RUDN Journal of Studies in Literature and Journalism
Editor-in-Chief: Aleksandr G. Kovalenko, PhD (Philology), Professor ISSN: 2312-9220 (Print) ISSN: 2312-9247 (Online) Founded in 1996. Publication frequency: quarterly PUBLISHER: Peoples’ Friendship University of Russia named after Patrice Lumumba (RUDN University) Open Access: . APC: no article processing charge. Peer-Review: double blind. Publication language: Russian, English Indexation: White List RCSI, Russian Index of Science Citation, Scopus, DOAJ, Google Scholar, Ulrich's Periodicals Directory, Dimensions
Peoples’ Friendship University of Russia named after Patrice Lumumba (RUDN University)
The right of authorship belongs to the authors of articles. The authors transfer the rights to use the article (including the use and distribution of an article in the Open Access) to the publisher of the journal on a non-exclusive license (Publishing Agreement (Public Offer)). At the same time, authors remain full rightsholders. Publishing Agreement (Public Offer) to Publish an Article in an Academic Periodical 'RUDN Journal of Studies in Literature and Journalism' The Federal State Autonomous Educational Institution of Higher Education "Peoples’ Friendship University of Russia named after Patrice Lumumba” (RUDN University), represented by the Vice-Rector for Scientific Work Andrey Aleksandrovich Kostin, acting under a Power of Attorney No 0044-09/20-198 dated 29.07.2020, hereinafter referred to as the Publisher, on the one hand, hereby offers to the public at large, hereinafter referred to as the Author, on the other hand, hereinafter collectively referred to as the Parties, to enter into this agreement, hereinafter referred to as the Agreement, regarding publication of scholarly materials, hereinafter referred to as the Article, in the Journal named 'RUDN Journal of Studies in Literature and Journalism', hereinafter referred to as the Journal, under the following terms. 1. General Terms and Conditions 1.1. Pursuant to Clause 2 of the Article 437 of the Russian Federation Civil Code, this Agreement shall be recognized as the public offer, hereinafter referred to as the Offer. Subject to Article 438 of the Russian Federation Civil Code, this Offer shall be deemed to have been completely and irrevocably accepted after the Author had submitted his/her materials by uploading those onto the network electronic system of the article acquisition for review available at the respective section of the Journal's site at URL: http://journals.rudn.ru/index.php/literary-criticism/author/submit/1 on the Information and Communication Network known as the Internet, hereinafter referred to as the Internet. 1.2. Pursuant to the Russian Federation effective law as applicable to compliance with the copyright to electronic information resources, no materials from any site, electronic journal or project may be reproduced, in whole or in part, in any form, either in a hard or soft copy, without a prior consent from the Journal's authors and editorial staff, which may be expressed by posting a respective consent (open license Creative Commons Attribution International 4.0 CC BY-NC) in the relevant section of the Journal's site on the Internet. Whenever any published materials are used within the context of other documents, a reference to the original source needs to be specified. 1.3. The Journal is registered by the Federal Oversight Service for Communications, Information Technologies and Mass Communications (RosKomNadzor). 2. Terms Used in This Agreement The Author is an individual (or individuals) whose creative labor has produced the Article. The Offer Acceptance means a complete and irrevocable acceptance of the Offer under the terms specified in Clause 3 hereof (the Author accepts the Offer by submitting an application to the Publisher, i.e. by uploading the Article along with support materials onto the network electronic system of the article acquisition for review available at the respective section of the Journal's site at URL: http://journals.rudn.ru/index.php/literary-criticism/author/submit/1 on the Internet). The Journal means an academic periodical named 'BULLETIN of Peoples’ Friendship University of Russia. Series Studies in literature, journalism'. The Application means an electronic request of the Author addressed to the Publisher for publishing the Article in the Journal by uploading the Article and support materials onto the network electronic system of the article acquisition for review available at the relevant section of the Journal's site at URL: http://journals.rudn.ru/index.php/literary-criticism/author/submit/1 on the Internet). The Publisher is the Federal State Autonomous Educational Institution of Higher Education "Peoples’ Friendship University of Russia named after Patrice Lumumba” (RUDN), being the Journal's founder and publisher. The Article's Metadata means any materials in Russian and English intended to be included into the Science Citation database as per the original version of the Article such as the Article title; authors' details (full last name, first name, patronymic, present employer of each author with indication of the postal code, contact details (e-mail) of each author; abstract; keywords; topical classifications: UDC or any other bibliographic and library classification, and subject indices; bibliography (list of references). The Offer means this document (offer to the Author) to publish an Article by uploading it onto the site at URL: http://journals.rudn.ru/index.php/literary-criticism/author/submit/1 on the Internet. The Publication means the act of publishing the Article in the Journal. The Journal's Editorial Staff means a creative team engaged in preparing the Journal for publication. The Editorial Board is an advisory body of the Journal's Editorial Office. The Article means a result of fundamental and applied scholarly efforts in the form of a scholarly material, scientific review material, scientific message, bibliographical review on specific topics of the scholarly study, and background information on Russian and foreign scientists submitted by the Author for publication in the Journal. The Parties mean the Author and the Publisher. The Article Requirements mean requirements to the materials published in the Journal's section named "To Authors" of the Journal's site at URL: http://journals.rudn.ru/index.php/literary-criticism/about/submissions#authorGuidelines on the Internet. The Service means publication of the Article in the Journal as per the Author's application. 3. Subject Matter of the Agreement (Offer) 3.1. Subject to this Agreement, the Author shall provide the Publisher at no expense for the copyright duration as stated by the Russian Federation legislation with a non-exclusive license for use of the Author-created Article for the purpose of its publication in the Journal. 3.2. The rights to use this Article as assigned hereunder shall include but not limited to: reproduction of the Article or any part thereof, as well as its metadata in Russian and English in any material form whatsoever, including soft and hard copy forms, as an individual work product in periodicals and/or databases (whether local or web-based) owned by the Publisher and/or any other persons at the discretion of the Publisher; dissemination of the Article or any part thereof, as well as its metadata in Russian and English on any media as part of the Journal and/or databases owned by the Publisher or any other persons, at the discretion of the Publisher, or as an individual work product, worldwide via open access or by subscription without payment of any fee to the Author; making public the Article or any part thereof as well as its metadata in Russian and English so that any person could access the Article from any location and at any time of his/her choice (including via the Internet); issuing permissions to use the Article or any part thereof as well as its metadata in Russian and English to any third parties while notifying the Author by publishing the respective information on the Journal's site without payment of any fee to the Author; processing, including translation of the Article (including translation into foreign languages), and use of the processed (translated) Article in any manner specified above; any other rights, not expressly assigned to the Publisher hereunder, including patent rights to any processes, techniques or methods, and other means, described by the Author in the Article, as well as trademark rights, shall be retained by the Author. 3.3. No territorial restrictions will be applied to the use of rights to the Article. 3.4. This Agreement shall become effective from the time the Article is submitted to the Journal, i.e. uploaded along with support materials onto the network electronic system of the article acquisition for review available at the relevant section of the Journal's site at URL: http://journals.rudn.ru/index.php/literary-criticism/author/submit/1 on the Internet, hereinafter referred to as the Article Upload. 3.5. The rights shall be assigned by the Author to the Publisher at no expense, and the Article publication in the Journal shall not result in any financial contribution to the Author. 3.6. If the Publisher decides to refuse to publish the Article in the Journal, this Agreement shall cease to be in force. A decision to refuse publication shall be sent to the Author via the e-mail address specified in the Application. 3.7. The Publisher undertakes, throughout the currency of this Agreement, to provide to the Author the services associated with publication of the Article on the Journal's site at URL: http://journals.rudn.ru/index.php/literary-criticism on the Internet. 4. General Terms of the Services Provision 4.1. The Publisher shall provide the services to the Author only if: the Author submits all materials compliant with the Offer requirements by way of the Article Upload; the Author Accepts the Offer. 4.2. The services shall be provided to the Author free of charge. 4.3. If any materials submitted by the Author are found in breach of rules and requirements of this Offer, the Publisher shall have a right to refuse to publish those. 4.4. The Publisher shall not be responsible for any third-party unauthorized use of the data provided by the Author during the currency of this Agreement. 5. Rights and Responsibilities of the Parties 5.1. The Author warrants that: he/she is the valid holder of exclusive rights to the Article; rights granted to the Publisher hereunder were not earlier assigned and will not be assigned to any third parties prior to publication of the Article by the Publisher in the Journal; the Article contains all the references to cited authors and/or sources (materials) that are required by the effective copyright law; the Author has obtained all required licenses to results, facts and other borrowed materials used in the Article where the Author is not a copyright holder; the Article does not contain any materials that may not be published in public sources in accordance with the effective Russian Federation statutory instruments, and the Article publication and dissemination will not involve any disclosure of classified (confidential) information, including state secrets; the Author has familiarized himself with the editorial policy and ethical principles published on the Journal website (http://journals.rudn.ru/literary-criticism/about/editorialPolicies) and the consequences of violating these principles, has advised other Co-authors of the terms of this Agreement and has received consents from all the Co-authors to conclude this Agreement under the terms hereunder. 5.2. The Author undertakes to: submit a manuscript of the Article as per the Requirements to articles; avoid using the soft copy of the Article produced by the Publisher for commercial purposes and in other periodicals; while preparing the Article for publication, the Author undertakes to: make edits specified by readers and approved by the Journal's Editorial Office in the text of the Article and/or revise the Article following the Publisher's request, where necessary; proofread the Article within the timeframes specified in the Journal publication schedule; make only such edits in the proof that are minimally required to correct errors made in the Article original and/or introduce factual and momentary changes. 5.3. The Author is entitled to: pass to any third party a soft copy of the published Article provided by the Publisher pursuant to Clause 5.4 hereof for the Article to be incorporated, in whole or in part, into a scientific information database or repository in order to promote academic or scholarly investigations or for informational and educational purposes subject to the Author, Journal and Publisher being properly referenced. 5.4. The Publisher undertakes to: publish the Author's Article, in soft or hard copy form, in the Journal in accordance with the terms hereof; provide the Author with the proof of the Article and make reasonable edits as requested by the Author, where required, following the Journal's Editorial resolution; provide the Author with the soft copy of the published Article by sending it to the Author's e-mail address within 15 business days of the Journal issue's publication; respect the Author's rights established by the effective law, protect those and use best endeavors to prevent any copyright infringements by third parties. 5.5. The Publisher is entitled to: carry out technical and literary editing of the Article such that its basic content would remain unchanged; review the Article and suggest appropriate changes to the Author, and elect not to publish the Article if the Author fails to introduce such changes; require from the Author and/or other persons that the Journal, Publisher, Author and any other copyright holder, as well as the title of the Article, Journal issue identification and a year of publication as specified in the Journal be properly referenced whenever the Journal and/or the Article, including any individual part or fragment thereof, are used by any of the above-mentioned individuals thereafter; publish preliminary and/or advertising information on the forthcoming publication of the Article in mass media and any other information sources; establish rules (conditions) for acceptance and publication of materials in the Journal. The Journal's Editorial Board, headed by the Editor-in-Chief, shall enjoy an exclusive right to accept and/or reject any materials submitted to the Journal's Editorial Office for publication purposes. No manuscript (tangible medium) submitted by the Author to the Journal's Editorial Office will be subject to return. The Journal's Editorial Staff will not enter into any correspondence regarding the rejection of the Article by the Journal's Editorial Board; suspend provision of services to the Author hereunder temporarily for technical, technological and other reasons preventing the services from being provided for the duration of remedial activities; suspend services hereunder in accordance with civil procedures if: the Article does not correspond to the topics covered by the Journal or by any part thereof, or the submitted material is found insufficient for the individual publication, or the Article design is found at variance with the requirements imposed; the Author is in breach of any other obligations assumed under the Offer arrangement; introduce changes to the Offer as per the procedure established by the Offer. 5.6. Unless otherwise provided or stated herein, the Parties shall refer to the effective legislation of the Russian Federation. 6. Offer Acceptance and Conclusion of the Agreement. The Term of the Agreement 6.1. This Agreement shall become effective when concluded, i.e. when the Author Accepts the Offer by sending an application to the Publisher, that is, by uploading the Article (Article Upload), and remain in effect for five years. 6.2. The Offer Acceptance constitutes an Agreement made in writing (Articles 438 and 1286.1 of the Russian Federation Civil Code) under the Offer terms. 6.3. Unless any of the Parties sends to the other Party a written notification of the Agreement termination no later than two months prior to the end of the specified five-year period, the duration of the Publisher's copyright to the Work shall be automatically extended by the similar period. The number of extensions is not limited. 6.4. The term of the Agreement may not exceed the duration of exclusive rights to the Article pursuant to the Russian Federation legislation. 6.5. Whenever the Author assigns (disposes of) its exclusive rights to the Work to any third party, this Agreement shall remain in effect. 7. Agreement Modification and Termination Procedure 7.1. The Publisher shall have a right to unilaterally modify the terms of this Agreement by giving a prior notice to the Author, at least ten (10) calendar days before such modifications become effective, to the Author's e-mail address specified in the Author's application or via the Journal's site. These modifications shall become effective from the date specified in the respective notice. 7.2. If the Author disagrees with any modification in the terms of this Agreement, the Author shall have a right to submit a written notice of his/her withdrawal from this Agreement by uploading it onto the network electronic system of the article acquisition for review, available at the relevant section of the Journal's site at URL: http://journals.rudn.ru/index.php/literary-criticism/author/submit/1 on the Internet. 7.3. This Agreement may be terminated early: at any time by mutual agreement of the Parties; or otherwise as stipulated herein. 7.4. The Author shall have a right to cancel this Agreement unilaterally by sending the Publisher a respective notice in writing at least sixty (60) calendar days prior to the intended date of the Author's Article publication in the Journal. 7.5. The termination of this Agreement for any reasons shall not release the Parties from responsibility for breach of any Agreement terms during the currency hereof. 8. Liability 8.1. A Party which has failed to perform its obligations under this Agreement, either in full or in part, shall be held liable pursuant to the Russian Federation legislation in force. 8.2. All the data provided by the Author shall be trustworthy. The Author shall be responsible for completeness and reliability of the data provided to the Publisher. The use of untrustworthy information obtained from the Author shall not entail any responsibility upon the Publisher for any adverse effects resulting from its actions based on such untrustworthy information. 8.3. The Author shall take full personal responsibility for compliance with the requirements of the Russian Federation law on advertising, protection of copyright and related rights, protection of trademarks and service marks, and protection of consumer rights. 8.4. The Publisher shall not be held responsible hereunder for: any actions resulting directly or indirectly from the actions of the Author; any loss incurred by the Author whether or not the Publisher was in a position to predict such loss. 8.5. The Publisher shall be relieved from any responsibility for non-compliance with the terms of this Agreement if such non-compliance is a result of a force-majeure event such as an act of state authorities, including adoption of legal instruments, fire, flood, earthquake, other natural calamities, loss of power and/or computer network failure, strikes, civil commotions, riots, and any other similar events. 9. Dispute Resolution Procedure 9.1. Any disputes and disagreements shall be resolved by the Parties by negotiations, and if the Parties fail to reach an agreement, these shall be resolved in accordance with the effective law of the Russian Federation. 9.2. If any disagreements remain unresolved, the Parties shall settle those at the location of the Publisher in accordance with the effective law of the Russian Federation. 10. Miscellaneous 10.1. Any notifications, messages, requests etc., excluding documents which need to be forwarded in original form pursuant to the Russian Federation legislation, shall be deemed to have been received by the Author, if delivered (sent) by the Publisher via the Journal's site, including by publishing those, by fax or e-mail specified in the Application, or using other communication facilities. The Parties acknowledge validity of notifications, messages, requests etc. delivered (sent) using the above-listed methods. 10.2. Where the Publisher becomes subject to any claims related to non-compliance with an exclusive copyright or other intellectual property right of any third party during the writing of the Article or in connection with conclusion of this Agreement by the Author, the Author undertakes to: immediately upon receipt of a Publisher's notification, take measures to settle disputes with such third party, and, where necessary, join the litigation in favor of the Publisher and use its best endeavors to exclude the Publisher from the defendants; reimburse the legal cost, expenses and loss incurred by the Publisher as a result of application of a pre-award relief and measures for execution of a judgment, and damages paid by the Publisher to any third party for the infringement of exclusive copyright and/or other intellectual property rights, as well as other expenditures incurred by the Publisher as a result of infringement by the Author of any warranties provided hereunder. 10.3. Subject to Article 6 of the Federal Law On Personal Data No. 152-FZ dated July 27, 2006, for the period from the conclusion of this Agreement and until the discharge of Parties obligations hereunder, the Author expresses his/her consent to processing of the following personal data by the Publisher: last name, first name, patronymic; taxpayers identification number (TIN); place and date of birth; citizenship details; ID document details; registration and actual location address; e-mail address; mailing address with postal code; contact phone numbers; fax numbers; and details of the employers. 10.4. The Publisher is entitled to process the above personal data for the purpose of this Agreement performance, including for provision of information and reference services to the Author. The processing of personal data shall be understood to mean any handing (operations) with personal data, including collection, systematization, accumulation, storage, refinement (update, alteration), use, distribution (including transfer to third parties), depersonalization, blocking and deletion of personal data in accordance with the effective Russian Federation legislation. 10.5. Where permitted by the Russian Federation legislation, the Author is entitled to withdraw his/her consent to processing of personal data as listed in Clause 10.3 by forwarding a respective notice to the Publisher. Upon receipt of such notice, the Publisher has a right to suspend services. 10.6. The Author will, on a goodwill basis, submit his/her details (and details of each Co-Author subject to their prior consent) to the Journal's Editorial Office consisting of his/her: last name, first name, patronymic, academic rank, academic degree, job title, employer details (name and mailing address), work phone number and e-mail address for the purpose of its general publication in the Journal along with the Article. 11. Registered Address and Particulars of the Publisher Federal State Autonomous Educational Institution of Higher Education "Peoples’ Friendship University of Russia named after Patrice Lumumba” (RUDN University) Address: Mikluho-Maklaya st., 6, Moscow, 117198 TIN 7728073720, CRR 772801001, PSRN 1027739189323. Vice Rector for Scientific Work A.A. Kostin
The Imaginary Sirius of a Ridiculous Man: The Possibility of Multiple Worlds in the Later Works of Fyodor Dostoevsky
This article explores the circulation of the idea of multiple worlds as it unfolds within the creative universe of F.M. Dostoevsky. The relevance of the study lies in the interpretive complexity of The Dream of a Ridiculous Man, particularly in the insufficiently examined ontological foundations of its fantastic narrative. The piece aims to identify the mechanisms through which the possibility of a multiverse is articulated, as well as to analyze the motif of the “appearance of a star” (the imaginary Sirius) as a marker of interworld transition and as an indicator of the protagonist’s existential choice within the text. For the first time, an attempt is made to interpret the story’s cosmological utopia through the lens of non-Euclidean metrics and to reveal a connection between the image of the star in the narrative and the representation of Sirius in the “imaginary geometry” of Nikolai Lobachevsky. The study investigates how an existentially intensified problem, the leveling, or “nullification”, of sin, is articulated through the narrative framework of a “journey to another planet”. Textual parallels can be traced that connect the story with the corpus of Western European Enlightenment works (Voltaire, Flammarion), as well as with Dostoevsky’s own writings from the 1870s-1880s. The article demonstrates that the author’s hypothesis concerning the possibility of the manifestation of “other worlds” and the redemption of sin is conceptually aligned with contemporary theories of geometric infinity, the idea of the heat death of the universe, speculative models of reality construction (including non-Euclidean axiomatics), and the internal logic governing the formation of “moral feeling”, understood as being determined by the affirmation of the probability of a posthumous existence.
Copyright (c) 2026 Ganin M.V. https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0
Evolution of the Image of the Armenian People in the Works of Vasily Nemirovich-Danchenko
The purpose of this study is to analyze how the image of Armenians evolved over decades in the works of Vasily I. Nemirovich-Danchenko (1845-1936). Using biographical and comparative methods, this study analyzes literary works and documentary essays, including poetry. The study draws on is Nemirovich-Danchenko’s lifetime publications, analyzed chronologically. The results showed that initially, the image emerged of the Armenian people, described through stereotypical features, emerges in Nemirovich-Danchenko’s works alongside other peoples (second half of the 19th century). Then, the writer attempts to understand the essence of Armenian culture and history more deeply (at the turn of the 20th century), and subsequently comes to identify his own destiny with that of Armenians. This study is the first to examine the image of the Armenian people in the works of this author not only in his poetry but also in his prose. The evolution of a distinct artistic image in this author’s work is also explored for the first time. The study concludes that Vasily I. Nemirovich-Danchenko gradually, throughout his career, evolves from depicting Armenians through archetypal images created by popular culture to a characteristic image - an individual creation of the writer, formed through his creative exploration of existence.
Copyright (c) 2026 Glazova M.M., Nikolaeva S.Y. https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0
Nelly by V.Ya. Bryusov as a Collective Subject of Women’s Lyric Poetry of the Early Twentieth Century
The purpose of the study is to analyze the collection of V.Ya. Bryusov’s Nelly’s Poems (1913) in the context of women’s poetry of the early twentieth century. Bryusov’s literary mystification has already attracted the attention of researchers, but mainly in terms of the circumstances of its creation, critical reception and biographical facts of his life, reflected in this book. The relevance of this article lies in the fact that the emphasis is placed on the literary context of the era of the 1900s and early 1910s, which seems to be no less important for the emergence of the poems that made up this collection. In particular, the work of Nadezhda Lvova is examined in detail, the dialogue with which in this book seems to be more extensive than previously thought. The novelty of the study lies in the identification of Bryusov’s imitations of actual female lyrics in Nelly’s Poems, as well as significant references to the texts of Natalia Grushko, Cherubina de Gabriak (E. Dmitrieva) and Anna Akhmatova. The poems of the collection are written in different stylistic manners (philosophical, erotic, hedonistic, urban lyrics, classical and ultramodern poetry) and represent a polyphony of lyrical voices. Bryusov created several female heroines within the framework of one book at once: a dreamer, a sexually liberated emancipation, a cheerful townswoman or a woman-child. As a result, it is concluded that author embodied a collective portrait of a female poet at the turn of the 1910s, and Nelly can be considered a collective subject of female lyrics.
Copyright (c) 2026 Kuznetsova E.V. https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0
Mythopoetics of the Apocalyptic Story by A. Adamovich The Last Pastoral
The article is devoted to the analysis of the mythopoetic structure and the philosophical-anthropological issues in Ales Adamovich’s novella The Last Pastoral. The relevance of the study is determined by the growing scholarly interest in late Soviet works permeated with a profoundly tragic, apocalyptic pathos. The aim of the study is to examine the specificity of an artistic method atypical of the author and to analyze the ways in which the author’s apocalyptic worldview, as a response to the crisis of utopian discourse, is refracted in the compositional structure of the novella and its system of imagery. The novelty of the study lies in emphasizing the writer’s recourse to the arsenal of modernist poetics in order to construct a universal model of the apocalypse. Within the given tasks of the research the paper analyzes the mechanisms of deconstruction and inversion of key archetypal patterns, including the pastoral genre, the Robinson myth, and the cult of the Eternal Feminine. Particular attention is paid to the author’s engagement with Biblical imagery and narratives, which reveals his apocalyptic pathos (Cain and Abel, the Tower of Babel, the Judgment of Solomon). The study concludes that, through a system of inverted myths and archetypal images, Adamovich articulates his concept of the impending destruction of humanity: according to the author, the cause of global catastrophe is rooted in human nature itself, in its ineradicable “Cain-like” inclination toward violence and division, which renders any social or technological progress ultimately fatal and potentially capable of leading to universal annihilation.
Copyright (c) 2026 Okutin N.Y. https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0
The Theme of Fate in Anna Matveeva’s Novel Dyatlov Pass, or The Mystery of the Nine
The article analyzes the motif of fate and the related strategy of documentary-fiction investigation chosen by Anna Matveeva to describe the tragedy in the mountains of the Northern Urals, which claimed the lives of nine young people in February 1959. The intertwining of the fictional plot and the unsolved mystery of the Dyatlov group’s demise creates a unique effect: through the sparse documents of the investigation and the personal diaries of the participants, the milestones of the characters’ destinies emerge. The receptive consciousness of the thirty-year-old heroine Anna plays a pivotal role in the novel. Compassionate and deeply empathetic, she strives to comprehend not merely the physical cause of death, but the metaphysical question of why fate singled out these nine individuals. Hence the inevitable intrusion of mystical motifs into the narrative fabric. The hybrid documentary-fiction text reveals its evocative nature at the level of composition and framing elements: it becomes an ascent to death, a pass of grief, shaping a polyphonic perception of the tragic material and reflecting the author’s worldview. The novelty of the work lies in examining not linguistic, but compositional evocation within the artistic text.
Copyright (c) 2026 Krylova S.V. https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0
The Character of the Fantastic Space in Chingiz Aitmatov’s Novella The Piebald Dog Running Along the Shore
The proposed article analyzes the features of the organization of an imaginary space in Chingiz Aitmatov’s novella The Piebald Dog Running Along the Shore. Such a space in the work becomes the oneiric reality, one of the characters’ dream. The purpose of this article is to consider the dream as a part of the artistic whole of the story. The idea is formulated that the reality of a dream in a literary text is one of the variants of a fantastic, imaginary artistic space, along with a mythological one, also revealed in the writer’s texts. The dream represents a complexly organized structure. It can be considered as a special device in the work that determines a number of features of the text, both formal and substantive. Dream can influence a character’s perception of certain events happening to him, determine his actions. In the story, the dream becomes a special space-time formation for the character. It is a distant and close space, which does not really exist and becomes the only true reality for the character at the same time. Fantastic spaces - including the creation myth that frames the narrative and the myths constructed by the characters themselves - are superimposed upon objective reality, creating a complex unity. For Aitmatov’s characters, the real is practically not separated from the non-existent, fantastic.
Copyright (c) 2026 Kenzhebaeva S.Z. https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0
Genre Narrative Originality of Terry Deary’s Horrible Histories
The article examines the genre and narrative originality of the Horrible Histories book series; whose key author was educator Terry Deary. His creative work has been poorly studied in Russia and abroad, while in many countries the interest to historical literature for school students is growing. The material for this study comprises books from the series published between 1993 and 2004, as well as works by Russian and foreign critics. For the first time in Russian literary studies, an attempt is made to define the genre of illustrated texts on historical themes aimed at a school audience, which pay considerable attention to the “gory” pages of the past. As a result of the analysis, conducted using systemic, comparative, textual, and linguistic methods, the authors of the article conclude that Horrible Histories possesses features of children’s fictional-educational and instructional literature, and is also in many ways close to the comic book genre. A special place in the books is occupied by an omniscient narrator, who strives to be not a boring instructor but a friend to children and teenagers. In simple language, he recounts both well-known historical events and those not covered in school. The narrator allows himself to criticize teachers who “don’t know everything”, suggesting that the readers test their own mentors. Irony, wordplay, and breaking of stereotypes distinguish Horrible Histories from other educational books. This unconventional approach to presenting material attracts the young audience and motivates it to study history. Deary has found a new format in fiction that meets the youth expectations.
Copyright (c) 2026 Arkhangelskaya I.B., Arkhangelskaya A.S. https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0
The Problem of Home and Family in the Works of Herman Melville
This article is devoted to the study of the bachelor lifestyle in the works of Herman Melville. The aim of the research is to prove that Melville uses the image of bachelors to highlight key qualities of the American mentality, such as independence, self-sufficiency, and enterprise, which, in a bachelor’s lifestyle, i.e., egocentric and unrestricted by any boundaries, turn into destructive flaws. The purpose is to examine in detail the concepts of “home” and “family”, as they are significantly modified in the “bachelor” model of behavior. “Home” is understood as a special bachelor space such as a house, a family estate, an office, or a ship. The ambivalent nature of the bachelor’s home is discussed. On the one hand, it is separated from the rest of the space, which still poses a danger to the individual in the context of the undeveloped American environment. On the other hand, bachelors, isolated from life, shut themselves off in an artificial environment and thus cut themselves off from reality. The issue of “family” examines the relationships of bachelors with women. The main problem is the overwhelming gap between the sexes, as well as the unwillingness to compromise and adapt to a joint family life. The result is childlessness and a loss of continuity, and on a more global level, a break in the connection between the past, present, and future.
Copyright (c) 2026 Kuznetsova N.V. https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0
Comparative-Typological Analysis of Quest Motifs in World Folktales
The study of plots and motifs in Uzbek folktales within the context of world folklore allows for the identification of both universal patterns in the development of folk narratives and their unique national characteristics. In the context of modern globalization, a comparative-typological analysis of national tales using international catalogues (ATU, SUS) remains a key objective of modern folkloristics. The research aims to conduct a comparative-typological analysis of specific search motifs in Uzbek folktales and determine their correspondence with international plot types. The study employs structural-systemic and comparative-typological methods for analyzing folklore texts. The research is based on the classification of world folklore plots and the comparison of functional combinations of heroes and motifs. The analysis revealed that plot types such as “In Search of a Miraculous Medicine”, “In Search of a Songbird”, and “In Search of a Spouse” have broad parallels in the global fairy tale fund. It has been established that the interpretation of international plots in the Uzbek tradition is closely linked to the socio-cultural and territorial characteristics of the people. The study showed that alongside international plots, Uzbek folktales contain unique motifs, such as “a son searching for his father’s beloved” or “the search for a lost horse”, which are not reflected in international catalogues. This highlights the deep national specificity and originality of Uzbek oral tradition.
Copyright (c) 2026 Mashrapova G.A. https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0
Brian Friel’s Stage Adaptation of Ivan Turgenev’s Novel Fathers and Sons
The purpose of this article is to describe the specifics of Irish playwright Brian Friel’s adaptation of I.S. Turgenev’s novel Fathers and Sons for the theater and the reasons behind Friel’s transformations. The novelty of this study stems from the fact that the reception of Russian classical literature in Ireland in the 20th century has largely escaped the attention of both Russian and international scholars, despite the rich and extensive literature. A comparison of the novel and play reveals similar themes: the preservation of national identity and distinctiveness, the confrontation between representatives of different political groups, and social inequality. The theme of the past is touched upon in the context of the fate of an entire country. The playwright draws parallels between historical events in 19th-century Russia and the historical experience of Northern Ireland in the 20th century. Friel preserves the novel’s plot virtually unchanged, subjecting only the characters to significant transformations. The image of Bazarov the revolutionary crumbles before the viewer’s eyes: in reality, he lacks the courage to live up to the ideals of nihilism and revolution. Conversely, Pavel Petrovich, initially portrayed comically, turns out to be true to his principles. Friel chooses Arkady, Fenechka, and Nikolai Petrovich as his ideals - characters distinguished by kindness and humanity. A significant feature of the play Fathers and Sons is its interweaving of tragedy, farce, and comedy, which links it to the Chekhovian tradition.
Copyright (c) 2026 Tsvetkova M.V., Alenteva A.A. https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0
The Semantics of Irreversibility in German Media Discourse: Eschatological Codes and Audience Reaction in the Context of Crisis
This article explores the semantic and cognitive mechanisms governing the functioning of the lexeme “irreversibility” (Unumkehrbarkeit) within contemporary German media discourse covering the crisis in German-Russian relations. The study tests the hypothesis that the use of irreversibility semantics in the mass media serves as a rhetorical strategy intended to reinforce the perception of ongoing changes as definitive. However, as the analysis demonstrates, this strategy conflicts with the deep-seated structures of the German linguistic worldview, generating cognitive dissonance in the audience. The research material comprises texts from leading German media outlets (Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung, Tagesschau, Süddeutsche Zeitung) as well as data from relevant sociological surveys. Linguistic and conceptual analysis reveals that narratives of a “definitive rupture” are perceived negatively because, within the German mentality, eschatological codes are traditionally associated not with a linear apocalypse, but with a cyclical model of “ending - beginning” and the idea of renewal. Consequently, in times of crisis, an archaic, non-linear model of time perception is activated, rendering the linear rhetoric of “irreversibility” communicatively ineffective.
Copyright (c) 2026 Moskvina Z.O. https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0
Agenda-Building through Micro-Topics: A Case Study of Crimean Print Media, 2019-2021
The article examines the micro-topic structure of regional political media discourse in the Republic of Crimea in 2019-2021, based on publications from the print newspapers Krymskaya Gazeta and Krymskaya Pravda. This case study aims to identify recurring micro-topics through which regional media shape the political agenda, as well as to determine the place and significance of the micro-topic “The Legal Status of Crimea” in the structuring of media discourse. This micro-topic was selected for analysis due to its analytical relevance as a point where regional, national, and external political contexts intersect. From an agenda-building perspective, micro-topics are treated as operational indicators of issue salience in local media agendas, while differences in their actualization are interpreted through framing and discourse-analytic lenses. The empirical material comprises approximately 3,000 media texts selected through continuous sampling of all texts meeting the inclusion criteria from the print editions of the two newspapers over the specified period. The study employs elements of both quantitative and qualitative analysis, including micro-topic-based comparison of publications and examination of changes in micro-topic representation over time. Particular attention is paid to the ways micro-topics are incorporated into media texts and to their role in shaping interpretive contexts. The findings reveal that, despite a formally similar set of micro-topics, the two newspapers differ in the ways these micro-topics are actualized and in the overall logic of discourse organization. Krymskaya Gazeta is primarily oriented toward informational coverage of administrative processes and explanation of official decisions, whereas Krymskaya Pravda constructs media discourse within a more interpretive and polemical framework, regularly relating regional events to the external political context. The micro-topic “The Legal Status of Crimea” is not quantitatively dominant; however, it performs an important structural function by linking different thematic blocks and framing the interpretation of socially and politically significant events.
Copyright (c) 2026 Egorova L.G. https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0
Constructing the Risks of AI Regulation: Russian Media Discourse on the EU AI Act
This article examines the social dimension of technology adoption and development. Based on Russian media coverage of one of the stages in the adoption of the EU AI Act in June 2023, it analyzes the interpretive flexibility of technology - a situation in which a technology has not yet acquired a fixed evaluation, and this evaluation is being shaped through negotiations. The theoretical framework is the social construction of technology (SCOT), while the analysis of empirical material draws on the discourse theory of E. Laclau and Ch. Mouffe. The analysis shows that this particular stage of adopting AI regulation in the Europe reveals the heterogeneity of positions within the Union: the stance of the governing bodies (the European Commission, which approved this stage) - protecting end-users from potential risks of the new technology; the stance of business - advocating for freer development of AI systems; and the deep involvement of American technology corporations in the negotiation process. The Russian position is presented as more homogeneous; nevertheless, there is a call to accelerate the implementation of Russia’s own regulatory system, with particular attention to the development of material infrastructure.
Copyright (c) 2026 Dushakova I.S. https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0
Official Discourse as a Media Frame: The Evolution of Strategic Narratives in Sino-Russian Relations
Sino-Russian relations, having reached the level of a comprehensive strategic partnership, represent not only a diplomatic phenomenon but also a significant object of political communication. Studies on the media representation of bilateral cooperation often overlook the doctrinal layer, which serves as the primary source of semantic guidelines for national media. This study aims to trace the evolution of mutual assessments in key geostrategic documents of the Russian Federation and the PRC (2000-2025) and to identify stable narrative markers that communication theories treat as foundational frames for constructing media images of a neighboring state. The methodological framework comprises qualitative content and discourse analysis of ten official texts. The results demonstrate a gradual shift from pragmatically restrained formulations to the declaration of comprehensive partnership and “exemplary” relations. The identified narrative matrices establish the normative basis of state communication, defining the lexicon, status markers, and evaluative constructs that potentially shape the tone and thematic scope of subsequent media representation. The study provides an empirical foundation for understanding how official doctrines set the boundaries of media agendas.
Copyright (c) 2026 Kozhukhova K.E., Proskurnova E.L. https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0
Censorship in Chinese Television Dramas as a Factor in Audience Reception
This article examines the audience reception of Chinese television dramas, which have been gaining popularity in Russia. The production of Chinese TV dramas requires compliance with state censorship, which largely determines the final version of the media product. Under conditions of uncertainty and limited transparency regarding regulatory requirements, audiences of Chinese dramas (commonly referred to as C-dramas) develop their own understandings of the nature of restrictions and the outcomes of censorship interventions. The aim of this study is to identify the characteristics of audience reception of Chinese television dramas in relation to censorship. The analysis focuses on three research questions: how VKontakte fan communities dedicated to Chinese dramas construct audience knowledge about censorship; how viewers conceptualize restrictions in C-dramas and interpret the shows in light of this knowledge; and how Russian fans of C-dramas perceive the regulation of television drama content in China. The study employs qualitative thematic analysis of 465 posts and comments published in VKontakte communities devoted to Chinese dramas. The analysis identifies key features of Russian viewers’ perceptions of censorship in Chinese television dramas, including practices of sharing information about censorship, expectations of regulatory intervention, assumptions about taboo topics, and attitudes toward censorship. The findings demonstrate that many C-drama fans are not only aware of censorship but also incorporate it into their interpretive practices, developing a particular mode of reception that we term censorship sensitivity.
Copyright (c) 2026 Nim E.G., Boldyreva D.I. https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0
Media Promotion of Educational Programs in Russian Universities: The Experience of Journalism Faculties
Based on a comparative analysis of official websites, VKontakte pages, and Telegram channels of journalism faculties at five leading Russian universities (HSE University, Moscow State University, St. Petersburg State University, Russian Presidential Academy of National Economy and Public Administration, Moscow State Institute of International Relations), this article examines modern tools for media promotion of educational services. The empirical data cover the period 2023-2024; social media analytics services are used to assess activity and audience engagement. The study reveals that promotion effectiveness is determined not so much by the volume of publication activity as by content quality, strategic consistency, and personalization of communication. Significant correlations are identified between the number of applications submitted, state-funded admission quotas, social media audience size, and official website usability. Visual and emotionally rich content, as well as a lively tone of communication, are shown to enhance engagement. The findings can be used to optimize communication strategies in the increasingly competitive higher education market.
Copyright (c) 2026 Magera T.S., Blagodarova O.E. https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0
The Interaction of Academic and Industrial Fields in the University Education of Media Specialists
The article is devoted to the analysis of the interaction of academic and industrial fields in the involvement of media specialists in the educational process of the Media Communications program. Based on the materials of in-depth interviews with teachers and practicing media specialists, persistent differences in value orientations, epistemological attitudes, and criteria for evaluating educational outcomes are revealed. The theoretical basis of the research is P. Bourdieu’s concept of social fields and M. Polanyi’s theory of tacit knowledge, critically reinterpreted in the context of modern higher education. It is proved that the interaction of fields is not a confrontation, but a dynamic negotiation space, where practitioners with hybrid habitus play a key role, acting as “translators” between academic and industrial discourses. It is concluded that the stability of this interaction of fields is achieved by coordination: the academic framework provides methodological rigor, and the industrial framework provides relevant content. The competitiveness of educational programs depends on the ability to convert implicit professional experience into a legitimate academic resource while maintaining university autonomy.
Copyright (c) 2026 Kumaneva I.P. https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0
Mediatization of Personal Memories Using Generative Photorealistic Images
The study draws on a four-level analytical framework that integrates the concepts of deep mediatization (Hepp), hybrid agency, the media logics of practices, and the new memory ecology (Hoskins). Methodologically, it combines netnography and case-study research; the empirical corpus includes international projects (2022-2025) that use generative images to work with personal, family, and collective memory. The analysis identifies two core media logics: augmentation (creating visual representations of events that were not captured on film) and transformation (altering the modality of existing material). It is shown that generative technologies shift memory from a regime of reproduction to a regime of production, generating hybrid forms of memory that are simultaneously personal and collective. The findings also highlight the ambivalence of these technologies’ effects-from therapeutic applications and the decolonization of visual archives to the risks of commodifying emotions and producing false memories.
Copyright (c) 2026 Milovidov S.V. https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0
Between Insight and Algorithm: Can Artificial Intelligence Be a Subject of Creativity
This theoretical essay explores, at the intersection of empirical analysis and philosophical-cognitive reflection, the nature and boundaries of human-generative AI interaction in creative professions, specifically journalism and science. The study aims to determine whether such interaction can transcend the instrumental-executive model and claim the status of “co-creation”, or whether fundamental differences between human and machine “thinking” pose an insurmountable barrier. The methodological framework comprises secondary data analysis (industry AI readiness indices, VTSIOM surveys), philosophical-cognitive analysis of the nature of creativity (insight, intentionality, the role of the “supraconscious”), and an illustrative case study of a dialogue with the DeepSeek AI model. The results show that in the media and journalism and science sectors, AI is actively used primarily for production and organizational processes, while remaining marginal to the core of creative activity - the generation of meanings and new knowledge. A comparison of the operational principles of machine intelligence (statistical pattern recombination, rule-following) with the non-algorithmizable nature of the creative act (insight, empathy, contextual understanding) confirms that contemporary “weak” AI functions as a tool of simulation rather than genuine creation. The author concludes that human - AI interaction follows an asymmetrically instrumental pattern: the human acts as the subject who sets goals, context, and criteria of meaning, while AI serves as a powerful support mechanism. This interaction cannot claim the status of “co-creation” in any existential or heuristic sense, which gives rise to a set of ethical and legal dilemmas including the diffusion of authorship, the need for rigorous verification, and the risk of professional deskilling.
Copyright (c) 2026 Urazova S.L. https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0
From Screen Representation to Gaming Experience: The Transformation of Soft Power Practices
In recent decades, video games have established a stable position in the global media landscape, transforming from a niche entertainment format into a mass cultural phenomenon. In the context of the active use of cinema and TV as instruments of soft power, there is growing interest in video games as a potential channel of cultural impact. However, their analysis is often carried out without sufficient consideration of the specifics of their media nature. The purpose of this article is to examine video games as a special type of screen media in the context of cultural diplomacy, with an emphasis on their unique characteristics. The study analyzes the language of video games in comparison with other screen media, in particular cinema. Additionally, secondary statistical data on the size of the media market and audience engagement are used. It is shown that the cultural impact of video games is formed not only through narrative content, but also through the unique architecture of game media, based on a deep level of engagement. The results make it possible to consider video games as a medium with great potential for use in soft power, while maintaining the need for further analysis of the specific mechanisms of such influence.
Copyright (c) 2026 Turunov D.M. https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0
The Macrocosm and Microcosm of a Great Novel. A Book Review: Boris Sokolov’s Commentaries on Leo Tolstoy’s War and Peace: A Great Epoch in a Great Novel
Copyright (c) 2026 Chelyukanova O.N., Zhang H. https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0