Post-Soviet Gravitation

The author argues that the unexpected victory of Viktor Yanukovych in the 2010 presidential elections reflects popular fatigue regarding political conflict and a willingness to return to the post-Soviet oligarchic model of the Kuchma period. In rejecting the dictatorial tendencies of Yulia Tymoshenko, however, the electorate remained true to the democratic ideals of the Orange Revolution.     

The Post-Soviet States

The author argues that despite important differences among the post-Soviet states it still makes sense to regard them as constituting a single region because they share the corrupt and stagnant social system of "post-Soviet capitalism." He describes the distinguishing marks of this system and considers how it can be overcome.     

Orthodox Christianity in Post-Soviet Society

On the basis of quantitative research, the author analyzes the process of mass affiliation to Orthodox Christianity in the post-Soviet period, the understanding of the foundations of faith and attitudes toward the sacraments, and the special characteristics of contemporary Orthodox religious practices. She traces the connection between the anti-Westernism and anti-modernism of the present-day Russian Orthodox Church and anemic grassroots social processes legitimized by the Putin regime. She shows that parishioners are not the main concern of today's bureaucratized Church, which demonstratively identifies itself with the state and in which conservative-fundamentalist tendencies are winning out.     

The Post-Soviet Transformation of Belorussia

Armen Gasparian: Oleg Mikhailovich, first of all, I would like to ask you a question about progress in the development of the Land Cadastre. The word "cadastre" sounds somewhat scary to an inexperienced reader, but in fact it is a very important word.     

Administrative Procedure Code of the Kyrgyz Republic

The 2017 Administrative Procedure Code of the Kyrgyz Republic defines legal proceedings in disputes arising between administrative bodies and their officials, on the one hand, and individuals and legal entities, on the other.     

Environmentally Unfavorable Areas in Russian Law and Post-Soviet Space

Abstract

The article suggests a new view on the issues of protection of environmental human rights in environmentally unfavorable areas. A diversity of approaches in Russia and republics of the former USSR granted a special legal status to areas which caused environmental harm due to natural disasters and manmade disasters, In addition, ineffective environmental policies allowed hazardous industries to pollute the environment for many years. New environmental legal solutions must be developed and implemented in developing countries with the active assistance of the international community to ensure environmental human rights on a global rather than national scale. The new proposed legal requirements should focus on the most environmentally impaired areas based on utilizing specific classifications and criteria.     

宋慈和他的《洗冤集录》

南宋宋慈所著的《洗冤集录》是我国现存最早的一部比较系统的法医学专著。该书主要包括法医检验的准则和要求、各种死伤的鉴别、保辜和急救等内容,对解剖、生理、病理、诊断、治疗以及急救等医学知识都有精辟的论述,留下了许多典型的案例和宝贵的方剂。记述范围广泛几乎触及现代法医学的所有分支科目,为现代法医学提供了有参考价值的辨别知识和鉴定经验。     

Special Characteristics of the Post-Soviet Political Regime

When the editors of Rossiiskaia gazeta asked me to write an article on Russia's future policy toward Asia, they did not catch me completely unawares. I have been thinking about this now extremely complicated problem for a long time. Here I attempt to share my preliminary conclusions. I am not sure that these conclusions are final, but we must initiate a discussion.     

What Post-Soviet Russia Can Learn from Bismarck

The chairman of the Supreme Soviet of the Russian Federation, R. Khasbulatov, answers questions from the periodical Narodnyi deputat. The journal's chief editor, M. Piskotin, and journalist Iu. Zviagin participated in the discussion.     

Administrative Justice in the Penitentiary: A Report on Inmate Grievance Procedures

The majority of prisons today have an internal grievance mechanism that gives inmates an opportunity to air complaints and seek solutions to individual and institution-wide problems. This study reports on the way the mechanism functions at two Illinois state prisons—one minimum security and one maximum security. The main findings are: (1) that the mechanism is heavily and repetitively used by only a portion of the inmate population, (2) that the grievances filed range widely in type as well as in merit, although it is clear that there is much frivolous activity, (3) that inmates win only a small percentage of their cases, either at the first-instance level or on appeal, and (4) that among both line prison staff (at least at one of the prisons) and inmates there is considerable dissatisfaction with the process, although a minority of prisoners and the higher echelon prison administrators can be counted on for more favorable assessments. The article goes on to compare these findings with the generally articulated objectives of the grievance process and concludes with a series of suggestions that have been made for improving its workings.     

Transforming the Post-Soviet Research Systems Through Incubating Technological Entrepreneurship

For many years the Soviet Union and the Eastern block countries (member countries of the former Warsaw pact) had been considered as the main military competitors of the western countries buttressed in their struggle against the West by their economic and scientific resources. The Warsaw pact countries had high levels of R&D investments, a large number of researchers and engineers, and diverse research facilities. On the other hand, output indicators (patent applications, number of papers, scientific citations, etc.), and especially the rates of technological innovation were not so impressive. This paper analyzes the sources of these differences with special attention to the functions played by science and technology (S&T) programs in the formerly communist societies of Europe and Russia. The dynamics of changes in the R&D potential in these countries are considered along with ways and possible scenarios of convergence towards the national systems of innovation of developed western economies. Special emphasis is assigned to the constructive role that technology transfer and commercialization processes along with the use of a network of virtual incubators and the promotion of technological entrepreneurship, can play in fostering a socio-economic renaissance in Eastern Europe and Russia.     

后苏联时代的法律移植与民法典编纂

若要弄懂一种法律制度,不能单研究其条文规范,而要明白这个条文是如何组合到一起的,该制度是如何架构的,它的条文应当如何解释.同样,若要弄懂一种法律制度可能对其他法律制度产生的效应,一个人还应当意识到那些影响性因素远远超出个别条文之上.     

The Disintegration of the Economy of Central Asia in the Post-Soviet Period

The present stage in the development of the Central Asian region is marked by the disintegration of its economy—its fragmentation into individual components that barely interact with one another, that are subject to no control or coordination, and that are deteriorating progressively as time passes.     

Blind Alleys of Post-Soviet Development: Searching for Exits: Editor's Introduction

The articles in this issue of Russian Politics and Law show that Soviet legacies continue to shape the political development of all of the post-Soviet states. Some articles in the issue focus more specifically on Russia, highlighting how some of the political problems that have resulted from Soviet legacies have derailed the liberalization of the region's most important state.     

Democratic Practices in Arts Organizations

This article uses democratic political theory to compare three types of arts management practices. When art is treated as an elite status good, it is likely to have antidemocratic effects that largely reproduce status hierarchies. When art is treated as an exclusive group identity good, as in the case of identity politics, it is likely to contribute to democracy by giving voice to marginalized groups. Finally, when art is treated as an inclusive social good, it is likely to contribute to democracy by producing solidarity and encouraging commonality. The article concludes by encouraging an ecological approach that fosters multiple voices and multiple goals.