Russia in Global Affairs

A comprehensive research can help bridge the long-standing divide in Russian thought between the partisans of militarism’s utmost importance and the partisans of its a priori ineffectiveness.

The transformation of diplomatic efforts into a “spectacle” by no means contributes to the achievement of those goals, although it may sometimes entertain the unsophisticated general public. Postmodernism should be replaced or, at any rate, counterbalanced by more traditional—restrained and substantive—forms of international communication.

Interference is commonplace today and will likely become only more so, especially as it has become possible in “endoscopic” form. Channels and instruments are hidden, and external interests can exert themselves from within the sovereign political space.

International relations theory is now helpless without sociological perspective. There’s no chance to predict the state of the “grand chessboard” without understanding public sentiments in each square.

The bedrock of realism in international relations is founded on the notions of a state-centred approach to the study of rational logic of man in pursuing national self-interest. However, this is an increasingly difficult task of trying to derive meaningful assessments and interpretations of people, events and processes in the geopolitics of the 21st century as the role of emotions and seemingly illogical actions come increasingly to the fore of international relations.

The era of ethical and ideological assessments, normative for all, lasted several decades. Today’s approach is much more relativistic, with many different ethical systems fighting for their equal rights. The Global Majority will always strive for flexible forms of partnership, multidirectional policy, and hedging rather than universal subordination.

Since we are optimistic that the journal will keep coming out for the next twenty years, we have decided to ask our colleagues, authors and friends around the world what will be relevant for the first issue of our journal in 2043, and what will be the main challenge to humanity just in order to have enough time to order materials. Here is the result.

The monograph by Anatoly Torkunov and Kim Hak-chun is undoubtedly unique; its release has become not only an outstanding event in the history of Korean studies in Russia and Russian studies in Korea, but also a milestone in the history of scientific and cultural cooperation between the two countries.

In this insightful interview conducted by Modern Diplomacy executive Kester Kenn Klomegah with Fyodor Lukyanov, Chairman of the Council on Foreign and Defense Policy, Research Director at the Valdai Discussion Club, and Editor-in-Chief of Russia in Global Affairs magazine, focused largely on Russia and Africa relations, and a few aspects of the emerging new world order.