Imams’ Prison Service in Nizhny Novgorod Oblast in 2007-2021

This article is devoted to the imams’ prison service of the Spiritual Administration of Muslims of the Nizhny Novgorod Region (DUMNO) in the institutions of the Federal Penitentiary Service of Russia in 2007-2021. The relevance of the study lies in the fact that the imams’ work comes as a contribution to the observance of the convicts’ rights for the freedom of conscience and to the help in practicing their religion. This article describes the evolution of the imams’ prison service as a form of social service in the period from 2007 to 2021 in institutions of to the Offi ce of Federal Penitentiary Service of Russia in Nizhny Novgorod Region. The source base of the study includes materials of the offi cial websites of the DUMNO, the Offi ce of Federal Penitentiary Service of Russia in Nizhny Novgorod Region, the media content, Russian legislation and regulations, interviews with imams, offi cials of Federal Penitentiary Service of Russia and convicts. The study results a vision of the evolution of relations between DUMNO and the Offi ce of Federal Penitentiary Service of Russia in Nizhny Novgorod Region. The paper demonstrates a gradual increase in the number of imams’ contacts, forms of work with convicts to improve the situation in the fi eld of rights of convicts. Moreover, the research exposes the fact of growing numbers of imams having gained experience in prison service. According to the results of the study Islamic education for convicts comes as the important part of imams’ prison service.

Features of Forming of Trust among Student Youth to Information in the Media Network

The article investigates the peculiarities of formation of students’ trust in information in online and offline communication spaces. For this purpose the theoretical hypothesis of the dual orientation of trust genesis is substantiated: basal and socio-cultural. The first orientation is connected with the action of primary social institutions, the second – with the action of secondary institutions and sociocultural technologies. But the meaning of trust is unified: possessing the character of social automatism, it is a general condition for launching specific kinds of people’s relations and activities. This is its positivity, which, however, does not guarantee the positivity of the result of activity. The hypothesis is tested by analyzing the results of empirical data on Nizhny Novgorod Oblast. The article analyzes the criteria for forming trust in Internet information sources, reveals its qualitative levels and shows how online interaction in information space contributes to the formation of a qualitatively new form of trust – socio-cultural.

Assessing the demographic situation in single-industry cities: The Nizhny Novgorod agglomeration case study

Subject. This article deals with the issues of development of the economy of monocities and creation of agglomerations. Objectives. The article aims to assess the impact of an urban agglomeration on changing the demographic situation in the monocities that make up its membership. Methods. Examining the data of the Federal State Statistics Service, and official websites of the Nizhny Novgorod Oblast and monocities under consideration, we used a comparative analysis. Results. Manufacturing and agriculture are the basis of the industry specialization of the monocities under consideration. During the period 2018–2020, the demographic situation in the monocities of the Nizhny Novgorod metropolitan area has not changed much. Conclusions. To include a monocity in the metropolitan area, its various features should be considered. Comprehensive institutional measures to create effective governance models are necessary to heighten an agglomeration effect.

Key vectors for improving the activity of regional bodies of the Federal Treasury given the integrated management of public finance

Subject. The article focuses on a set of financial and budgetary relations existing in regional bodies of the federal treasury, inter alia, in public finance management. Objectives. We search for new tools and available methods to enhance the performance and efficiency of the Federal Treasury bodies, illustrating the operation of the Federal Treasury for the Nizhny Novgorod Oblast. Methods. The study is based in general methods (the analysis and synthesis, abstraction and generalization), specific research (special) methods (economic analysis, statistical-economic method). Results. We devised the methodological framework to pinpoint vectors to follow ensuring the development of treasury system. As part of the study, we discovered two main factors to improve the activity of the Department of the Federal Treasury for the Nizhny Novgorod Oblast, such as Factor 1 – The Automated Finance Management System, Factor 2 – Financial Forecast. Considering the impact of the factors, we can determine what can be done to strategically manage public and municipal finance. Based on the studies, we can recommend steps to enhance the performance of the treasury system. Conclusions and Relevance. To implement Factor 1, we suggest setting the single identification and authentication system, which will help outline the public and municipal finance management strategy during turbulent times. To implement Factor 2, we propose methodological principles for forecasting of public finance, which will be based on the time series analysis so as to evaluate patters and dependencies and subsequently make up a model for further trend forecast. The findings will be useful for executives of the Federal Treasury offices and professionals delegated to manage public finance. Furthermore, the findings can underlie further research on economics and finance.

EPIDEMIOLOGICAL CHARACTERISTICS OF COVID-19 IN NIZHNY NOVGOROD OBLAST DURING FEBRUARY 26, 2020 TO JULY 22, 2020

We studied individual parameters of the COVID-19 epidemic process in the Nizhny Novgorod region for the period from February 26 to July 22, 2020. It was shown that the most intensively involved in the epidemic process were persons of the age category from 42 to 65 years, among the sick the proportion of women was more (58,12%) than the proportion of men (41,8%). A positive correlation was found between the number of COVID-19 cases and age for the age groups from 19 to 41 years old and from 42 to 65 years old.

Institutional Changes in State Authorities Collaborating with NGOs

This article focuses on recent changes in the practices of state and municipal authorities when collaborating with NGOs on various state-driven developmental initiatives, from national projects and federal programs to smaller-scale regional programs. There is a consensus in the civil society literature that a two-track state policy towards NGOs has emerged: repressive measures toward 'political' NGOs are combined with support and encouragement for 'socially-orientted' NGOs (SO NGOs). The focus in this article is on SO NGOs and offers an analysis of new trends in state-NGO interactions. As certain functions, authorities, and responsibilities from the state agencies have been transferred to NGOs (SO NGOs), the action patterns, organisational structures, values and norms on the both sides have also evolved. On the one hand, the authorities express willingness to take measures and give NGOs new powers in the implementation of social policy. On the other hand, there are also concerns about procedural and, sometimes, values-related mismatches between the authorities and SO NGOs. The article is based on expert interviews with three groups of actors in Nizhny Novgorod Oblast: the regional and municipal authorities; entrepreneurs; and representatives of SO NGOs. What is found is that a shift in values is noticeable. Some NGOs are potentially interested in gaining the status of 'socially oriented' and, consequently, funding and support for their activities. At the same time, they face difficulties adjusting to the demands of the authorities. Therefore, organisations of both types (NGOs and state agencies) must make mutual adjustments in terms of practices and values.

Expert assessment of animal infectious pathology nosological profile boundaries in a specific agroclimatical zone

Functioning of 51 parasitic systems has been retrospectively ascertained in the South-Eastern agroclimatic zone of Nizhny Novgorod Oblast, their co-agents, apart from their excitants, being productive and non-productive domestic and wild animals. For the entire depth of retrospection (82 years) eleven nosounits of infectious pathology in the region (21.6%) dominated in the quantity of epizootic foci and diseased animals (rabies, dictyocaulosis, infectious atrophic rhinitis, classical pig plague, pyroplasmosis, salmonellosis, swine erysipelas, anthrax, fasciolasis, blackleg, aphtha). They accounted for 241 episootic foci in the nosological profile of infectious pathology (68.5% of the total quantity of animal infectious disease epizootic foci in the region throughout the retrospection). At the same time, 13 nosounits in the investigated territory were registered only once during the entire period of retrospection, no expansion of the boundaries of their epizootic manifestation was ascertained, and carryover of the excitant of these infectious diseases beyond the limits of the original epizootic focus was prevented. Relapses of their epizootic occurrences in the region were prevented as well. Ten nosounits of animal infectious pathology (18%) in the aggregate animal pathology in the examined region during the entire period of retrospection were registered twice (hen typhus, swine and cattle taeniasis, swine metastrongylosis, contagious cattle rhinotracheitis, hen ascaridiasis, cattle parainfluenza, bee nosematosis). In addition, potential danger of animal infectious pathology spontaneous emergence and expansion was revealed in the South-Eastern zone of Nizhny Novgorod Oblast (anthrax, blackleg, cattle tuberculosis, fasciolasis, classical and African pig plague, pyroplasmosis, echinococcosis, rabies). Schematic models of the biological hazard epizootic component potential threat in the region have been designed. New scientific data have been obtained about the epizootic condition dynamics of rural and urban territories in the region as a biological hazard epizootological component, about regional peculiarities of animal infectious pathology specific nosounits, about their potential epidemic danger in the region.

Renewal of small cities in European Russia (case study of Borovichi, Vyksa, Rostov)

The current study is aimed at the analysis of local development with a focus on the renewal processes in small cities of European Russia. Renewal refers to the introduction of positive changes trough re-opening and re-imagining existing urban areas. Due to the lack of adequate statistical data, we access renewal using a qualitative approach, through the analysis of the material form the cityscape, which is not only an indicator of the socio-economic situation in the city but also helps to understand the distribution of power relations within it. Empirical data were obtained in three small single-industry towns located remote from major centres Borovichi (Novgorod oblast), Vyksa (Nizhny Novgorod oblast), Rostov (Yaroslavl oblast). The results of the study suggest that the zone of transformation, successful emergence of the new and change of the old in small cities, is each time unique. Transformation occurs since cities are in search of their own way out of the structural crisis, struggling not only to provide the economic minimum but also to change the cityscape and everyday life. The main actors of this process are private from large to small business, as well as the local communities. While the role of the local administration due to the lack of resources is, most often, restricted to creating a functioning communication platform to address the interests of the main actors.