Abstract: In March 2004, the law prohibiting wearing of conspicuous religious symbols in public schools was adopted in France. Today, it may be said that the law aimed at protection of the principles f secularity in secondary education turned schools into “islands of the Republic”, worsening the identity crisis in areas of concern of the Fifth Republic.  The article analyzes the causes that propelled the French Parliament to adopt the law of 2004, as well as the legal and ethno-confessional aspects of its text that are the center of public discussion throughout the past 15 years. This work was written on the basis of the contemporary French historiography, reports of the government and civic organizations, materials of the French national press. The relevance of the selected topic lies in the fact that the experience of France, which first experienced the identity crises in schools, with escalation of religious radicalism among the school students, as well as contestation of school curriculum of various subjects due to the religious beliefs of children and their parents, is quite valuable for other countries, including Russia.

Keywords: Conflict, Fifth Republic, Multiculturalism, Identity, Islam, Religion, School, France, Migrants, Integration

Abstract: Leaning on the systemic approach, the author conducts the analysis of the changes taking place in our society with regards to the stages of the development of thinking process. The conclusion is substantiated that the state of society is defined by the level of reasonableness of those who dominate therein; while the inconsistencies and instability is a result of their inadequateness.

Keywords: Political science, Thinking process, Perceptions, Dualism, Hierarchy, Unity, Verity, Adequateness, Worldview, Politics

Abstract: The subject of this research is the activity of cultural-leisure establishment of the country in tourism sphere. The relevance of this work is substantiated by the priorities of state policy aimed at integrated development of tourism for acquainting citizens with cultural and natural heritage, ensuring economic and sociocultural progress in the Russian regions, growing popularity of educational tourism among Russians, and at the same time, insufficient knowledge of its practices. Studying the practices of educational tourism in the activity of cultural-leisure establishments is the key research objective. The theoretical-methodological foundation contains the set of provisions addressing leisure as a non-formal educational practice. The empirical basis includes the local regulatory acts, performance reports, and questionnaire materials that characterize the activity of cultural-leisure establishments. The conclusion is made on the advantages of educational tourism on the premises of cultural-leisure establishments. Their work of cultural-leisure establishments in tourism sphere allows dedicating more attention to the local culture, history and traditions, consider the interests of various population groups and local society overall, as well as conduct versatile project activities.

Keywords: social tourism, leisure, leisure and educational practices, leisure and educational potential, cultural and leisure institutions, educational tourism, cultural and leisure activities, non-formal education, leisure education, regions

Abstract: The subject of this research is the European Neighborhood Policy; the object is the Mediterranean partnership as one of the priority results and instruments. Special attention is given to the factors confirming the EU wields and realizes the normative-ideological hegemony in the region. It namely refers to the peculiarities of perception of Mediterranean Sea in EU, unique capabilities of the neighborhood policy, and normative force as a specific modus of EU soft power in the international arena. An attempt is made to clarify the structure of such hegemony for overcoming skepticism and underestimation of the European Neighborhood Policy. The author analyzes the texts of European action plans for the member-states of Mediterranean partnership. The analysis is based in the concept of the forms of impact of the European normative force proposed by Lisbeth Aggestam, as well as discourse analysis in the version of Teun A. van Dijk. In conclusion, the author establishes that the structure of such hegemony consists of the four discursive practices, examined and described in accordance with a set of parameters. This, in turn, allowed analyzing the very structure of the EU regional hegemony. The author determines the currently the indicated hegemony undergoes transformation that would lead to increased presence of the European Union in the member-states of the Union for the Mediterranean.

Keywords: North Africa, Middle East, discourse analysis, normative power of Europe, Mediterranean partnership, EU Neighborhood Policy, EU, hegemony, crisis, normative approach

Abstract: The subject of this research is the two projects on reforming the Ukrainian State at the time of severe political crises: South-East Ukrainian Autonomous Republic, which was a response to Orange Revolution of 2004; and Novorossiya, which became a response of the Eastern regions of Ukraine to the events of Euromaidan. The author meticulously analyzes the differences between these two projects that led to failure in one case, and became the key to success in the other. In conclusion, the author makes a forecast of development of the Ukrainian conflict. The research methodology contains the comparative analysis (events of 2004 and 2014) and historical analysis (brief insight into the history of Ukraine and historical prerequisites for the projects). The Russian modern scientific literature lacks studies focusing on the South-East Ukrainian Autonomous Republic, therefore this article is the first Russian-language research dedicated to detailed examination of this phenomenon of the Ukrainian political life. The author explores the geopolitical, historical, and political prerequisites for this phenomenon, emphasizing that many of its ideas underlied the Minsk Agreements.  

Keywords: Åuromaidan, Autonomous Republic, Crimea, Territorial structure of the state, Orange revolution, President of Ukraine, Russia, State, Ukraine, election