RUDN Journal of Studies in Literature and Journalism

The author examines the dialogue of A.P. Chekhov and D.S. Merezhkovsky on the role of the intelligentsia in society. The study used comparative and cultural-historical methods. The analysis of the causes of the deep split among the educated part of society at the turn of the XIX-XX centuries is carried out and two fundamentally divergent vectors have been identified in solving the issue of the role of the intelligentsia in society. Based on a study of the dialogue between Chekhov and Merezhkovsky, which took place during personal communication, in correspondence and through critical articles, it was determined that in understanding the essence of intelligence (“intelligentnost”) as an internal sensation, the writers took opposite positions. An analysis of similar themes and motives in their work (the image of Italy, superman, Oedipus, ideas about beauty, about the healthy middle, attitude towards “idealists”) allows us to concretize their positions: Merezhkovsky preached the transformation of humanity into God-manhood through revolution, blood, Chekhov expressed longing for humanity. It is concluded that Chekhov, denouncing the “fathers”-idealists, called for serving people without being afraid of routine work, without idealizing the people, and Merezhkovsky supported the claims of the intelligentsia to the role of the true elite of society, resolute, rejec- ting the principles of traditional humanism and inspiring the masses.

The religious, philosophical and poetic context of the functioning of the image of the heart in the discourse of Russian symbolist poets is analyzed. An attempt has been made to discover mythological and Christian (evangelical and patristic) roots in the genesis of “cardio- topy”. The authors of the study rely on a wide range of works by Russian theologians and philosophers. In addition, for a more complete interpretation of the image, the latest anatomical and philosophical concepts and distant contexts (Vedic and Quranic) are involved. The work uses a cognitive-discursive approach to the analysis and interpretation of the central image of “cardiotopy” - the heart. It is concluded that the poetic and patristic perception of the image of the heart reveals a paradoxical convergence of meanings: the traditional interpretation of the image as a symbol of the human soul, which experiences various emotions and experien- ces, and conveys deep thoughts and feelings of the subject, is interfaced in the poetic space of the text with speech-thinking and cognitive functions that communicate with the external and internal world, with the Creator (God), as well as a complex process of intuitive cognition, implemented by stimuli of various modalities (memory, speech thinking, perception).

The features of the use of intertextual references in A. Salnikov’s novel “Occulttreger” are examined. The goal is to study the intertextual connections of the novel with works of various types of art (literature, music, cinema). The task is to classify sources of re- ferences and interpret them. A general thesis is put forward about the fundamental importance of intertext as a tool for creating a fantasy world and a method of artistic generalization of reality. Analysis of references allows us to identify many cultural phenomena that the writer refers to in order to summarize the modern pop cultural agenda. The novel's precedent sources are varied and often come from contemporary cultural products. The use of references to popular culture reflects such a feature of modernity as the consumption of content, which is part of people’s everyday life. An abundance of references accompanies the fantastic part of the novel and in the realistic epilogue they disappear, which makes us talk about intertext as a stylistic marker of fantasy in Salnikov. Film quotes visualize text and synchronize reader’s and artistic time. The space of the novel can be interpreted as oneiric; the dream narrative in the novel is created by an excess of cultural associations.

The peculiarities of the interpretation of neo-gothic motifs in the novel by I. Welsh “The Blade Artist” are examined. Many researchers have paid attention to the processing of the usual neo-gothic tropes in postmodern literature, however, in relation to the novel under consideration by I. Welsh, this problem is posed by authors for the first time. The aim is to highlight the transformation of motifs familiar to neo-gothic traditions (the spatial motif of the castle, the motif of the “otherworldly” and “terrible”, realized in the presence of ghosts, supernatural beings, curses). The task is to prove the continuity of the work of I. Welsh in relation to the neo-gothic tradition, to actualize the specific spatial motif of the “castle” for the gothic and neo-gothic tradition, highlighted by M.M. Bakhtin. The general thesis is put forward that the appeal of postmodern literature (to which the novel “The Blade Artist” belongs) the neo-gothic motives are connected with the meta-genre of neo-gothic as an artistic direction, as well as with the rethinking of the plots and tropes familiar to him. The authors conclude that the usual neo-gothic motifs are used to reflect on the past and present of the region of the United Kingdom - Scotland, as well as to rethink the answers to long-asked questions of morality.

The study focuses on the empowering aspects of women’s writing referring Helen Cixous influential work “The Laugh of the Medusa”. Cixous passionately advocates for women to embrace writing, as a tool for self-expression and liberation believing that it has the potential to not transform individual lives but also shape culture, history, and society. The authors suggest that by expressing themselves, contemporary women can establish their place in the world just as the Medusas gaze turned enemies into stone. The paper also explores the connection between language, subjectivity and diversity which are related in feminist discourse. It emphasises the importance of reclaiming language that has historically marginalised women and highlights the need to develop a vocabulary that truly reflects their experiences and aspirations. Important is to create an environment where women are given the space and support to communicate their thoughts and feelings. It is crucial for women to cultivate their own voices, honour their bodies and utilise language to challenge patriarchal norms. The continuous fight for gender equality and empowerment is fueled by Cixous's appeal for women to reclaim their voices and experiences. The research stresses about providing women the room and encouragement they need to express themselves. Women's writing may act as a catalyst for the destruction of repressive power systems, to pave the way for a just, equal, humane, and free world for women.

Literary journalism offers a way to convey the truth of real-life events and issues in a more engaging and emotionally impactful manner than traditional news reporting. It bridges the gap between storytelling and journalism, appealing to audiences who seek both the depth of factual reporting and the immersive experience of narrative storytelling. Like any other type of journalism, it has its own features, to which belong immersion, text specific structure, accuracy in presenting content, voice or personal perspective. The purpose of the study is to consider one of storytelling’s techniques, narrative, which covers the plot of the story, its characters, setting, topics and the author’s point of view. The research is based on the ana- lysis of the essays, opinions and reportages as typical examples of narratives in literary journalism. Contextual analysis of political narrative and social-psychological narrative, which are often found in analytical or rational journalism, aims at extracting information of social, political, historical, and culture-specific character. Stylistic analysis of the considered texts gave us possibility to visualize the examples of emotively charged words and stylistic devices. Qualitative content analysis shows that most vividly narrative communication is seen in such journalistic messages, as an essay, opinion, and reportage. Each narrative has a purpose, which dictates the narrative techniques.

Development of information and communication technology in India has reached a new height with the successful landing of Chandrayan-3 to moon in August 2023. In such a developed milieu of communication, otherwise seen as obsolete medium of communication, amateur radio must be revisited and seen in the context of their present form of activities in India. Ham radio organizations are present in almost all countries of the world, but it was mainly seen as a means of communication in a pre-digital world. Ham radio organizations in Indian society with their exemplary activities in the resent millennium seems to be the silent servers of society cutting across communities without much media or academic attention as compared to community radio organizations which caters to specific communities with specific goals. The study aims to highlight such untapped potential of ham radio in Indian society which can be used as an alternative communication channel in emergency situations. It is concluded by arguing that ham radio resonates the spirit of logic, logistics and language of new digital media era and can be seen as a balanced communication form between old media and new media era.

Information and the means of its dissemination are becoming increasingly important in the modern world. Since the final information product is capable of influencing socio-political processes, political forces prone to authoritarianism strive to monopolize the media space, using the regulatory framework and economic resources for this. At the international level, mostly in Western Europe, the legislative approach to the media meets the democratic standards of society and its political and economic interests. The regulatory framework is synchronized with digitalization, technological development of media and public communications, in contrast to countries with unstable economies that adopt both technology and regulatory innovations from the outside. A study of the legislative framework underlying the formation of the media space and communication system of Mongolia demonstrates a number of errors and deviations in the development of press freedom and national journalism. The authors update the issues of independent professional journalistic activity and the need to inform the public, the openness of government institutions and the transparency of their work. Examples are given of violations of the rights of journalists and pressure on commercial media, which affects the quality of the media space, the economic interests of media owners and the rights of citizens.

Over the past century, the forays into the human psyche have contributed a great deal towards mental health awareness. However, present times feel the demand of focusing on milder issues than extreme psychological disorders, since the seemingly inconsequential issues in isolation have the potential to become a cause for severe mental health issues as they begin piling up if ignored without being dealt with. The purpose of this study is to explore the availability and validation of such avenues. This research follows the origin and evolution of trauma through the works of medicals, academics, theorists, and researchers to create a cohesive and wholesome picture, covering the vast span of the human psyche from the foundations in psychoanalytic theory to the pluralistic trauma theory in literature; and it’s correlation to the issues on a spectrum of trauma from mild to severe, faced by literary characters in the Shiva Trilogy and Harry Potter’s novels that kept being overlooked and turned into the underlying cause of extreme issues. The researchers analyze through this study that trauma cannot be limited to just mental health disorders severe enough to require professional attention. Rather, they indicate the requirement for an inclusive approach and deeper study into the seemingly superficial events and issues of trauma before they have the chance to build up to the severity of mental health disorders.