The RoundTable organized at Moscow State Regional University was devoted to the analysis of the problem of the unity of world history based on the material of its two chronological periods - antiquity and modern history. The problems of a human being formation, the origin of the language and issues of modern globalization were the main themes discussed at the Round Table. The analysis of the latest processes and changes in the history is primarily associated with the attempt to find the correlation of current ideas about globalization with the problem of history unity.

The article touches upon the historic issues of the real geopolitical space of the post-Soviet States of Central Asia in the hierarchy of international relations. The only rational geo-political choice of the peoples of Central Asia and Kazakhstan can be regarded the formation of the Eurasian identity with the regional leadership of the Russian Federation. Such idea comes from the historical experience of the Russian state on the adoption of Russian citizenship by the peoples of Central Asia and Kazakhstan, as well as for their civic organization.

This article analyzes the qualitative changes taking place in the cottage industry of Kursk province in the 1860-1880s which took place due to the liberalization of social and economic order in the country and the region. The transformation of Kursk domestic industry was mediated by two main factors: the retraction of the region in the national market and the deterioration of the situation in the main sectors of the province economy - agriculture. New economic conditions of the 1880s generated the modernization trends in commodity sectors of the handicraft industry. At the same time, a serious drop in income of peasant farms which happened due to the crisis in the agricultural sector forced the villagers to expand the scope of operation of the patriarchal forms of industrial production.

The article is dedicated to the changes of the living environment in Moscow due to the mass home construction activity in the 60th of the previous century. The article presents the analysis of a Moscow yard as a social phenomenon. This social, spatial and ecological phenomenon gave birth to a domestic community of people. The author considers a Moscow yard from the different points of view: its functions in the city, human relations, etc. The article analyses the serious damage to social life of Moscow in connection with disappearance of Moscow yards.

The article presents the issues of functional support of image-making which can be the basis of the analysis of image positions of the leaders. The authors consider the following functions of the institution and structures of the image-making to be the most important: translational, mobilizing, integrative and lobbying ones. The importance of these functions realization is in qualitative representation of interests during the election campaign and in highlighting the actors’ activities: candidates, parties, acting politicians and incumbents. These actors effectiveness can be defined by an image construct which conceals the real influence of the given politician. Their image characteristics reveal their validity under various conditions (both positive and negative) of pre-election campaign, the implementation of the strategic provisions of the program and concrete political decisions.

The article presents the results of the research carried out under the state contract with the Department of Information Policy of Omsk region entitled «Study of Public Interest to Information on the Activities of the Executive Branch of Omsk Region Government». Omsk region residents’ opinions on the main aspects of the information mentioned were studied according to sex and age quotas. The author conducted a series of focus groups of three age groups (aged 18-35; 36-55 and 56-65). The obtained spectrum of subjective opinions deals with the interest to the kinds of information and its sources, the quality of the local mass media, as well as to the assessment of the present Governor and regional government’s activities. The research states there is certain lack of information on the local authorities as well as some shortage of residents’ confidence to them. These conclusions are reflected in the spectrum of subjective opinions of focus group participants.

This paper analyses the political nature of the project “Russian Islam”. This idea is examined through the project-making activity of Privolzh’ye federal district which was aimed at propagation of the original variant of the overall-Russian identity. The study focuses on defining the attitude of various political forces to this project. The author shows that the idea of “Russian Islam” is criticized by different political forces. After all it was marginalized and declined.

The theme of nationalism and extreme forms of its manifestation permanently exists anyhow in political and social life of the Russian citizens. At present the explosion of ethnic intolerance has gained new strength and is reflected in the nationalist parties, social movements and youth organizations. One of the most important issues that need careful consideration in the situation of social and cultural crisis is to increase the role of nationalist sentiment in the mass consciousness of the society. It is in the context of political instability and lack of social and national ideas as well as shared system of values where the formation of radical ideas becomes a process of self-identification of an individual.

The article describes the historic nature of the phenomenon of security which is inextricably linked with a person as a part of his life support. The phenomenon was developing, gradually becoming more complex and acquiring social and political sense adequate to the public relations. After a brief retrospective analysis of the security problems through the political worldview of thinkers of the past, the author makes a conclusion that the issue of security is complex and has the features, depending on the historical stage of development of the society. But, no matter what historical period it was, its essence remained the same: to ensure free development of each person in conditions of free development of all.

The article is devoted to the problem of a ruler’s image in Carolingian annals of the 870-880s: St. Bertin, Fulda and St-Vaast annals. The information about the key events of that decade are studied: Charles’ the Bald (843-877) coronation with the imperial crown in 875 and calling of the emperor Charles the Fat (881-887) to the West Frankish kingdom in 884. The author proves that during the conflicts in the Carolingian dynasty the authors of the annals while describing the monarchs’ practice of actions thereby designed certain concepts of the power. Creating the monarchs’ images as active, resolute and capable to assert their rights for titles and lands, the authors of chronicles did not only react to the political and social reality surrounding them, but also relied on the previous written tradition - descriptions of an epoch of civil wars in Rome given by the antique historians.

Literature about missionaries’ activities in the Far East during the “Christian century” starts to appear since the XVII century due to active contacts of Japan with European countries. But the idea of the Japanese’ religious beliefs before the period of first Christian missionaries has not been studied up till now. Russian literature of those times does not reflect any interest to Japan due to differences in social environment. The article is based on the analysis of some fragments of cosmographies by the Russian authors of the XVII century regarding Japan and Japanese religion. This article deals with the issues of the Japanese religion perception by the authors of cosmographies.

The article describes the morale of the Italian troops and their behaviour at the beginning of the campaign of the 8th army (ARMIR) on the Eastern front. The fascist propaganda brought different ideological motivations in favour of Italy’s participation in the war against the USSR. But the Catholic Church appeal to protect religion from “infidels” and “atheism” was one of the major arguments. Using unique documents from the archives of Italy and Russia, the author has considered the military iconography and the image of the enemy in the mass media of the Fascist regime. Initially, the idea of Catholic proselytism characterized the behaviour of the 8th Italian army troops, primarily in their relations with the civilian population. This idea of the Russian campaign was spread through mass screening of films made by such famous directors as Roberto Rossellini. With the aim of providing a general overview on the moral condition of the Italian troops, the author also describes their behaviour on the occupied areas.