Dispute about the Nature of Law

The article analyzes the conditions for a dialogue between Western and post-Soviet philosophy and theory of law on the nature of law (in terms of the first), or understanding of law (in terms of the second), which would create an opportunity for the organic inclusion of the “dispute about the nature of law” elements in the context of the discussion and solving issues relevant to the post-Soviet philosophy of law, including the shift of emphasis from the theoretical to the practical aspect of the problem of the nature of law. The research begins with a general description of the peculiarities of the “discourse of legal thinking (understanding of law)” inherent in post-Soviet jurisprudence and the identification of ontological and analytical criteria for classifying the types of understanding of law (natural law, positivist, sociological) as the basis for further convergence of post-Soviet and Western experience of understanding of law. Further, the meaning of the concept of validity of law in its social, moral and legal varieties for understanding the nature of law in general and the corresponding types of such understanding are revealed. In the final part, attention is drawn to the practical aspects of the study of the nature of law, carried out in the context of “extraordinary cases” existing on the verge of law and un-law. Further analysis reveals the methodological possibilities of comprehending the concept of law through the correlation with the counter-concept of “un-law” using examples: post-Soviet discussions about the relationship between law and statute, legal and non-legal law; Hegel’s concept of right and non-right; contemporary non-positivist approach by Robert Alexy in accordance with the criterion of the “limiting border” of law according to the Radbruch formula. The conclusions summarize the provisions on the general and distinctive features of the “discourse of the nature of law” and “discourse of understanding of law”, determine the prospects for their rapprochement.

Partnership pedagogy

The purpose of the investigation is to study the concept of pedagogy of partnership in the EU and determine the implementation of Western experience in Ukraine on the basis of a sociological survey. The sociological survey was conducted among 400 teachers - practitioners representing different types of classes (NUS members, inclusive practitioners, small-numbered schools, national minorities). It has been established that the key issues for the implementation of partnership pedagogy for NUS classes are the reluctance of parents to participate in school management; low level of “triangular” connection; low guarantee of understanding of the partnership-based educational approach. Respondents-teachers of national minority classes have identified the following problems, namely: prejudice against the minority; insufficient willingness of parents to help the educational process; reluctance of children to communicate. The academic paper indicates the lack of comprehensive research in the relevant field.

How Do Political Features Influence the Co-Production of Government Projects? A Case Study of a Medium-Sized Chinese City

Co-production is a solution by which the government provides public services. Co-production theory is built upon Western experience and currently focuses on the types of co-production in different policy stages, the barriers and governance strategies for co-production. However, little attention is paid to how political background will influence the co-production process. To fill the gap, we analyzed a case of co-production that occurred in China, and we characterized the political background as consisting of three main political features: political mobility, central–local relations, and performance measurement. Based on an in-depth case study of a government project in a medium-sized Chinese city, the impact and the changes of political features affecting governmental projects in different co-production stages are analyzed and assessed. We find that political features play a critical role in the co-production of China’s large government projects and may separately and jointly affect co-production. Government performance measurement affects the co-design and co-implementation of projects. Political mobility and changes in local government and performance measurement also affect the co-implementation continuity of the project. Political focus affects the co-design of projects. Central-local relations influence the support from higher government and the actual practices of lower government in the co-implementation stage.

The Paradox in the Arab and Western Experience

The paradox in the language means to differ between two or more things, its meaning differs from one dictionary to the other even though it is closely related. It has its nouns, verbs etc. The paradox idiomatically has been studied by many scholars, authors, literary and elequent people as well as researcher. The meaning of paradox idiomatically had differed from a scholar to the other, a writer had discussed its meaning in a simple way while others discussed it thoroughly, on the other hand some contented by defining it, others studied its relations, its origins etc. Some writers searched in its relations with poems, some expressed its basis. These studies took place by Arabs. While, the Western people as well studied the paradox and searched about it. Many authors, literary people and scholars as well spent days and nights in studying this word. Like the Arabs, the meaning of paradox was different for every researcher, scholar or writer etc. Some discussed it throughly, other simply while some expressed its relation and types and so on. The paradox presents without bias two equivalent and opposing viewpoints. The paradox had then a definition after so many studies took place by different scholars, different writers, literary people and researchers either they were Arabs or Western. The paradox had its relations with poems, art, emotions as well as brain. The paradox affects both the heart and the brain if had been used wisely as if it used so much it will impart a boring, heavy taste to the writing while if it had been used wisely it then will affect both the brain and heart and imparts a good and light taste to the scene. The pradox had been known since ages and it affects the literature either it is a poem or a prose.

Summa Theologiae 2.0: Intellectual Mass Media in the Modern Russian Realities, or How “The Academic” became “The Mediatic”

The research paper focuses on the specific features of the status of theology in the modern humanities in Russia. Studying the complexities and difficulties of the institutionalisation of theology and its localisation in the Russian university system and academic culture, the author foregrounds the post-Soviet European experience of the Baltic countries and Ukraine, where theology acquired the status of a “normal” science earlier than in Russia. Within the framework of this study, the peculiarities of the controversial status of theology in the system of higher education as well as in the Russian postgraduate and doctoral studies are considered in the contexts of the frontier of knowledge and the post-Soviet stereotypes. It is assumed that several factors, including the Soviet atheistic cultural heritage, the post-Soviet system of secular degrees and the traditionally significant role of representatives of the natural sciences in the academic community, may significantly contribute to slowing down the transformation of theology into a “normal” science. The paper also deals with the issue of how theology is transforming from the church life of the Russian Christians and becoming more noticeable in the Russian educational cultures and academic spaces. The arguments of the supporters and opponents of the official institutionalisation of theology in the higher education system are critically examined. The author pays special attention to the prospects and possibilities of using the Western experience of “secularization” of theology and its integration into the secular canons of science.