Centre for Academic Research and Informational Studies on Global and Regional Issues

Head of the Centre: Ol’ga N. Novikova, PhD in History

Scientific Secretary of the Center: Filipp O. Trunov, PhD in Political Science

Centre for Academic Research and Informational Studies on Global and Regional Issues is one of the biggest centers of INION RAN. It was shaped in 1996 as a result of a very important reform initiated by the then Director of the Institute – academician V. A. Vinogradov.

The structure of the Centre:

• Department of Global Issues (the Head of the Department is Doctor of Science in Political Science, Professor Natalia Yu. Lapina);
• Department of Europe and America (the Head of the Department is PhD in History Olga N. Novikova);
• Department of European Security Problems (the Head of the Department is PhD in History Tatyana G. Parkhalina);
• Department of Asia and Africa (the Head of the Department is Doctor of Science in Political Science, Professor Velikhan S. Mirzekhanov).

The goal of the Centre is to analyze main trends of development on global and regional levels, such as processes of transformation of countries and national communities under the influence of economic globalization in the 21st century, social consequences of globalization, shifts of the social structures in developed countries, changes in the structure of incomes and inequality, characteristics of the process of urbanization and socio-spacial differentiation in the global world, the impact of globalization on social activity and political landscape.

Another field of analysis is the future of globalization, so called “New Variety” which replaces the universal model of managing (Department of Global Issues).

Such global problems as arms control, climate change and ecological challenges, migration flows, waste management, innovations, global health, global education, food security are in the focus of researches at the Centre (all departments are involved).

Two regional departments (Europe and America, European Security Problems) focus their research activities on the main trends of socio-political, socio-economic and cultural development of Europe and America as well as on the place and role of international institutions: the European Union, NATO, OSCE, Council of Europe. The analysis of Euro-Atlantic security problems in a broader sense of the notion (including political, military, socio-economic, humanitarian, ecological aspects, migration and counter-terrorism) is in the prism of scientific interests of the researchers.

Special attention is paid on studying the roots and consequences of global and regional conflicts and crises. Nowadays efforts to resolve conflicts are complicated by the profound shift in geopolitics: the USA are losing its world superpower status and its traditional leadership role; China is an emerging superpower; Europe is affected by a number of crises; in the meanwhile Russia is regaining its role on global arena. In this contexts the Centre offers strategic insights that could help to protect or advance Russian interests in different regions.

Department of Asia and Africa carries out academic research and informational studies in the field of Oriental and African studies. Main trends in the development of these disciplines are identified. Academic and experts’ communities of Russia are informed about the most important and interesting studies, realized in Asian, African and Western countries in the field of transformation of social-economic, political and cultural systems of Asia and Africa, caused by the influence of global challenges.

Besides the analysis of the main trends in development on global and regional levels, the classification of foreign and Russian scientific literature is realized. The Centre organizes seminars and round-tables on the most acute problems connected with the international politics and the development of Europe, America, Asia, Africa. Different types of information and analytical materials are prepared.

Periodicals published at the Centre:

• Scientific journal Current problems of Europe (published since 1994, editor-in-chief PhD in History Tatyana G. Parkhalina) is a trusted source of information, it is included into the Proved list of the Higher Attestation Commission (VAK) and into the Russian Science Citation Index (RSCI) on Web of Science platform. The journal analyses most significant trends of European developments and tackles hot-button issues. The goal of Editorial Board is to inspire new approaches to studying the prospects (both short and long-term) of current political and economic processes in Europe and Euro-Atlantic community. The journal tackles issues that affect Russian security and the relationships between Russia and Europe, Russia and the World.
• Analytical bulletin European Security: Events, Assessments, Prognosis (published since 1998, editor-in-chief PhD in History Tatyana G. Parkhalina) covers most acute problems of Euro-Atlantic security in a broader sense, including different dimensions of political, military, social-economic, cultural, humanitarian life of Europe and Euro-Atlantic community. Such problems as arms control, disarmament, cyber-security, fight against terrorism, migration, climate change, new diseases are thoroughly analyzed.
• Information bulletin Russia and Moslem World is quarterly published since 1992 in the Russian and English languages. The bulletin contains articles, reviews, reports on Islam in Russia and other countries, which analyze Russia’s relations with Muslim world, place and role of Islam in the system of state-religious relations in the Russian Federation, examines modern social-political changes in Muslim countries.
• English version of the Bulletin informs the world academic community about researches realized by their colleagues in Russia, presenting different assessments of the Orient made by Russian scholars.
• Abstract journal Social Sciences and Humanities. Domestic and Foreign Literature. Series 9: Oriental and African Studies presents articles, analytical reviews and abstract materials on different issues of economic growth and social-political transformation in Asia and Africa in the 20th – first quarter of 21st century.