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RUDN Journal of Studies in Literature and Journalism
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This is an Open Access Journal

Open Access journal
ISSN (Print) 2312-9220 - ISSN (Online) 2312-9247
Published by Peoples’ Friendship University of Russia

[22 journals]

Path to Viy: features of the artistic conflict
- Authors: Olga R. Khomyakova
  Pages: 7 - 20
  Abstract: The author undertakes a study of the symbolic-religious conflict, a man and Viy, as a structural and content basis for the integrity of the novella Viy . In Gogol's “paradoxical negative realism”, the “squabbling of life” is depicted from an eschatological perspective. The heterogeneity of the conflict is predetermined by the heterogeneity of Gogol's vision of life: behind the vulgar relations of vulgar people, an existential world, invisible to the characters, shines through, in which an irreal enemy awaits a person in order not to allow this person to avoid meeting with himself. The basis of the conflict of the novella Viy is the subterranean phenomena of the universe, which are at different stages of accepting evil. The mutual negation of the vulgarity of evil (Khoma) and the fantasy of supernatural evil (Viy) does not seem to Gogol absolute, just as the scenario of their movement towards each other does not seem impossible. Analysis of the conflict allows us to assert that Gogol, as a “prophet and philosopher of Orthodox culture”, according to V. Zenkovsky's definition, declares himself already in the story of 1834, and Russian literature owes the “implantation of the religious theme” to this particular work.
  PubDate: 2023-03-30
  DOI: 10.22363/2312-9220-2023-28-1-7-20
  Issue No: Vol. 28, No. 1 (2023)
Fyodor Dostoevsky vs. Nikolai Kostomarov: genesis of Smerdyakov's
сharacter in The Brothers Karamazov
- Authors: Boris V. Sokolov
  Pages: 21 - 29
  Abstract: The author examines one of the episodes of N.I. Kostomarov's Autobiography - the circumstances of his father's murder as the main source of Smerdyakov's image in F.M. Dostoevsky's novel The Brothers Karamazov and its correlation with Dostoevsky's criticism of the idea “If there is no God, then everything is allowed!”. It is proved that Dostoevsky could have learned this episode in an oral transmission either personally from Kostomarov, or through mutual acquaintances with him. The connection is traced through the common Turkic origin of the surnames Kostomarov and Karamazov. It is proved that in The Brothers Karamazov Dostoevsky stands against Kostomarov's opinion about the differences between the South Russian and Great Russian families, expressed in the article Two Russian Nationalities .
  PubDate: 2023-03-30
  DOI: 10.22363/2312-9220-2023-28-1-21-29
  Issue No: Vol. 28, No. 1 (2023)
Phebi claro...: the multilayered ambivalence of the “bilingual
alba”
- Authors: Vadim B. Semyonov
  Pages: 30 - 40
  Abstract: The author presents the history of the most significant interpretive transcriptions made by European linguists and medievalists for the monument of early Romanesque lyrics of the 10th century, the anonymous song Phebi claro.. , known under the a posteriori title imposed on it Alba Bilingue . Paying attention to the transcriptions of the text in general, and especially of the refrain, presumably written in Occitan, makes it possible to see the materialized views of their authors on the specifics of the language of the monument, in particular the assignment of word forms to a certain language and the sphere of a certain stylistic coloring (literary speech vs. vernacular speech). This, in turn, makes it possible to understand how each of the researchers saw the whole reconstructed meaning of the song. Attention to the existence of two options for interpreting the text - as a continuation of the Ambrosian allegorical tradition of religious poetry and as a pretext for the secular alba genre in the love lyrics of the troubadours - is drawn, and these options are evaluated. Separately, the verse forms of the monument, to which not enough attention was paid by polemical researchers, are described, and the unity of euphony techniques is stated, which is an important conclusion in the light of the fact that the vast majority of studies usually present Latin couplets and the Romanesque refrain in opposition, reaching the assumption of a late insertion of the refrain. The author pays attention to the lack of unity in the lyrical plot of the monument in view of the fact that the interpreters passed this plot as an obviously important layer of the text by. Also the author points out that in one way or another all interpretations were aimed at simplifying, narrowing the meaning of the monument, which seemed achievable as a result of conjectures, and suggests that contradictions at all levels of the text could be initially set by anonymous author of this song, and linguistic, rhythmic, plot, etc. ambivalence is its essential state, which does not require simplifying, one-sided interpretations.
  PubDate: 2023-03-30
  DOI: 10.22363/2312-9220-2023-28-1-30-40
  Issue No: Vol. 28, No. 1 (2023)
Between Taoism and Confucianism: tendencies in lyric poetry of the Western
Jin period
- Authors: Daria E. Malakhevich
  Pages: 41 - 50
  Abstract: The author argues that the coexistence of Taoism and Confucianism in the historical arena of the Western Jin dynasty led to the fact that literati in their works moved from one “end of the spectrum” to another, reflecting both the unity and opposition of these two areas of philosophical thought. Contrary to popular belief, the xuanxue philosophy did not replace Confucianism as the leading ideology, but coexisted with it. This symbiosis also led to the emergence of a “dual role” for the literati of the period in question: in their work, a poet could act both as a Confucian scribe and as a hermit, filling the poem with relevant motifs. The author provides an overview of the main trends in the poetry of Western Jin era, leading to the conclusion that the interaction of Confucianism and Taoism as the two “ends of the spectrum” of consciousness of early medieval Chinese literati. The social and political context of the era, the main ideological currents in literature and their embodiment in the poetry of the Western Jin period (265-316) are considered. The academic novelty and value of this work are due to the insufficient study of the literature of this period, not only in Russian but also in world Sinology.
  PubDate: 2023-03-30
  DOI: 10.22363/2312-9220-2023-28-1-41-50
  Issue No: Vol. 28, No. 1 (2023)
Food culture in Oonya Kempadoo’s All Decent Animals and Buxton Spice
- Authors: Isha Banerjee, Rashmi Dubey
  Pages: 51 - 60
  Abstract: The role of food culture in the construction of collective identity remains indispensable, considering that it results from consistent and prolonged practice by the given population. In the particular case of postcolonial literature, cultural markers such as food, clothing, rituals etc., act as powerful tools of sociocultural representation. In All Decent Animals (2013) and Buxton Spice (1998), Oonya Kempadoo posits the characters as the embodiments of various levels of association with the traditional culinary practices thereby showing their differential sense of cultural rootedness against the multicultural milieu of the novels’ settings. The study aims to extract such instances from the novels that show the impact of food culture in the creation of a common memory, hearkening back to the shared history of the characters. The authors concluded, that something as mundane as food occupies a pivotal role in co-navigating the characters’ journey from self-doubt to self-acceptance. The effect of food culture in eliciting an inclination towards one’s ethnic roots is considered, while also touching upon the matter of developing a sense of cultural, familial and individual identity by means of foodways.
  PubDate: 2023-03-30
  DOI: 10.22363/2312-9220-2023-28-1-51-60
  Issue No: Vol. 28, No. 1 (2023)
Malay folk genre pantun: traditions and modernity
- Authors: Dana K. Bartosh, Ekaterina O. Kotova, Victoria V. Kytina, Mariya V. Kharlamova
  Pages: 61 - 78
  Abstract: The aim of the study is to analyze and systematize the features of pantun, both traditional for this Malay folklore genre and due to its historical development, and uniqueness, inherent in individual pantuns, as well as to identify the reasons for the relevance of this genre in Malay culture. Comparative-typological, descriptive-functional, and cultural-historical research methods were used. The main features of pantun as a traditional genre of Malay poetry are systematized. Logic, brevity, and the presence of rhyme are identified as the main structural features due to the historical development of pantun. These features determine in many ways the content: symbolism, allegorical and thematic, as well as the phonetic features of the pantun. The considered features of pantuns that meet certain national characteristics of the Malay people can be identified as the reasons for the popularity of this genre so far. The classic folk pantun is a miniature poetic form, characterized by structural, substantive and phonetic features and strict rules of design. Violations of the traditional rules in individual pantuns are rather exceptional and subordinate to the content component. Being an integral part of the culture of the people, pantuns undergo some changes in the thematic aspect they reflect the realities of modern reality, but these changes do not go beyond the boundaries of the traditions of the genre.
  PubDate: 2023-03-30
  DOI: 10.22363/2312-9220-2023-28-1-61-78
  Issue No: Vol. 28, No. 1 (2023)
The way of discursive cognition of the ancient Chinese treatise Tao Te
Ching in Russia
- Authors: Shuo Wang, Lidiia G. Zolotykh
  Pages: 79 - 91
  Abstract: The authors study the problem of the spread and influential power of the ancient Chinese philosophical treatise by Laozi Tao Te Ching into Russian. The academic value is determined by the deep research interest of Russian Sinologists to the ancient Chinese literary masterpiece. A predetermined cognition of the depth of philosophical discourse and figurativeness of the treatise's language is presented. Its status as a classic work of world literature is confirmed by the number of translations, second only to the Bible. The authors highlight the main stages of interaction between linguocultures on the example of the history of translations of the ancient Chinese treatise Tao Te Ching into Russian, the reasons for the depression and boom of translation activity in connection with a particular historical period, and the significance and relevance of the discursive knowledge of Laozi philosophy in Russia. A positive trend is depicted in increasing the number of studies of Tao Te Ching through the identified research vectors in modern Russian Sinology. The types and features of Tao Te Ching translations into Russian are described and arranged. The openness of philosophical discourse of Tao Te Ching and the importance of academic and popularized translations for discursive study of the ancient Chinese philosophical text in the socio-cultural context by Russian readers are noted. The representation of the profound knowledge of discursive meanings of traditional Chinese culture in the numerous studies of Tao Te Ching by Russian Sinologists is discussed, resulting in the original way of translating this ancient Chinese philosophical treatise into Russian.
  PubDate: 2023-03-30
  DOI: 10.22363/2312-9220-2023-28-1-79-91
  Issue No: Vol. 28, No. 1 (2023)
When verbal and visual arts share the same plot: artistic worlds of Bakhyt
Kenzheyev's poem Hunters in the Snow and the painting by Peter Brueghel
the Elder
- Authors: Kapitalina V. Sinegubova, Anastasia A. Aksionova
  Pages: 92 - 98
  Abstract: The authors correlate and interpret the same plot in different types of art, i.e., painting and literature. Such a rapprochement is justified by the intertextual reference of Bakhyt Kenzheyev's poem Hunters in the Snow (1984) to the painting of the same name by Peter Brueghel the Elder (1665). The languages of the visual and the verbal are organized differently: the painting offers its viewer a direct contemplation, while the world of the poem gradually unfolds itself in the reader's imagination. The images in the painting are static, whereas textual images reveal themselves in a certain sequence, according to R. Ingarden. The authors believe that the images of the house and the forest are the key difference between the figurative system of the painting and the text. In the painting, the viewer sees the house and the forest from the outside only, while the text gives its reader an opportunity to see them from the inside. The images we see in Brueghel's painting differ from those we see in our mental eye when reading Kenzheyev's poem because the narrator shifts between the space of the painting, here he is one of the hunters, and the position of an outside observer. Therefore, one and the same plot can be translated from the language of painting into the language of poetry, but the change in the format of visibility is bound to cause various semantic changes.
  PubDate: 2023-03-30
  DOI: 10.22363/2312-9220-2023-28-1-92-98
  Issue No: Vol. 28, No. 1 (2023)
Development of journalism in the Republic of Congo: problems and prospects
- Authors: Valeria V. Makashova, Tristan M. Ngakosso
  Pages: 99 - 107
  Abstract: The current state of journalism in the Republic of Congo is of particular research interest due to the complex military and political situation in the world in the context of hybrid threats. The purpose of the study is to identify current problems and prospects for the development of journalism in the Republic of Congo. To this end, the background to the formation of journalism in Congo is examined, the media system of the Republic of Congo is characterized, and the system of military sources of information, including the Ministry of Defense magazines Armée et Nation and FAC Infos , is analyzed. A general thesis is put forward that historical background is of great importance for understanding the specifics of journalism: the Republic of Congo has experienced a difficult history, even after gaining independence it had to face severe trials - political crises and civil wars. Therefore, its media system was formed under difficult economic and political conditions. Importantly, the Congolese Armed Forces (FAC) played an important role in the country's destiny as a guarantor of political stability and national security, which actualizes the information component in the work of the Congolese army. The authors emphasize the importance of internal factors influencing the media system: national, linguistic, and cultural. The standard of living of the population, the habits of information product consumption, and the inclusion of the Congolese media system in the media field of the African continent also matter for the development of Congo's journalism.
  PubDate: 2023-03-30
  DOI: 10.22363/2312-9220-2023-28-1-99-107
  Issue No: Vol. 28, No. 1 (2023)
Representation of Russia and the USA in the global online information
space and on Russian and American resources
- Authors: Alexander V. Sharikov
  Pages: 108 - 121
  Abstract: For the first time the quantitative representation of Russia and the USA in 2021 is considered: in the global online information space on the corpus of texts of the monitoring system Factiva, numbering over 106 million publications, posted on more than 23 thousand online resources in 26 languages; on the sub-corps of Russian media in Russian (over 1,000 online resources); on the sub-corps of American media in English (over 5,000 online resources). It was found that in the texts in 26 languages publications mentioning Russia were the most frequent, publications mentioning the USA came second. In terms of agenda theory (M. McCombs, D. Shaw), this fact is interpreted as a manifestation of a higher importance of Russia for the world press than the USA. In the sub-corpus of Russian Russian-language texts, this trend has been maintained. In a sub-corpus of US English-language texts, the US was on the first place, while Russia was ranked only 13th, which indicates a relatively low importance of Russia for the US press. The thematic areas that were most frequently associated with Russia and the US in 2021 were established. Factiva is strongly oriented towards economic information, and therefore topics such as company profiles, corporate and industry news were the most frequently encountered in a total of 26 languages. Next in line are stories about the domestic politics of countries. Similar trends can be observed in the analysed sub-corps of texts from Russian and US resources. At the same time, there is an asymmetry in the topics of materials mentioning Russia and the United States. Thus, in Russian sources in Russian language Russia is more frequently mentioned in the context of economic content, while the US is more frequently linked to international politics. In the US sources in English the US is more frequently mentioned in the economic context, while Russia is more frequently mentioned in the materials related to scientific and technical developments, as well as domestic and foreign policy.
  PubDate: 2023-03-30
  DOI: 10.22363/2312-9220-2023-28-1-108-121
  Issue No: Vol. 28, No. 1 (2023)
Analytical study of cultural programs of Iraqi satellite TV channels
- Authors: Marina R. Zheltukhina, Wazir S. Radhi
  Pages: 122 - 131
  Abstract: The authors examine the trends of Iraqi television after 2011, when the national broadcasting reached a new level. During this period, cultural programs with the aim of stabilizing the public mood and moral recovery began to be developed and popularized. The purpose of the study is to identify the features of the cultural programs of the Iraqi satellite channel, taking into account the socio-historical background. A general analysis of modern Iraqi television, which was formed after the end of the protracted military conflict with the United States, is given. The general thesis is put forward that the tense military and political situation in Iraq was naturally reflected in the airwaves of TV channels in the country, where the volume of the cultural component is extremely small. As the country goes through the post-war years, stabilizing the public mood is very important, and cultural programs can play an important role in this aspect. Modern Iraqi satellite television is in its formative and developmental stage due to external social and political factors. The research contributes to the development of scientific methodological and theoretical basis for the further study of Iraqi media.
  PubDate: 2023-03-30
  DOI: 10.22363/2312-9220-2023-28-1-122-131
  Issue No: Vol. 28, No. 1 (2023)
The passion to the human - and other neurochallenges of modern
communication: an interview with Professor Julien Intartaglia
- Authors: Marina G. Shilina, Julien Intartaglia
  Pages: 132 - 136
  Abstract: -
  PubDate: 2023-03-30
  DOI: 10.22363/2312-9220-2023-28-1-132-136
  Issue No: Vol. 28, No. 1 (2023)
Conspiracy as ARG: media and game essence of QAnon
- Authors: Leyla O. Algavi, Gregory A. Budtsov, Georgy S. Kovalev, Nino Skvortsova
  Pages: 137 - 145
  Abstract: The results of a comparative analysis of the functional features of the QAnon theory and the conceptual signs of ARG (games in alternative reality) are displayed. The signs of ARG are designated and given as elements of the reference game model, the basis for comparison. The authors found that the QAnon conspiracy theory, the history of its emergence and development features is of a synthetic nature: ARG elements are present in modified form. They transform the roles of developers and participants. The QAnon quest structure was visualized, the gameplay based on experiencing the state of apophenia - a painful search for a connection between random phenomena or events - was described. The similarities of QAnon with religion and at the same time political ideology based on the mechanics of the game were identified, which explains its popularity. The relevance of the topic is due to the steady growth in the number of conspiracy theories and their followers since the beginning of the Covid-19 pandemic against the backdrop of audience distrust in the media. The authors demonstrate how QAnon, not being essentially a game in an alternative reality, but using game technologies and eschatological narratives about the Great Tribulation and Judgment Day, achieves high efficiency in shaping public opinion.
  PubDate: 2023-03-30
  DOI: 10.22363/2312-9220-2023-28-1-137-145
  Issue No: Vol. 28, No. 1 (2023)
Literary studies of political caricature: a quantitative analysis of
publications indexed in the Scopus
- Authors: Mohsen Zarifian
  Pages: 146 - 156
  Abstract: The author reviews the past-to-present academic literature on cartoon studies (mainly editorial and political cartoons), that reflects the functional crisis of the cartoon associated with the development of the media space and new challenges. Some of the main trends, taxonomies, and approaches to date in political cartoon research are shown, and some of the weaknesses and strengths in the present field as well as aspects that are underdeveloped or have yet to be explored are highlighted. The articles in English published between 2017 and 2022 were reviewed to provide an understanding of the current state of the matter in various areas. The corpus was gathered by searching publications in international database Scopus. Each paper was classified based on its publication date, place of origin, subject of research, and frequency of citations. The quantitative approach employed enables the tracking of advancement in the field of cartoon studies over a given timeframe. Six distinct aspects pertinent to research in the field of political cartoons are suggested in a holistic approach, although this categorization is by no means all-inclusive and there is substantial overlap. The study of political cartoons during chosen period was more comprehensive and extensive than the study of editorial cartoons. Several proposals for further research in this field were put forward.
  PubDate: 2023-03-30
  DOI: 10.22363/2312-9220-2023-28-1-146-156
  Issue No: Vol. 28, No. 1 (2023)
Corporate training for developing social media literacy skills:
personalized approach
- Authors: Elizaveta A. Osipovskaya, Anastasiia A. Savelyeva
  Pages: 157 - 164
  Abstract: Today social media can be a highly effective tool in business by attracting new customers, getting their feedback, building loyalty, and increasing a company's market reach. However, what happens when it goes wrong' One of the most common problems with social media is that information that was previously private can now be presented to the world by one mouse click. Employees are directly linked to their employers on social media, so if an employee writes a controversial statement online, reputational damage to a company can be devastating. Hence, employees should receive basic social media literacy, to have the proficiency to communicate appropriately and responsibly. The only providers of this educational content for learning and development (L&D) divisions are established media outlets that could force positive changes to the way companies learn. Upskilling and reskilling of employees have become a significant objective in strategic development for many companies, according to LinkedIn research. One-size-fit-for-all training approach is no longer effective. Therefore, even the development of social media literacy skills should be personalized. The study aims to determine: 1) contemporary understanding of media literacy skill in business context; 2) characteristics of the personalized learning (PL) environment that impact on learning outcomes; 3) personalized learning tools. Theoretical analysis is used to identify contemporary empirical studies associated with the implementation of PL in corporate learning between 2018 and 2022.
  PubDate: 2023-03-30
  DOI: 10.22363/2312-9220-2023-28-1-157-164
  Issue No: Vol. 28, No. 1 (2023)
VR-mediated storytelling of experience in destination branding: hybrid 4D
transformations
- Authors: Marina G. Shilina, Maria Sokhn, Julia Wirth
  Pages: 165 - 174
  Abstract: In COVID-19 era, destination branding faces the challenge of digitalization and virtual reality (VR) in particular. The fundamentals of VR-mediated storytelling in destination branding are in the process of being developed. There is a luck of research on immersive VR-mediated storytelling, scenarios, and messages in destination branding, especially realised with technologies of more complex - hybrid - immersivity (4D). The shift from 2D, 3D to 4D hybrid multisensory VR technologies is not only among the main technology developments - it provokes new research problems with VR-mediated destination branding and storytelling. The authors present the results of theoretical and empirical research of VR-mediated destination storytelling of a brand driven by the newest 4D hybrid multisensory technological approaches on the case of Switzerland. In Switzerland, VR-mediated projects in destination branding are developing actively last years but VR-mediated storytelling research in this field was not provided yet. In this regard, it was chosen 100 destination brand VR projects, presented in 2016-2022, to compare the parameters of VR-mediated storytelling of a brand. VR has to be included into brand storytelling paradigm, which must be rethought for this specific sphere. It was proved that it is more effective to combine different types of experience, virtual and physical both and make the VR-mediated brand storytelling hybrid. In terms of theoretical implications, this paper opened a specific research area by bridging theoretical and empirical ideas of destination branding, VR-mediated storytelling and digital media, technical and social communication.
  PubDate: 2023-03-30
  DOI: 10.22363/2312-9220-2023-28-1-165-174
  Issue No: Vol. 28, No. 1 (2023)
Decoding the myth of luxury in cosmetics herbal products advertisements
- Authors: Sharmila Kayal, Ruma Saha
  Pages: 175 - 186
  Abstract: The study begins with a perilous standpoint of lovely images (female/male/child) in the mass media being regularly developed a formulaic typecasting concept of beauty. Quite a few feminine beauty myths have been grown in India during the contemporary times. The rise of cosmetic herbal advertisements portraying regressive images of womanly beauty to endorse products. Cosmetics perception of herbal integration is observed in respect to beauty myths portrayed by the media. The authors examine the structures of beauty myths of cosmetic herbals in India and their fundamental features. This is because of deep rooted androcentric dogma which portrays and objectifies the certain gender (especially women). Media vehemently disseminates much distorted concept of “beauty”. Brand changes their entire appearance with varied makeup products. There are evidently many products are available in the market which promises to bring a change in color/look/appearance altogether which is not always true but the study argues that the narratives of these cosmetic herbal products is creating an illusion. Roland Barthes's theory of mythology has been taken into consideration to understand the luxury of myth, and attributes of misleading information of media content. The study further directs to assimilate the perception of the consumers along with the semiology in depicting the beauty myth. There is a huge gap between women in reality and representative women in the mass media. It is very crucial to have a balanced perception of perceived images presented or drive by the mass media.
  PubDate: 2023-03-30
  DOI: 10.22363/2312-9220-2023-28-1-175-186
  Issue No: Vol. 28, No. 1 (2023)
Boris Akunin, literary critic and teacher. Book review: Akunin, B. (2022).
A Russian in England: A self-instruction guide to fiction. Moscow: Alpina
Publishers. (In Russ.)
- Authors: Alexander G. Kovalenko, Anastasia V. Denisenko
  Pages: 187 - 191
  Abstract: -
  PubDate: 2023-03-30
  DOI: 10.22363/2312-9220-2023-28-1-187-191
  Issue No: Vol. 28, No. 1 (2023)