ECM) is also used to check the relationship among the study's desired factors. The long‐term investigation found that EPU harms the environment by increasing emission levels. The economic expansion increases CO2 emissions and reduces the environmental quality, supporting the ecological modernization argument. The consumption of clean energy negatively impacts CO2 emission; hence its higher amount reduces the carbon. Thus, the study found a causal relationship between EPU, EC, EE and CO2 emissions. Based on the study's findings, a policy framework is proposed to address the sustainable development goals and environmental quality. Adding the other variables like environmental regulations can be taken as future direction. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Russian Empire had the highest infant mortality rate in Europe at the beginning of the twentieth century. Using a variety of official statistical sources and qualitative evidence, this paper documents uniquely high infant mortality among ethnic Russians. In contrast, among other ethnic groups of the empire, infant mortality rates did not exceed those of the European countries by much. The evidence suggests that the explanation for the Russian infant mortality pattern was ethnic‐specific infant care practices, such as the early introduction of solid food, which increased the incidence of lethal gastrointestinal diseases. Our findings highlight the importance of traditional infant feeding practices in mortality in pre‐industrial societies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The paper focuses on trends in the convergence of labor and multifactor productivity in Russia. Using firm‐level data for the period 2011–2016, we show that firms with low‐productivity grow faster than those with high‐productivity. This result is, however, mostly driven by new entrants. The catch‐up momentum fades after the first few years of a firm's life, so it is not capable of closing the gap between the most and least productive firms in the Russian economy. We show that the gap widened over the period 2011–2016, suggesting major divergence in productivity levels of Russian firms. We also use stochastic frontier analysis to verify the divergence within narrowly defined industries. Our estimates confirm divergence in most industries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper examines the impact of Russia's World Trade Organization (WTO) accession on international trade patterns at the firm level. A large literature of cross‐country studies examines the long‐run trade effects of the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (GATT)/WTO membership. Our paper contributes to this literature by bringing short‐run micro‐level evidence from the experience of a large trading country. Using customs data on the monthly import and export transactions of Russian firms over the period 2011–2015, we investigate the short‐run responses of firm‐level trade along the intensive and extensive margins following Russia's WTO accession in 2012. Our results indicate an increase in the number of foreign countries that Russian firms export to or import from, and a significant increase in the number of exported products. The evidence on the effects of the WTO accession on the intensive margin of firm‐level trade is mixed. Additionally, we find suggestive evidence that the Russian retaliatory food embargo imposed in response to the Crimean economic sanctions might have been intended as a protectionist policy to help out a vulnerable domestic industry (i.e. agriculture) directly impacted by the country's WTO accession. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Western‐style internationalisation of Russian universities, which guided the evolution of the country's higher education sector for over three decades, has been challenged by Western sanctions following the 2022 Russian 'Special military operation in Ukraine'. The authors show through the prism of constructivist theory how the norm on the internationalisation of higher education characterised by the strive for Westernised world‐class universities was adopted and then came to unravel in Russia. A qualitative case study based on 42 expert interviews and an analysis of political discourse and legal documents reveals how the key features of the internationalisation of Russian universities are being challenged. The authors contribute to the expert literature the notion of 'norm reversal', defined as the process whereby an institutionalised and internalised international norm is 'cancelled' in a specific country. The paper shows that the reversal in Russian higher education, which was initially 'circumstantial' is becoming 'intentional', with legal documents being drawn up to accelerate and claim ownership of it. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

On 24 February 2022, Russia launched a major military incursion on Ukrainian territory, thereby initiating one of the biggest international conflicts of the twenty‐first century. Not only has this conflict claimed the lives of thousands of Russians and Ukrainians, but it has also resulted in mass migration. Against this backdrop, this paper sets out to answer the following question: what are the main legal aspects of the migration policy adopted by the Brazilian state in response to the Ukrainian diaspora? The findings of this research indicate that the Brazilian Federal Government has passed ordinances that can protect the human rights of these people on a temporary basis. Although these ordinances have a precarious nature, their beneficiaries will be able to apply for refugee status when their provisions cease to produce legal effects. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper investigates the volatility connectedness and dynamic time–frequency relationship between Bitcoin (BTC) and 15 major agricultural commodity markets during the COVID‐19 and 2022 Russia–Ukraine war periods. We employ the TVP‐VAR‐based extended joint connectedness method, minimum connectedness investment portfolio, and wavelet coherence (WC) method. The results indicate that the sudden outbreaks of the two crises brought about increased volatility connectedness between BTC and agricultural commodity markets. Throughout the entire sample period, BTC remained a net transmitter of volatility. Moreover, in terms of the total connectedness index (TCI), the overall volatility correlation surged rapidly after the outbreak of COVID‐19 and the 2022 Russia–Ukraine war. The portfolio results demonstrated that BTC exhibited a low correlation with the agricultural commodity markets, suggesting diversification potential. Additionally, only Feeder Cattle served as an effective hedging asset for BTC throughout all periods. The WC analysis confirmed that during the COVID‐19 period and the 2022 Russia–Ukraine war, most of the linkages were primarily concentrated at medium‐ to long‐term frequencies. Our analysis will contribute to a deeper understanding of the interconnection between these markets, enabling market participants to consider risk mitigation measures and support portfolio diversification when formulating policies and regulations involving relevant markets in the future. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As schools in Russia become more inclusive for students with special educational needs (SEN), there is a scarcity of research on stakeholders' perspectives. Parents are one of the main actors in education, who possess valuable knowledge about their children and can represent their children's needs in a vicarious manner. This study gives voice to the parents of children with SEN and offers parents' perspectives on the liaison between families and schools. The article focuses on the experience of two families with children with special educational needs (namely, Autistic Spectrum Disorder and intellectual disability). Data was collected through semi‐structured interviews and questionnaires and analysed using the Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis (IPA). The main findings demonstrate that parents' expertise is sometimes neglected and marginalized for different reasons and the school system in Russia is rigid and not able to adjust its approaches to different learners as well as address and allay parents' concerns. Lack of direct interaction blocks the pathway for compromises and mutual understanding. In the parents' view, teachers act on their own assumptions which are oftentimes emotionally loaded and not clearly articulated for the parents. However, parents believe that all the actors of the educational process, that is, teachers, learners and parents, would benefit if teacher‐parent relationships involved a more sensitive and attentive attitude towards each other's requirements and wishes, providing opportunities for negotiating and discussing arguable issues. The paper demonstrates two cases of misunderstanding between teachers and parents and offers implications for practice in teacher education, policy‐making and social work. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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Motivated by the recently experienced systemic shocks (the COVID-19 pandemic and the full-fledged Russia's war of aggression against Ukraine)—that have created new forms of uncertainties to our supplies—this paper explores the supply chain robustness under risk aversion and ambiguity aversion. We aim to understand the potential consequences of deeply uncertain systemic events on the supply chain resilience and how does the information precision affect individual agents' choices and the chain level preparedness to aggregate shocks. Augmenting a parsimonious supply chain model with uncertainty, we analyse the relationship between the upstream sourcing decisions and the supply chain survival probability. Both risk-averse and ambiguity-averse individually-optimising agents' upstream sourcing paths are efficient but can become vulnerable to aggregate shocks. In contrast, a chain-level coordination of downstream firm sourcing decisions can qualitatively improve the robustness of the entire supply chain compared to the individual decision making baseline. Such a robust decision making ensures that in the presence of an aggregate shock—independently of its realisation—part of upstream suppliers will survive and the final goods' supply will be ensured even under the most demanding circumstances. Our results also indicate that an input source diversification extracts a cost in foregone efficiency. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We present two case studies of traveling ionospheric disturbances (TIDs) triggered by the 2022 Tonga volcanic eruption observed by low‐cost CubeSat‐based global navigation satellite system reflectometry (GNSS‐R) measurements. The GNSS‐R data used in this work are from Spire Global CubeSats. Our analysis shows that coherent GNSS signals reflected over the ocean can be used to derive precise ionospheric total electron content (TEC) measurements. The first case shows clear TID structures with a TEC disturbance magnitude of ∼1 TEC unit (TECu) and horizontal wavelength of ∼330 km over Northwest Australia on the day of Tonga volcanic eruption. The second case shows the TIDs with ∼0.05 TECu disturbance magnitude and horizontal wavelength of ∼240 km over East Russia the day after the eruption. The second case is likely a TIDs propagated outward from Tonga for the second time after it traversed around the Earth. The GNSS‐R observed TID may be associated with the incident or reflection signal ray path. In this paper, the appropriate ray path was identified using simultaneous observations from ground receiver networks in the areas of both ray paths. Plain Language Summary: The Tonga volcanic eruption on 15 January 2022 triggered various atmospheric and ionospheric waves which have been observed globally. There have been several studies showing traveling ionospheric disturbances (TIDs) triggered by this event using ground global navigation satellite system (GNSS) networks and GNSS radio occultation measurements. This study shows for the first time that the TIDs can also be observed using GNSS signals reflected from ocean surface and received by a side‐looking antenna onboard a low‐cost CubeSat. The dual‐frequency GNSS reflection (GNSS‐R) signals contain sufficient coherent energy to enable precise total electron content (TEC) estimations. This work presents two case studies of TIDs captured by receivers onboard a Spire Global CubeSat. The first case shows a TID with horizontal wavelength of ∼330 km and TEC disturbance magnitude of ∼1 TECu through the GNSS‐R signals received over Northwest Australia. The second case shows a TID observed over East Russia with TEC perturbation magnitude of ∼0.05 TECu and horizontal wavelength of ∼240 km. The two case results are validated by nearly identical wave characteristics observed by local ground‐based GNSS receivers in Australia and Japan respectively. Key Points: Global navigation satellite system reflections over sea ice and calm oceans have sufficient coherent energy to offer precise total electron content (TEC) measurementsThe global navigation satellite system reflectometry (GNSS‐R) derived TEC is the combination of TEC from incident ray and reflected rayThe GNSS‐R signal scans captured the traveling ionospheric disturbances on the event day and the day after of Tonga eruption [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Number line accuracy (NL accuracy) shows improvement over the course of a school education. However, there are practically no cross‐country longitudinal studies of NL accuracy over the whole course of elementary school. Aims: This study investigated the developmental trajectories of NL accuracy and its types across the elementary school years in two countries—Russia and Kyrgyzstan. Sample(s): The analyses were carried out on the data collected from the sample of 508 schoolchildren at Grades 1, 2, 3 and 4 (aged 6.4–11.9 years) from Russia and Kyrgyzstan, who were surveyed as part of the 'Cross‐cultural Longitudinal Analysis of Student Success' project. Methods: The participants were administered the 'Number Line' computerized test task and a paper‐and‐pencil 'Standard Progressive Matrices' test at the end of each academic year. Results: During the course of the elementary school education, NL accuracy increases nonlinearly in both samples from Grade 1 to Grade 4, with a pronounced increase in the rate of improvement from the first to the second year. Cross‐country differences in NL accuracy were observed during each year of schooling as well as in the growth of NL accuracy. The development of NL accuracy is described by a model with two developmental types: (1) 'high start and growth' (93% of the pooled sample) and (2) 'low start and no growth' (7%). Conclusions: Both NL accuracy and the rate of its growth during elementary school depend on educational conditions. Cross‐country differences in the distribution of schoolchildren by these two developmental types were statistically insignificant. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Several reports published within the journal is presented including one discussing the impact of introducing flat income tax in Russia; another describing changing nature of Russian fiscal federalism and yet another on Russians' own evaluation of the transition experience.

The paper explores the nature of inter‐ethnic, anti‐colonial violence during the First World War and the Russian Revolution (1914–1921). It adopts a comparative approach by juxtaposing the 1916 uprising in Russian Central Asia – specifically, in the Semirech'e oblast – against the anti‐Mennonite pogroms carried out by the Ukrainian peasantry in 1919. The analysis demonstrates that the imperial state, although a significant factor, exercises a highly ambiguous influence: in one case it becomes an enabler of violence, whereas in another it poses an obstacle to it. Furthermore, the paper questions the conventional wisdom of presenting Russia's long crisis as a two‐part process of state disintegration and subsequent state reconstitution; regional dynamics, especially the power relations between the colonized and the colonizers, need to be taken into account if one intends to construct a more comprehensive history of that period. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]