CC BY
27
PRESENTATION OF THE UCHITEL PUBLISHING HOUSE
JOURNALS
In addition to the Social Evolution and History. Studies in the Evolution of Human Societies the Uchitel Publishing House also publishes a number of academic journals in Russian , such as
• Vek globalisatsii. Issledovaniya sovremennykh globalnykh protsessov [Age of Globalization. Studies in Contemporary Global Processes]
• Filosofia i obschestvo [Philosophy and Society]
• Istoriya i sovremennost [History and the Present]
• Istoricheskaya psikhologiya i sotsiologiya istorii [Historical Psychology and Sociology of History] etc.
At present the Uchitel Publishing House would like to start providing summaries to English-speaking readers about its Russian academic editions.
REVIEW OF THE NEW JOURNAL Vek Globalizatsii. Issledovaniya Sovremennykh Globalnykh Protsessov [Age of Globalization. Studies in Contemporary Global Processes] Already for almost forty years the global problematic attracts attention of scientists and politicians, representatives of business circles and non-governmental organizations, mass media and wide public. At the same time there are not so many specialized journals for this already established sphere of academic research, the global studies, which on the interdisciplinary basis would raise questions and suggest solutions of urgent problems of the present day world: starting from ecology, resources and demography up to the legal and geopolitical aspects of international relations.
The emergence of this new journal Vek Globalizatsii Issledovaniya sovremennykh globalnykh protsessov [Age of Globalization. Studies in Contemporary Global Processes] should be regarded as a response to this longstanding necessity for a solid theoretic discussion and popular science treatment of the process of globalization and global problems of the modern times. We hope that the new journal will become a newsmaker in modern Russian and international scientific life and will occupy a worthy place in the range of established theoretical journals.
Below we present the contents and summaries of the first issue edited by A. N. Chumakov (the supervising editor) and Grinin L. E. (the editor-in-chief).
BEK —
rmiHimiiH
KCCnCJJOBAHMfl COePEMEHMfcOC r/)06AnbHtiOC npoutccoe
1
AGE 2008 OFGLOB\LimiO\
STUCKES IN CONTEMPORARY CLOttAi. PROCESSES
* As well as some journals in English, for instance Age of Globalization. Studies in Contemporary Global Processes etc.
Theory
Chumakov A. N. On the Subject and Boundaries of Global Studies Within the system of modern science Global Studies hold a particular position. It is different from any concrete discipline as it represents integrative knowledge about socio-natural processes and problems whose boundaries are defined by the scale of the planet. Unlike some separate sciences dealing with this or that fragment or aspect of reality, Global Studies aim at solving complex tasks that are vital for the whole humankind and that can only be solved through the international interaction.
Ursul A. D. Global Processes, Security and Sustainable Development It is shown that in the 21st century processes of globalization will be oriented to a high degree toward the aims of sustainable development strategy that has been accepted by the UN and most countries of the world community. The sustainable development is viewed as a new, socio-natural type of development when global civilizational processes take a biosphere-compatible and secure form. A period of ‘globalization through the sustainable development’ starts revealing opportunities of joint and effective solution of socio-economic and ecological problems, issues of the minimization of their negative consequences - thus contributing to the survival of the humankind and protection of biosphere.
Gay W. Processes of Globalization and the Discipline of Global Studies In this article a general typology of positions on globalization is presented. Four approaches are distinguished: the one of advocates of globalism who generally present it as being humane or as capable of becoming humane; the one of critics of globalism, whether they call themselves antiglobalists or not; the one of scholars who, regardless of whether they support globalism, admit that the future of globalism is indeterminate; and the one of scholars who, regardless of whether they support globalism, support a disciplinary approach for understanding and assessing globalism. In the second part the author turns to the history of Global Studies. He thinks that after division of Global Studies into ‘western’ and ‘eastern’ branches at present their integration takes place.
Inozemtsev V. Modern Globalization and its Perception in the World In his article the author, a famous Russian specialist in international economy, studies the origins and prospects of the development of the ‘theory of globalization’, thus coming to a conclusion that by the beginning of the new century in Western science one observes the formation of an attitude towards globalization as to a complex system of economic, social and political processes demanding no description in the framework of some single theory. The author points at the differences of globalization form: ‘internationalization’ and ‘integration’ emphasizing that its essence is the formation of the system allowing a person or a company to interact with other people, corporations and social structures without using the intermediary role of the state. In the paper the main problem of the present stage of globalization is identified as a serious and progressing gap between the ‘political’ globalization and the economic, informational and social aspects of globalization.
Global Problems
Danilov-Danielyan V. I. The Global Problem of Sweet Water Shortage The article examines reasons of the origin and sharpening of the sweet water shortage. It is shown that in the middle of the third decade of the 21st century this shortage will assume a global scale and lead to structural change of global eco-
nomy. At the world market the sectors of the water-retaining production, water-saving and water-preserving technologies will develop while water markets for the most part will remain basin-based due to the abrupt change of the expenses on the transportation of water when crossing boundaries of basins. Russia possesses great sweet water resources whose usage will enable to develop the production of different kinds of water-consuming items up to the export scale and not only to meet the needs of world community but also to supply a qualitative economic growth in the country.
Mazour 1.1. The Global Energy Security
The global character of the problems of energy security dictates the necessity of creating a global system of managing the energy-resort balance in the interest of the whole humankind. It is just these problems that the article is devoted to; this makes it possible to present modern prospects and outlines of future development of world energy production and also to understand the tasks encountered by the world community.
Veber A. Global Climate Change: Whom to Blame? And What to Do?
As has been demonstrated by the latest research, the global climate change is caused by the human activities. The perception of the gravity of the problem gradually penetrates the world public opinion. The opportunities to smooth its consequences and to avoid the worst still exist. The academic community has suggested some concrete recommendations to the governments. Will the politicians listen to the scientists' voice?
The Processes of Globalization
Grinin L. E. Globalization and the Processes of Transformation of National Sovereignty
The article is devoted to the analysis of one of the most important but insufficiently studied aspects of the globalization process - the one of the voluntary reduction of sovereign prerogatives by modern states which has already been observed for several decades. The author shows that globalization on the whole contributes to the change and reduction of nomenclature and scope of states' sovereign powers and at the same time the process is, on the one hand, two-sided: the factors which objectively reduce the states' sovereignty are strengthened and, on the other hand, most countries voluntarily and deliberately reduce it.
Kashkin S. Yu., Kalinichenko P. A. Globalization of the Rule of Law The present article is devoted to the investigation of the process of development and distribution of the concept of the Rule of Law. Having appeared as a liberal idea, the Rule of Law has spread as one of the main constitutional values for all European countries and peoples, including the countries constituting the European Union (EU) and present day Russia. The experience of the EU countries shows that the Rule of Law may act as an integrating idea and go beyond national boundaries. In the global perspective the Rule of Law together with the respect for human rights must become a practical conception of the international system structure.
Mitrofanova A. V. The Religious Factor in the World Politics and the Problem of ‘Civilizations’
The article is devoted to the role of religion in the world politics. The author believes that religion appears at the world arena in the form of a system of transna-
tional links between states, separate groups, communities and political movements. These links are established ‘over’ state boundaries thus creating an additional system of interaction. The author suggests that the transnational religious systems can be called ‘worlds’ or ‘civilizations’. Each civilization has a discrete structure and comprises not only states but also non-state subjects. Civilizations are united not by religions as such but by religious ideologies or ‘political religions’. Political religion represents an ideology which enables the application of religion to politics.
Buzgalin A. V. Alterglobalism: Searching for the Positive Alternative to a New Empire
‘.. .So who they are, the “antiglobalists”? Whose money do they spend when holding their grand forums and manifestations? What do they want? What do they stand for and what do they struggle against? Against globalization? But this is an objective process and to struggle with it means to turn into the Luddites of the 21st century.’ That is how the present author started one of his first works on the problems of alterglobalism five years ago. Then the term ‘alterglobalism’ was introduced for the first time denoting that we do not stand against globalization, but support a different, alternative neoliberal globalization. Why has this movement appeared? What has become an objective and subjective basis of its genesis and development? The answers to these questions should be sought first of all in the process not by chance called ‘globalization’, the process that is more and more associated with the genesis of a new empire.
Russia in the Global World
Kapitza S. P. The Demographic Revolution and Russia
The humankind is passing through the age of global demographic revolution - the period of time when after an explosive growth the population of the world abruptly changes the character of its development and suddenly passes to a limited reproduction. This utmost in its significance event in the history of humanity since the moment of its emergence is expressed first of all in the population dynamics. However, it touches upon all sides of life of billions of people and that is why these are just the demographic processes which have become the most important global problem of the world and Russia. It is not only the present that depends on their fundamental understanding but also the foreseeable future, priorities and irregularity of development, sustainable growth and global security after the current crucial age of changes. A new understanding of this process of changes is provided by the phenomenological theory of the human population growth based on the methods and models of physics.
A Global Personality
Rezhabek B. G. V. I. Vernadsky's Theory ofNoosphere, the Search for the Way out of the Global Crises
V. I. Vernadsky's idea of the noosphere - the sphere of mind which got its development in the works of French scholars E. Le Roi and P. Teilhard de Chardin - became the basis of the noosphere theory that is today actively developed in Russia and can provide qualitatively new ways of the solution of the problems connected with the ‘global threats’ - ecological, resource, energetic, demographic ones - directing the vector of geopolitics to the defense of interests of the humankind as a whole. An integral noospheric outlook based on the ideas not only concerning
Rights but also Obligations of a man and of the whole humankind is necessary for creating a feasible strategy for solving global problems of the present. This strategy will be capable to unite the efforts of the representatives of science, religion and philosophy with opportunities of politicians and businessmen of different countries.
We would also like to offer an English version of the journal called Age of Globalization. Studies in Contemporary Global Processes where you can find the following articles:
Alexander N. Chumakov. On the Subject and Boundaries of Global Studies
William C. Gay. Processes of Globalization and the Discipline of Global
Studies
Leonid E. Grinin. Globalization and Sovereignty: Why do States Abandon
their Sovereign Prerogatives?
Sergey Kashkin and Paul Kalinichenko. Globalization of the Rule of Law:
Experience of Russia and the EU Countries
Anastasia V. Mitrofanova. Religion in World Politics and the Problem of
‘Civilizations’
For the abstracts of these articles see above.
The e-versions of the Russian and English journals are available at the official website of Uchitel Publishing House at: http://www.uchitel-izd.ru/index.php? option=content&task=view&id=110&Itemid=54 and http://www.uchitel-izd.ru/ index.php?option=content&task=view&id=155&Itemid=97 respectively.
Now we would like to present the forthcoming English-speaking journal.
Journal of Globalization Studies
Journal of Globalization Studies is a new international journal that will be published since 2009. The leading subjects of publications will become the following:
• theory of globalization;
• economic, political, social, ecological, scientific-technical, cultural, religious, ethic and other aspects of globalization;
• global problems of modernity;
• analysis of problems of non-Western states in the context of processes and problems of globalization;
• global studies: urgent questions of philosophy and theory of history;
• the human problem in the light of problems of globalization;
• futurological aspects of global studies etc.;
• civilizations and globalization;
• the processes of globalization in history;
• philosophic aspects of globalization.
Journal of Globalization Studies calls for papers for general issues. The first issue is planned to be published in the second half of 2009, so the submission deadline is May 1, 2009. For the detailed guidelines, please, contact Editors: Prof. Leonid E. Grinin, Volgograd Center for Social Research, lgrinin@vistcom.ru; Prof. Alexander N. Chumakov, Institute of Philosophy of RAS - chumakov@ iph.ras.ru and Prof. Andrey V. Korotayev, Russian State University for the Humanities - akorotayev@mail.ru.
