Vol 28, No 2 (2023)

The parable of the works of N.V. Gogol as one of the most important elements of the writer's strategy is analyzed. Emphasis is placed both on its formal and content embodiment in the author's works. The formal part shows the important connection between the parable and the artistic detail of the literary work and the composition on the whole. The content part deals with the writer, who builds a complex system of conflicts and their role in the plot scheme. For the study, researchers consider it necessary to warn against a shallow analysis of Gogol's parable as a kind of vulgar form of reasonableness or teaching. Reading the author's texts shows that the parable departs from the classical model and resembles “die Parabel”, a form of parable in the literature of European modernism, which complicates and makes the edifying aspect less obvious. The parable element considered in this work should be studied not in general terms, but as an integral part of the poetics and artistic system of the author, which allows us to consider this phenomenon in more detail, as an individually mastered part of the composition of the work of a single author. Using this approach, it is possible to show Gogol as a phenomenon of world literature, and the reason for that is a complex system of parables, implemented in different ways in his literary works. This system absorbs particular elements of poetics using a variety of functions that form a single system of artistic originality of Gogol's texts. Moreover, it emphasizes the originality of texts and their dissimilarity from each other even within the author's collection.

The functioning of the components of the neoromantic plot scheme “an ordinary person in unusual circumstances” in the works by A. Grin, who is traditionally recognized as a neoromantic, and in the works by a representative of another artistic movement L. Perutz, is compared. This kind of comparison seems to be productive as it allows defining the differential features of a neoromantic plot. The thesis is expressed about the rethinking of the plot scheme in the novel by the Austrian writer. In the works by A. Grin the main character reveals his best qualities by dealing with unusual circumstances and coping with himself, however in the novel by L. Perutz, circumstances make the character to overcome himself to no avail, because he is deprived of the necessary spiritual qualities. Changing of points of view functions both in stories by A. Grin and in the Perutz’s novel as a plot-forming and compositional device and it is also used in creating images of characters. A. Grin focuses on the opposition between the character’s inner point of view and the point of view which is external to him. In the novel by L. Perutz the main character tries to find himself coping with external points of view. The interaction between the neoromantic and modernistic features of the novel is analyzed. L. Perutz solves the issue of the human existence reality/unreality, the fragility of the human self-boundaries by modifying neoromantic plot scheme. Integrity of A. Grin’s characters helps them to cope with circumstances and with themselves in circumstances whereas the L. Perutz’s character acquires integrity only on the verge of death.

The translation, dissemination, and criticism of Leo Tolstoy's works by Shanghai intellectuals in the early 20th century are discussed. The author restores the unique social and historical context in China in the first two decades of the 20th century, combs Tolstoy's works published in Shanghai and critical articles about the writer published by various newspapers and periodicals, revealing the psychological dynamics and reality of these translators and critics, and summarizes Shanghai's outstanding contributions to the dissemination of Tolstoy and the promotion of Tolstoy's research in China.

The study is devoted to the peculiarities of the development of the Arabic historical novel, the consistent transformation and “erosion” of its canons within the framework of the literary trends of the 20th and 21st centuries. The relevance of the topic, on the one hand, is due to the fact that the historical novel has not lost its significance in Arabic national literature. The share of works of this genre is still high, they occupy the first lines in the distribution of literary prizes. On the other hand, against the background of the general process of globalization, it is interesting to trace the trajectory of the development of the genre in the so-called “lagging” literature, to which many researchers rank Arabic literature. Some works of the genre fell into the focus of both Arabic, Western, as well as domestic orientalist-literary critics and were subjected to deep comprehensive consideration. Today, however, the novels of recent decades also require analysis. The purpose of the study was not just to identify the works of Arab authors that have received wide recognition in recent years, but to fit them into the paradigm of the development of the historical genre and thereby determine its direction in the near future. To do this, the authors tried to compare classical historical novels with modern ones, characterizing their heroes, describing the periods in the history of the Arab world that Arab authors addressed and continue to address within the genre, determining the degree of epic, historical authenticity, etc., in modern examples of the genre. It was found out, that classical heroes with a standard set of heroic qualities that influence the course of history are replaced by thinkers, scientists, dervishes, ordinary observers, and critical epochs and specific historical events are replaced by troubles periods - before or after a catastrophe, major transformations. Conclusions were drawn about the historicity of Arabic literature back in the pre-Islamic era, the long-term preservation of the canons of the Early Middle Ages in the genre, the sharp transformation of the genre and the refusal from the canons under the influence of postmodernism that penetration into Arabic soil in the mid 1960s coincided with the military and social upheavals of the history of Arabs. The direction of the genre, which is pronounced today towards ethnoliterature, is emphasized.

The influence of Marxist ideology has played a peculiar role in the formation of Hindi literature. Many writers believed that a literary word, illuminating the problems of inequality and oppression, could awake effective political, social and economic actions that could change an ordinary person’s life. In contemporary Hindi poetry there is the rise of young poets’ interest in socially-engaged narrative, which they clarify with the concept of “socialist”. It is aimed at criticizing the world order surrounding them and the desire to point out the problems of social peace. The authors discuss and translate for the first time the poems of the 21st century - Hindi poets of the left wing Alokadhanva and Avinash Mishra. They, drawing the reader's attention to the fact that the art of the word is given to them from above, raise acute social issues with realistic poems and simple language, hiding their powerlessness behind rhetorical appeals calling for an active struggle. Special attention is paid to the artistic techniques, which are practically not used in this poetry. It is concluded that poets create their own metapoetics focused on revising literature’s mission as a way of exposing the modern society’s vices.

The author examines the institutional originality of television in the countries of the European Union. The purpose of the study is to explain the nature of the institution of European broadcasting, which better than anything else reflects the idea of a common European home. A brief historical overview of the establishment of the European Broadcasting Union and cooperation between national broadcasters in Europe is given. The task is to identify the dynamics and trends in the development of the community of European broadcasters in the context of political, economic and technological changes in recent years. European TV is a testing ground for global TV, in which international (primarily American) and pan-European cross-border TV channels play an increasingly important role. Domestication of such channels occurs both through the localization of the content of programs, and through the titration of audio content in regional languages. The institutionalization of European television broadcasting takes place through various competitions and the activities of EU decentralized bodies, which are called upon to support joint projects in the field of TV, cinema, and the professional education of journalists (European Executive Agency for Education and Culture). At the same time, European television is not concerned about unification, keeping in mind the motto of the European Union - “In varietate сoncordia”. The diversity of the information space of the European continent is associated with the presence of several stable models for the functioning of television production, as well as with regional cultures that influence both media consumption patterns and television viewing volumes.

The study of the role of regional television in national identification has gained particular relevance in the context of contemporary processes of mediatisation and globalisation. The theoretical significance of the results is related to the identification of the techniques of media identification in a historical perspective, as well as to the discovery of the factors influencing the identification process. The authors present the results of a study of both the historical experience of the development of state television in the territory of Tatarstan and the modern practice of the TV channel “Tatarstan - New Century”, which is currently considered the main national channel in the republic. The degree to which the topic of regional television development in Russia and around the world has been studied in terms of the specifics of national broadcasting, and studies which address the problem of ethnic identification through the media have been taken into account. A large body of empirical material was used to identify traditions and innovations in the activities of regional television, whose mission is to preserve and develop the native language, cultural and historical heritage. Through the analysis of empirical data the continuity of regional television traditions in relation to the national component is shown for the first time.

The results of a comparative analysis of classifications of media systems developed by foreign researchers in the 20th-21st centuries are presented. Particular attention is paid to the criteria, determinants and comparison parameters that were used in different classifications to identify common characteristics of media systems in different countries. The empirical base of the study includes both popular and little-known authors in the Russian scientific literature, but widely cited in foreign studies, who have formed original classification structures. The basis for the choice of concepts and classifications were the results of the analysis of research and educational programs of Russian and foreign universities, the historical sequence of scientific papers, logical connection with predecessors and followers, contribution to the scientific literature on the theory of journalism and high citation in modern media studies. The main criterion for the selection of the most popular classifications became a citation analysis of foreign researchers’ scientific publications on this topic in the scientometric system Google Scholar that accumulates scientific works from different countries, as well as statistics of Yandex. It is concluded that the main characteristics of media systems, as well as the criteria and parameters used in the most famous classifications (the second half of the 20th - beginning of the 21st century), remain relevant and can be adapted to the analysis of the modern media sphere.

The project method in training journalism students is effective and in demand. The author's experience proves it. The main thematic works of domestic and foreign scientists, methodologists, journalists-practitioners were analyzed. The experiment conducted in two groups of future journalists showed that projecting allows the successful development of professional competencies outlined in the Federal State Educational Standard. In doing so, motivation for learning and future activities increases, skills in using digital tools improve, and oratorical abilities improve. The material for the study was the author's teaching work with journalism students of the Faculty of Philology at Surgut State Pedagogical University. The modeling and questioning methods were used. The analysis of the results of the experiment allows to conclude about the effectiveness of the project method of teaching as a means of forming a holistic media personality of a journalism student at university (within the framework of the activity-based approach).

The communication component of lobbying activity and the role of media communications in achieving lobbying goals are considered on the example of the formation of the legal field of the information technology (IT) industry in the conditions of 2022. As an empirical material, public content initiated by large associations defending the interests of the industry in the media field was chosen. The consistent communicative coupling of the IT industry with the activities of the Ministry of Digital Development, Communications and Mass Communications of the Russian Federation is shown. To analyze the lobbying process, the reputation management, media monitoring and social media system “SCAN-Interfax” was used. In relation to the topic of lobbying for IT interests, a gap in communication activity between the Ministry of Finance and industry associations in absolute terms was revealed. At the same time, in relative terms to the total number of mentions in the media, the efforts were comparable. The actualization of the media strategy of IT associations on the transfer of public merits to the regulator - the Ministry of Finance was found, while the conclusion was made about the effectiveness of lobbying efforts. Semantic analysis of the communication activity of a particular association demonstrated an algorithm for implementing the goals of mediatized lobbying.