The relevance of the article is due to the spatial turn in the humanities which has fundamentally reoriented scholarly understandings of spatial marginality, moving away from economic and geographical determinism to conceptualizing it as a complex product of cultural and symbolic construction. The aim of the article is to identify and analyze the discursive mechanisms of constructing spatial marginality using the example of Inner Mongolia, China, as a complex, historically changing phenomenon. The stated goal predetermines the tasks: 1) to identify the mechanisms of discursive construction of Inner Mongolia as the Borderland in the imperial period; 2) to analyze the transformation of the Province mode in the republican period; 3) to trace how, after 1949, the Periphery and Province modes became dominant, conditioned by the logic of socialist construction; 4) to formulate the concept of integrative marginality as a hybrid regime of territory. The research materials include a corpus of official narratives of the Chinese authorities (government documents, legal acts, policy directives, and political rhetoric), as well as a wide pool of foreign and Russian works on the history of the integration of Inner Mongolia. Methodologically, the study utilizes a critical discourse analysis of official state narratives spanning three distinct historical-political formations — the Qing Empire (since 1636), the Republic of China, and the contemporary People's Republic of China — as well as a decomposition method based on the adapted version of Vladimir Kagansky's cultural landscape matrices model. The result of the study and its key empirical and theoretical contribution is the development of an original four-modal analytical model of spatial marginality and the formulation of its central theoretical concept integrative marginality, describing a sustainable reproduction of the subordinate status of Inner Mongolia through its gradual incorporation within the “homogenous” Chinese Nation. The study concludes that during the imperial period, marginality was constructed primarily through the Borderland mode, based on a Sino-centric perception of the region as a dangerous Other. During the republican period, the crisis of central authority led to a fierce struggle to define the Province mode, making the region a field of clashing external interests. With the establishment of the Communist Party of China (CPC), the logic of dual—economic and cultural-political — integration became dominant. The current stage is characterized by the formation of a hybrid regime of integrative marginality, where the full administrative-economic inclusion of the region is combined with the persistent reproduction of its symbolic subordination through the combination and fusion of all four modes.

In modern healthcare, the existence of professional mythologemes is a particularly paradoxical phenomenon, given that the medical profession is traditionally associated with a rational worldview built on scientific knowledge and technological advances. However, under conditions of uncertainty, high psycho-emotional stress, and increased risk to the patients’ lives healthcare workers often resort to irrational beliefs and associated practices. The analysis of such phenomena is relevant because such beliefs influence widespread individual rituals in healthcare. The aim of this study is to determine the role and significance of professional mythologemes in the structure of healthcare workers' worldview and professional practice. The objectives of this study included: 1) a historical and retrospective analysis of studies devoted to mythological beliefs in medical practice; 2) an examination of the mythological narratives of healthcare workers based on interviews across multiple medical specialties; 3) a description of the narrative (plot) structure of medical mythologemes; 4) determining the role of the mythological component in the structure of healthcare workers' professional worldviews. The study's materials consisted of interviews with healthcare professionals representing various specialties. The participants were physicians and nurses whose specialties involve a high risk to patients' lives, which is associated with significant psycho-emotional stress. A phenomenological interview method was used to collect empirical data. The theoretical and methodological basis of the study is a phenomenological approach, supplemented by elements of interpretive sociology. The study confirmed the hypothesis that the use of mythologemes reflects physicians' desire to achieve the primary goal of their professional activity — ensuring patients’ health and well-being. Mythological themes in medical professional activities have been analyzed since the late 19th century, and contemporary research focuses on their impact on physicians and patients during care. Interviews with medical workers identified key narratives of medical mythology, which help psychologically manage irrational experiences associated with uncontrollable medical risks, primarily risks to patients’ lives and situations where required care exceeds medical personnel’s capacities. The mythological basis of these narratives reflects an archaic worldview, including chthonic motifs, as well as doppelganger and lycanthropy plots. The influence of mythology on professional doctors' behavior is specific and relatively limited: mythological images and plots emerge when rational and logical approaches are insufficient to manage risk. Thus, medical mythology forms a distinct layer of meaning within healthcare workers’ professional worldview and is used in practice to gain control over situations that exceed the scope of professional knowledge, retaining its archaic roots while helping solve real-world problems.

The transformation of folk customs in the context of the current stage of globalization and attempts at their controlled revitalization using so-called humanitarian technologies remain one of the priority areas of research in cultural studies. To this day, funerals and memorials are among the socially significant cultural practices for the Kyrgyz people. This study aims to identify key transformations of Kyrgyz funeral practices in the early 21st century, using the ritual of koshok (a funeral song and lament) as an example. To achieve this goal the following tasks were set: 1) to describe the key features of the memorial and burial process, including koshok, among the Kyrgyz; 2) to systematize scientific data on various aspects of koshok (social, psychological, axiological); 3) to identify changes in the studied cultural practice, considering how values and meanings have shifted as commemoration practices transition from traditional to modern forms; 4) to determine the possibilities and limits of humanitarian technologies aimed at revitalizing funeral and commemorative traditions in Kyrgyz society. The study draws on ethnographic data on the koshok ritual, autoethnographic observations, and survey data. The research relies on a value-based approach that allows the authors  to assess the social significance of specific elements of the memorial ritual. Grief theories are also incorporated. Observation and survey methods were used, and the emotional and psychophysiological states of the participants were analyzed. Based on the example of the koshok ritual, the study identified key vectors of transformation in Kyrgyz memorial traditions. It has been established that these changes are met with an ambiguous attitude and state control. Conclusions. (1) Koshok is a way of working with the collective and individual consciousness to master the phenomenon of the radical frontier between life and death and combined earthly and sacred meaning. (2) Currently, the practice of koshok is being reduced to its psychological, social and value aspects, gradually losing its sacred significance. Cafes and restaurants are becoming venues for holding memorials in contrast with the initially modest ritual feast of meat and bread. (3) The desacralization of rituals reflects the influence of social and economic factors of globalization on cultural traditions. (4) Nevertheless, even in its reduced form, koshok, combining verbal sympathy and material support, retains its significance as a grieving practice, confirming the public demand for the revitalization of this tradition, which is also supported at the legislative level. Further research into the funeral and memorial traditions of Central Asian states will help clarify the dynamics of the semiotic reformatting of this sphere and identify the relationship between the sacred and utilitarian meanings of the corresponding practices.

The article is devoted to the analysis of the reasons and features of the use of pseudonyms by Russian writers. The relevance of this study stems from the need to systematize knowledge about the motives behind the choice of pseudonyms and their role in literary creativity. The aim of the study is to comprehensively analyze the phenomenon of pseudonyms in Russian literature. To achieve this goal, the following objectives were set: 1) to assess the dynamics of literary pseudonym use; 2) to identify the main reasons for the use of pseudonyms; 3) to analyze the rationale and context behind the choice of a particular pseudonym. The research materials include the works and biographical materials of several Russian writers of the 19th and early 20th centuries who used pseudonyms in their literary work. The research methodology is based on historical and literary analysis, as well as a cultural approach, which together allowed the authors to identify patterns and unique instances of pseudonym use. The results of the study expand understanding of the role of pseudonyms in Russian literature and demonstrate that the unique palette of Russian literary pseudonyms is shaped by the combination of several factors. The following conclusions were made in the course of the study: 1) two opposing dynamic models of the pseudonym process were identified: the transition from a pseudonym to a real name and, conversely, the replacement of a real name with a fictitious one, including the formation of double surnames; 2) a classification of the reasons for the use of pseudonyms was established, dividing them into external, conditioned by the socio-political context, and internal, associated with the personal or creative motives of the author; 3) two main types of logic for choosing a pseudonym were identified: autobiographical, referring to factual aspects of the writer's life, and allusive, inspired by cultural and literary phenomena.

The relevance of the research is due to the fundamental transformation of the system of international relations towards polycentricity, where, along with traditional factors of power, the role of communicative and value resources is increasing. Russian, being one of the official languages of the United Nations and preserving a significant communicative space in the post-Soviet territory, has found itself at the epicenter of the contradictory processes of globalization, regionalization, and digitalization, thereby necessitating a new understanding of its strategic potential and limitations. The purpose of the article is to conduct a comprehensive interdisciplinary analysis of the role of the Russian language as a factor in international relations in order to identify its resource base, systemic challenges, and likely development trajectories in the emerging polycentric world order. The objectives of the study derive from the stated goal and include: 1) reconstruction of the historical evolution of the international status of the Russian language; 2) classification and characterization of its modern multifunctional manifestations in various fields; 3) analysis of the geopolitical and civilizational dynamics associated with the language; 4) a critical assessment of its effectiveness as a soft-power instrument; 5) identification of key trends and formulation of alternative scenarios for its future. The research is based on a set of scientific publications on sociolinguistics and international relations, official documents of the United Nations, the EAEU, the SCO, statistical data, and the results of sociological surveys. The methodological basis is a systematic approach supplemented by historical, genetic (diachronic), and comparative methods, as well as content analysis. The study demonstrates the dual nature of the modern Russian language has been established. Russian functions simultaneously as an instrument of integration and practical communication in the Eurasian space and as a field of ideological and informational confrontation. The key trends determining its development have been identified: sustainable regionalization, deepening diversification of language preferences under the influence of global competition, as well as the significant influence of digital transformation and demographic challenges. Thus, it is concluded that the stability of the Russian language's position is ensured by its institutional status, functional necessity within the framework of Eurasian integration, and unique historical and cultural capital. However, its long-term future will depend on Russia's overall socio-economic and political trajectory, and its ability to generate meanings and products that are attractive to the international community. The most realistic scenario seems to be that it will retain the status of one of the world's leading regional languages without returning to the global influence characteristic of the bipolar era.

True Orthodox Christians (TOC) are a set of movements within the Russian Orthodox Church that emerged in the 1920s–30s under the conditions of the harsh anti-religious policy of the Soviet state. Their field study was conducted by A. I. Klibanov's group and later by his student A. I. Demyanov in the late 1950s–1970s. Dozens of works on TOC have appeared in the post-Soviet period; however, comprehensive field research on TOC has been practically non-existent. Our research group has been conducting a comprehensive field study of TOC in the Central Black Earth Region since 2018. This article introduces materials on TOC in the Voronezh region into scholarly discourse, based on materials obtained during an expedition in 2025. The aim of the study was to identify the role of hand-drawn popular prints (lubki) in the worldview of the local catacomb community. To achieve this goal, the following tasks were solved: 1) to identify the place of Voronezh hand-drawn lubki in the system of popular piety; 2) to reconstruct the historical fate of the lubki; 3) to characterize the genre of visions in the folk tradition; 4) to describe the plot and figurative specifics of Voronezh lubki; 5) to establish the ideological foundations of the corresponding figurative solutions in the context of the socio-political processes of the second half of the twentieth century. In implementing this study, we relied on modern approaches in the field of anthropology of religion. The research methodology at the stage of collecting materials included comprehensive fieldwork, observation, in-depth and biographical interviews; at the stage of analysis the research methodology employed archaeographic description of the identified sources, comparative-historical and plot analysis of hand-drawn lubki and similar works of the Chasovennye Old Believers, as well as lubki of the Synodal period; as well as analysis of visual artifacts in line with the material turn. As the result, hand-drawn lubki within the TOC milieu have been identified and described for the first time and their role in the visual preaching has been established. Conclusions: (1) Wall leaflets and popular prints became widespread in the 18th century and retained their significance for the personal prayer space of believers even during Soviet anti-religious campaigns. In the 20th century, hand-drawn lubki were created not only by Old Believers but also by members of the TOC communities. (2) Thanks to the work with the archive of the secret monastery, the author of the images was identified—the repeatedly repressed Hieromonk Meletiy (Matvey Efimovich Shcheglov (1913-2013)). The lubki were created by him during his exile in the Krasnoyarsk region in 1964. (3) Meletiy calls his lubki visions, which increases their status within the community. Eschatological visionary work allows for the legitimization of the behavioral strategies of the catacomb community members: refusal to join collective farms, participate in elections, receive benefits, etc. (4) The key themes presented in the lubki are the Church as a boat of the elect; the Last Judgment over Soviet citizens; the fate of the Church in the era of persecution. (5) These images reflect the features of radical visual preaching, clearly separating the perceived antichrists of the world and the community-boat of the elect. Further study of these and similar artifacts will allow for a more complete picture of the diversity of religious life in Russia during the Soviet period.

The relevance of interdisciplinary research on medieval cultural phenomena is due to their considerable influence on later societal development. Despite the considerable attention that Armenian medieval miniatures have already received from scholars in the field of art history and theology, this article represents a novel interdisciplinary contribution. The term artistic colophon is employed to denote images that also function as a colophons, i.e., serve as a note to portray the depicted person. This method, unlike a prayer text, combines the portrait and the text, thereby creating an illusion of the presence of the prayer book and reminding of the manuscript's creators. The purpose of this paper is to reveal the colophon significance of portraits of miniaturists, manuscript recipients (customers), and other individuals, which were widespread in Armenian medieval miniature painting. To achieve the goal the following tasks were set: 1) to systematize references to similar cases available to modern researchers; 2) to trace the features of the colophon presence of portraits; 3) to refine the existing typology by introducing new cases; 4) to propose a model of justification for the admissibility of the presence of portraits in Armenian medieval miniature painting that is relevant to medieval consciousness. The material of research were the manuscripts from the 12th to 17th centuries, copied across various Armenian monasteries and copying centres and currently stored in the Matenadaran (Mesrop Mashtots Institute of Ancient Manuscripts in Yerevan, hereinafter MM). Attention was focused on Armenian medieval miniatures, which include portraits, self-portraits, and accompanying commemorative inscriptions. The theoretical and methodological foundation of this study was formed by historical-genetic and hermeneutic approaches, as well as the descriptive method and comparative and narrative analysis of the selected works. As a result of the study, the colophon meaning of portraits in Armenian medieval miniatures was described in detail. In conclusion, portraits in Armenian medieval miniatures can be systematized according to placement (separate or integrated into the text) and subject matter (everyday scenes or Gospel scenes), with outer-margin placements next to chorans representing a distinct case. The arrangement, composition, and accompanying commemorative notes left by miniaturists allow these portraits and self-portraits to be considered artistic colophons. They include Christological miniatures, outer-margin portraits, self-portraits on separate pages following canonical evangelist styles, and portraits of manuscript commissioners often depicted as dedicatory miniatures. Inclusion of these portraits does not contradict the humility of medieval man, as they are addressed primarily to future readers and request prayers for the soul of the creator or depicted person rather than addressing God directly. This model highlights a little-studied aspect of medieval everyday culture and warrants further research using these and other materials.

It is widely believed that, in accordance with the Torah's command, Judaism forbids the creation of any images of "what is in the heavens, on the earth, and in the waters beneath the earth," and that visual art associated with Jewish tradition simply does not exist. This notion persists today, despite the vast number of discoveries and studies in Jewish art that convincingly refute this thesis. The relevance of this article is due to the insufficient scholarly attention paid to the study of the purpose of images within Jewish religious practice and the need to develop such research. The purpose of this work is to understand the specificity of miniatures in early medieval Jewish codices (manuscripts of the Torah and Tanakh). To achieve this goal, the following tasks were undertaken. 1) The status of the sacred book in Judaism was analyzed. 2) The iconography of miniatures in early medieval codices from the National Library of Russia and their correlation with the texts were studied. 3) The purpose of carpet pages in these manuscripts was clarified. The material for this study consisted of miniatures in Torah and Tanakh manuscripts from the collection of 10th-13th century manuscripts from the Middle East, housed in the National Library of Russia in St. Petersburg. The methodological basis of the study includes a phenomenological description of the artifacts, an examination of the manuscripts in the context of Jewish understandings of the Torah and Tanakh, and conceptual analysis with the use of contemporary works devoted to the digital decipherment of masora figurata (commentaries written in the form of micrographic ornaments) in medieval codices. Solving these tasks led to the following results: 1. The systematization of data on the status of sacred books demonstrates that codices are perceived by Jews as sacred objects. 2. The only form of imagery in these books consists of fully ornamented carpet pages, which include geometric and floral motifs, temple symbolism, and patterns made using micrographic techniques. Data analysis led to the conclusion that the carpet pages, together with the cover, form a unique "garment" for the book, visually marking it as a sacred object with a special status. 3. The images of the carpet pages reinforce the book's status as a receptacle of the divine presence replacing the presence of God in the lost Temple. It is concluded that the key feature of artistic images in early medieval Jewish manuscripts is their inclusion in the religious practice of using books of Holy Scripture as sacred objects. The novelty of the study lies in the interpretation of micrographic ornaments and images of the temple, not merely as decoration of purely aesthetic value, but as a key instrument of the sacralization of the manuscript, actualizing the iconic function of the Holy Scripture and reinforcing the perception of the book of revelation as a place of the real presence of the divine in the material world.

Grigory Wyruboff (1843–1913) was a Russian positivist philosopher whose major works remain little-known and largely inaccessible in Russia. As he spent most of his life in France his philosophical, sociological, and methodological writings, written primarily in French, were never translated or published in Russian. This volume, edited by N. D. Lobanov-Rostovsky and E. S. Fedorova, introduces Wyruboff’s Russian-language literary heritage, presenting his memoirs and archival articles with detailed commentary — the first such publication in Russia. Wyruboff’s writings are marked by an original and temperamental style: vivid, engaged, and abundant in historical detail. His memoirs are particularly valuable for their broad depiction of the social life of his era. He offers a thorough account of the education system at the Alexander Lyceum in the late 1850s and at Moscow University in the early 1860s, reflecting on his experiences and proposing potential improvements. As both an observer and participant, Wyruboff provides firsthand descriptions of major historical events, including the Paris Commune of 1871, the Second Carlist War in Spain, and the Russian-Turkish war of 1876–1877. The collection also includes Wyruboff’s articles from French newspapers of the late 1860s, which form a series of sociocultural essays — a journalistic approach novel to Russian periodicals of the time. Through these essays, he systematically analyzes the sociopolitical dynamics of French society and speculates on its developmental trends. Notably, this edition is the first to publish Wyruboff’s sociological analyses based on press materials. The volume is well-organized and encompasses a wide range of Wyruboff’s works, including his early article Russia and Positivism. It also features memoirs by his contemporaries, which offer justified insight into his influence on the moral and scientific outlook of young intellectuals. A distinctive aspect of the publication is its commentary, compiled with the assistance of Wyruboff’s relatives, adding a personal dimension to the scholarly apparatus. This edition represents a significant step in reclaiming Wyruboff’s overlooked legacy, making his Russian-language works available to a broader audience. It will be of interest to scholars of positivism, 19th-century intellectual history, and Russian-French cultural exchange.

In an interview with our journal Dr. Boris Bratina, a prominent Serbian philosopher who currently serves as a minister in the Government of Serbia, shared his vision of the prospects of philosophical education in Serbia and worldwide. Philosophy cannot be confined to university lecture halls, as an atmosphere free of debate is vital for its very existence. Since Socrates, this aspect of philosophical work has been conceptualized as ‘going to the people’ or speaking to people in the streets. Today, this practice is necessary primarily for philosophy itself, which, under the influence of ‘cold media,’ is losing its orientation toward truth and acquiring features of servility and dogmatic pedantry. The apogee of the trend is the extreme pragmatization of the relationship between philosophy and society, which Bratina links to the analytical tradition. However, reducing truth to its utilitarian qualities is neither adequate nor sustainable. Bratina notes that this is why non-Western philosophy is reasserting itself so powerfully today. In this context, Western discrimination, including its psychologization of philosophy, the search for ‘non-historic’ nations, and Eurocentrism, must be critically rethought. As is well known, Minerva's owl flies only at dusk. This Hegelian image perfectly captures the significance of philosophical reflection as the key feature of philosophy. Responding to a question on the continuity of philosophical knowledge, Bratina did not insist on the exclusively non-systemic character of genuine philosophy. A university professor can be not only a teacher but also a true philosopher. Speaking of his friend and teacher, Mihailo Marković, he emphasized the latter's involvement in political life as, first and foremost, a philosopher—that is, a person whose life is dedicated to the search for truth. This practical orientation of philosophy allows Bratina to realize himself in a high-ranking administrative and organizational position without losing his philosophical calling. Ultimately, philosophy can exist only as free reflection, which inevitably makes it capable of actively changing the world and humankind.