Islam in Karachay-Cherkessia Region During the Soviet Period

Based on a wide range of sources, this article shows the development of Islam on the territory of Karachay- Cherkessia during the Soviet period. In the fi rst years of Soviet power, the declared atheism did not prevent the Bolsheviks from using the religious factor to attract the sympathy of the population. The commonality of Islam and Bolshevism in relation to social equality and justice was declared, and the system of Shari‘a legal proceedings was preserved for some time. As their positions were strengthened, the Bolsheviks no longer needed allies, the religious infrastructure was destroyed, and the clergy, including the Islamic ones, were repressed. However, in the conditions of the Great Patriotic War, when the need arose for the formation of patriotic sentiments, religion again took its, albeit limited, place in public life. The sound policy pursued by the regional authorities with regard to Islam in the 1980s made it possible to successfully resist the onslaught of religious extremism that hit the country in the post- Soviet period and build a religious infrastructure practically from scratch.

THE STRUCTURE OF THE MECHANISM FOR STRENGTHENING THE TRUST OF THE AUTHORITIES: THEORETICAL AND METHODOLOGICAL ANALYSIS

В статье представлена структура механизма укрепления доверия власти. Исследование механизма укрепления доверия власти актуально, так как в условиях распространения коронавирусной инфекции COVD-19 наблюдается снижение доверия населения к основным социальным институтам, в том числе политическим. Актуальность рассматриваемого вопроса связана с важностью выявления информационных, организационных, правовых и управленческих технологий формирования доверия, которые могут быть реализованы региональными органами власти. При этом доверие как социальный феномен интерпретируется с позиций трех базовых оснований: «позитивных ожиданий», «позитивного настроя» и «доверительных отношений». Посредством обобщения исследовательского опыта представителей структурно-функционального подхода в статье определены основные элементы механизма укрепления власти: субъект, объект, базовые нормы взаимодействия, средовые условия, взаимодействие, планируемый и реальный результат. На основе проведенного теоретического исследования делается вывод о том, что укрепление доверия власти предполагает взаимодействие между субъектами социально-политических процессов, представленными управленческими группами, средствами массовой информации, общественными объединениями и группами, гражданами, результатом которого становится гармонизация отношений общественных структур и органов власти. The paper presents the structure of the mechanism for strengthening the trust of the authorities. The study of the mechanism of strengthening the trust of the authorities is relevant, since in the conditions of the spread of coronavirus infection, there is a decrease in public confidence in the main social institutions, including political ones. The relevance of the issue under consideration is related to the importance of identifying information, organizational, legal and managerial technologies for building trust that can be implemented by regional authorities. The work defines the main elements of the mechanism: subject, object, basic norms of interaction, environmental conditions, interaction, planned and real result. Basing on a theoretical study, we conclude that strengthening the trust of the authorities involves interaction between the subjects of socio-political processes, represented by management groups, the media, public associations and groups, citizens, which results in the harmonization of relations between social structures and authorities.

Regional Economic Growth and R&D Costs

Innovations can help Russia to achieve economic growth. However, the R&D sector that produces these innovations totally depends on funding. The article introduces an analysis of the trends in R&D funding in Russia. Regional funds for financial support of research, technical, and innovative activities seem to be an effective tool that will eventually contribute to the economic growth. The research objective was to identify the relationship between R&D funding and economic growth. A review of scientific publications revealed some theoretical aspects behind the effect of R&D costs on other indicators of economic growth. A cluster analysis made it possible to identify some regions where the relationship between R&D expenditures and indicators of economic growth are most pronounced. The study can help regional authorities to plan local budgets and achieve economic growth for their regions.

The Response of Creative Class Members to Regions Vying to Attract Them With Subsidies

There are no theoretical studies in regional science that examine which region to locate in from the standpoint of a creative class member, given that the pertinent regional authorities (RAs) are competing among themselves to attract the creative class using subsidies. This gap provides the motivation for our paper. This paper’s contribution is that it is the first to theoretically study the regional location choice of creative class members when the RAs of the locations in which they might locate are using subsidies to attract them. Specifically, a knowledge good producing creative class member must decide which of two regions ( A or B) to locate his plant in. This good is produced using a Cobb–Douglas function with creative and physical capital. We analyze plant location in four cases. In the benchmark case, we show that the representative creative class member ought to locate his plant in the less expensive region B. Next, we show that a small subsidy to creative capital by region A switches the plant location decision from region B to A. Finally, when both regions grant identical subsidies to creative capital, the representative creative class member is indifferent between locating in regions A and B. So, for identical subsidies to affect the plant location decision, they are better targeted to physical and not to creative capital. JEL Codes: R11, R58

Arboviral Disease Outbreaks in the Pacific Islands Countries and Areas, 2014 to 2020: A Systematic Literature and Document Review

Arthropod-borne diseases pose a significant public health threat, accounting for greater than 17% of infectious disease cases and 1 million deaths annually. Across Pacific Island countries and areas (PICs), outbreaks of dengue, chikungunya, and Zika are increasing in frequency and scale. Data about arbovirus outbreaks are incomplete, with reports sporadic, delayed, and often based solely on syndromic surveillance. We undertook a systematic review of published and grey literature and contacted relevant regional authorities to collect information about arboviral activity affecting PICs between October 2014 and June 2020. Our literature search identified 1176 unique peer-reviewed articles that were reduced to 25 relevant publications when screened. Our grey literature search identified 873 sources. Collectively, these data reported 104 unique outbreaks, including 72 dengue outbreaks affecting 19 (out of 22) PICs, 14 chikungunya outbreaks affecting 11 PICs, and 18 Zika outbreaks affecting 14 PICs. Our review is the most complete account of arboviral outbreaks to affect PICs since comparable work was published in 2014. It highlights the continued elevated level of arboviral activity across the Pacific and inconsistencies in how information about outbreaks is reported and recorded. It demonstrates the importance of a One-Health approach and the role that improved communication and reporting between different governments and sectors play in understanding the emergence, circulation, and transboundary risks posed by arboviral diseases.

Study of innovation activity dynamics in Russia’s federal districts

The dynamics of indicators of innovation activities of Russia’s federal districts over 2005– 2019 has been studied. During this period, there has been an increase in the number of organisations that carried out research activities, and also in the total domestic expenditure on research and development. The number of new production technologies and the volume of innovative products produced has increased, and the payback rate on research and development costs has risen in all regions. The trends of decreasing in the innovation activities of organisations and a significant reduction in the number of personnel employed in the field of research and development have been detected. The share of new products in the total volume of products shipped remains low. This situation requires national and regional authorities to take appropriate regulatory actions.

Government Response Capacity to the COVID-19 Pandemic

This work estimates the impact of the preventive isolation measures adopted by national and regional authorities in Colombia to answer the following question: Where do the government's isolation measures effectively reduce the number of COVID 19 infections and deaths? Using official information reported by the Ministry of Health and constructing a panel data structure, a model of differences in differences suggested by Cerulli and Ventura is estimated. Estimates of the impact of containment measures show that the peak is delayed and the number of infections and deaths reduced. The government's response to the pandemic on diseases has a significant dynamic impact over time once implemented. The pre-treatment period was significantly affected by the current treatment.

Regions of the North-West of Russia: Analysis of the Conditions for the Implementation of Social Innovation

Introduction. International experience shows that social innovation is an important tool for regional development, although this type of innovation is a relatively new phenomenon for Russia. On the basis of the research conducted, the article analyzes the conditions for the implementation of social innovation which has a significant potential to meet the challenges of territorial development. Materials and Methods. Based on materials from open sources, as well as on an expert survey conducted by the Vologda Research Center of the Russian Academy of Sciences with the direct participation of the author, the conditions for the implementation of social innovation prevailing in the constituent entities of the Northwestern Federal District of the Russian Federation were analyzed in the context of legal, infrastructural, economic, and socio-cultural components. Using the results of the expert survey, a quantitative assessment of the level of development of the conditions for the implementation of social innovation was given. The main barriers preventing the reproduction of social innovation within the territory under consideration were revealed. Results. The study has revealed that in the regions of the Northwestern Federal District the conditions for the implementation of social innovation are at the stage of active development: infrastructure and legislation are being formed; financial, tax and property support is being provided; educational programs are being implemented. The study has also shown that there are a number of problematic aspects associated with the underdevelopment of the regulatory framework, with the lack of Centers for innovation in the social sphere in a number of constituent entities, with the limited availability of some financial instruments, with low social and innovative activity of people, etc. Discussion and Conclusion. The results obtained are supported by other studies, which substantiates the need for policy adjustment towards improving the relevant regulatory framework, economic conditions, infrastructure, and socio-cultural environment. The research materials can be used by regional authorities when making managerial decisions to support social innovation; they can also be useful for further studies within the framework of the issues under consideration.

Regions of the North-West of Russia: Analysis of the Conditions for the Implementation of Social Innovation

Introduction. International experience shows that social innovation is an important tool for regional development, although this type of innovation is a relatively new phenomenon for Russia. On the basis of the research conducted, the article analyzes the conditions for the implementation of social innovation which has a significant potential to meet the challenges of territorial development. Materials and Methods. Based on materials from open sources, as well as on an expert survey conducted by the Vologda Research Center of the Russian Academy of Sciences with the direct participation of the author, the conditions for the implementation of social innovation prevailing in the constituent entities of the Northwestern Federal District of the Russian Federation were analyzed in the context of legal, infrastructural, economic, and socio-cultural components. Using the results of the expert survey, a quantitative assessment of the level of development of the conditions for the implementation of social innovation was given. The main barriers preventing the reproduction of social innovation within the territory under consideration were revealed. Results. The study has revealed that in the regions of the Northwestern Federal District the conditions for the implementation of social innovation are at the stage of active development: infrastructure and legislation are being formed; financial, tax and property support is being provided; educational programs are being implemented. The study has also shown that there are a number of problematic aspects associated with the underdevelopment of the regulatory framework, with the lack of Centers for innovation in the social sphere in a number of constituent entities, with the limited availability of some financial instruments, with low social and innovative activity of people, etc. Discussion and Conclusion. The results obtained are supported by other studies, which substantiates the need for policy adjustment towards improving the relevant regulatory framework, economic conditions, infrastructure, and socio-cultural environment. The research materials can be used by regional authorities when making managerial decisions to support social innovation; they can also be useful for further studies within the framework of the issues under consideration.