Nº 6 (2025)
Articles
Kinofication in Khakassia 1985-1991: The Explosion of Video Rental
Resumo
The subject of the study is the process of cinematization in the Khakass autonomous region from 1985 to 1991, with a primary focus on the phenomenon of the "video boom" (the development of video rental). Special attention is also given to the following aspects of the cinematization process, namely the material condition of the cinematization department, planned development, and development indicators. Concurrently and in symbiosis, video rental developed in the region. The main sources of this research are documents from the State Archive of the Republic of Khakassia, "National Archive" R-336, Khakass Regional Cinematization Administration, which contains plans, reports, personnel data, estimates, lists of property and its movement, prospective plans, and explanatory notes. Cuttings and notes from the newspaper "Soviet Khakassia," memories of residents, and interviews were also used. The research is based on the principles of historicism and scientific objectivity and is constructed according to the issue-chronological principle. In analyzing historical sources in this work, the main methods can be named: analytical, comparative, and statistical. The course of cinematization in the Khakass autonomous region from 1985 to 1991 is examined, specifically: material and technical condition, repertoire. The main indicators of the perestroika period are identified. The main problems related to the stagnation of cinema and its competition with the new phenomenon of video rental are considered. Key milestones in the establishment of video rental in Khakassia and the primary status of theaters during this period are highlighted. The main technical equipment is examined. The article discusses one of the main differences between theaters and video salons, namely the repertoire. It is also noted that video salons were actually under the jurisdiction of the cinematization department. The integration of this knowledge from various disparate sources on this topic is conducted for the first time.
Genesis: Historical Research. 2025;(6):1-10
1-10
Pedagogical courses and teachers' conferences as forms of professional training for educators in the Voronezh province in the second half of the 19th century
Resumo
The teaching profession today requires continuous professional development, updating of knowledge, and flexibility in adopting new teaching methods. Lifelong learning, explained by the accelerating process of knowledge obsolescence in a constantly evolving information landscape, is now not only the right of educational workers but also an obligation enshrined in the Federal Law "On Education in the Russian Federation." Systematic enhancement of a teacher's professional level is currently possible through pedagogical courses of various themes and durations, offered either in-person or online, across any region of Russia. Undoubtedly, such opportunities were not always available to teachers. The shortage of educators and their low competence, along with a lack of professional educational institutions for their training in the second half of the 19th century, affected not only the overall literacy level of the Russian population but also the subsequent processes of modernization of the empire. It was during the 1860s and 1870s that pedagogical courses and teachers' congresses became an unconventional solution to the preparation of teaching staff for primary educational institutions. Studying their history at the regional level allows for a clearer picture of how quickly and in what manner the authorities and society addressed the issues of educator shortages. Based on the conducted research, it was revealed that the development of forms of professional pedagogical education, such as pedagogical courses and teachers' congresses in the Voronezh province, despite existing research work, requires further examination with the involvement of lesser-known historical sources. The author concludes that the minimal costs for funding pedagogical courses and teachers' congresses, along with the ability to prepare qualified specialists in a short time, determined their popularity. The result of their efforts was a noticeable improvement in the quality of teacher training and an increase in their numbers. This paper employed comparative-historical, descriptive, and causal research methods.
Genesis: Historical Research. 2025;(6):11-18
11-18
Reflection of the Beginning of World War I in the Newspaper Chronicle of Moscow
Resumo
The object of the study is the Russian periodical press during the years of World War I. The subject of the research is the content of Moscow daily newspapers reflecting their reaction to the onset of World War I. The authors have analyzed the issues of three major daily newspapers published in Moscow during the first days after the declaration of war (“Moscow Vedomosti,” “Russian Vedomosti,” “Morning of Russia”). The selected newspapers belong to various currents of public thought, which is particularly important to consider when studying public opinion in the context of war. The material chosen for the study demonstrates both common and differing elements in the assessments of the Moscow press regarding the onset of the conflict. The research identified the emphases characteristic of each involved publication and highlighted the range of topics addressed by the newspapers in the early days of the war, which allows for a high level of diversity in the coverage of events in late summer 1914. The methodological basis of the research is the principles of historicism, objectivity, systematics, and reliance on historical sources. The study was primarily conducted using a historical-comparative method. The scientific novelty of the research lies in the involvement of a wide range of newspaper articles as historical sources and a detailed analysis of their content. The findings indicate both the ambiguity of contemporaries' assessments of the onset of the world war and a broad range of issues related to the armed conflict covered by the press. The initial reactions of various newspapers to the start of the war are virtually identical, but different interpretations of the unfolding events are also found. The newspapers provide ambiguous evaluations of the patriotic fervor experienced by Russian society, with positive responses alongside calls for calm. Other popular topics in the newspapers during those days included issues of diplomacy, air forces, historical parallels, articles about Kaiser Wilhelm II, and reviews of the economic situation of the warring powers.
Genesis: Historical Research. 2025;(6):19-37
19-37
The concept of revolutionary war: classical understanding vs. the concept of French military theorists
Resumo
The concept of "revolutionary war" has existed in the intellectual space for a long time and in each specific context is adequately understood by the participants in the discussion. However, to date there is neither a clear definition of this concept, nor, even more so, a developed concept of this phenomenon. Moreover, there is no understanding that representatives of different national cultures can put completely different meanings into this concept, which can complicate an adequate understanding of scientific and journalistic texts written by representatives of a different cultural and scientific tradition. Thus, this article is devoted to examining the evolution of ideas about revolutionary war since the end of the 18th century, since it was the war of the first coalition and the Napoleonic wars that later served as the empirical material on which ideas about the essence of revolutionary war were formed. The emergence of ideas about the specifics of revolutionary war as an armed struggle for progressive values among representatives of different political forces during the French Revolution was analyzed.The further evolution of this concept is considered in the views of Simon Bolivar, F. Engels, V.I. Lenin and Mao Zedong, who developed a practical concept for waging a revolutionary war in the conditions of weak, agrarian and semi-colonial China in the 1930s. It is shown how the unique historical experience of the French, who encountered the practical application of Mao's recommendations in Vietnam from the Viet Minh, led to the fact that France formed its own original concept of revolutionary war, which exists to this day, within the framework of which this concept acquires a completely different meaning than in the classical version, which naturally changes the interpretation of many historical and modern military conflicts, which would be useful to take into account when working with French-language historiography.
Genesis: Historical Research. 2025;(6):38-53
38-53
Jerome Gorsey's essays on Moscovia: diplomatic reports or encyclopedic writings?
Resumo
The subject of the research is the political views of English diplomats and travelers on Muscovy in the 16th century. The focus of the study is on Jerome Gorsey's perspectives on Muscovy, as reflected in his travel notes. In these notes, the author departs from the descriptive and encyclopedic nature typical of English travelers' accounts, opting for a narrative approach with detailed descriptions not only of the geography and everyday life of the inhabitants of the Muscovite state but also of the political activities of its rulers. The aim of this work is to examine "The Travels of Jerome Gorsey" in a broader context of political writings from his era. The search for similarities between Gorsey's political language and that of political figures during the Elizabethan era will help to understand the reasons behind the characteristics given to Muscovy and the merchant's particular attention to the activities of Moscow rulers. The work relies on the methodology of the Cambridge School for the study of political languages in the Early Modern Period, whose key method involves examining historical sources in the broad context of contemporary writings and identifying recurring linguistic markers. The main conclusions of the conducted research indicate that Gorsey's writings on Muscovy should be viewed not only as a form of accountability to the Privy Council and one of many travel accounts but also in conjunction with the political pamphlets and chronicles of his time. The study of Jerome Gorsey's political language will help to better understand the features of communication between English diplomats and the state elite of Britain, particularly the members of the Privy Council, to whom the representative of the Muscovy Company addresses at the beginning of "The Travels." Moreover, "The Travels of Jerome Gorsey" should be seen not as precise descriptions of diplomatic and trade activities in Muscovy, but rather as one of the means of transmitting the political ideas of the English elites, whose influence the diplomat experienced.
Genesis: Historical Research. 2025;(6):54-62
54-62
Reduced caliber ammunition of V.G. Fedorov's design from 1944-1945.
Resumo
The subject of this article is the activities of V.G. Fedorov aimed at the development of a reduced-caliber and power cartridge for firearms. Key events in this process are analyzed, starting from 1943. It is noted that a reduced-power cartridge of smaller caliber (6.5 mm) was previously developed by V.G. Fedorov, and the reasons for the abandonment of this project at the state level are analyzed. The main viewpoints expressed during this period by leading firearms specialists from the Artillery Academy (A.A. Blagonravov, V.A. Malinovsky), the Air Force Academy (P.I. Main), and OKB-44 (N.M. Elizarov) are considered. The difficulties and problems faced by V.G. Fedorov, including subjective factors, and the results of his work are indicated. The correctness of the development path proposed by Fedorov for firearms and the necessity of creating small-caliber weapons is noted—an issue that the USSR was forced to address in 1959 after receiving information about the development in the USA of 5.56 mm low-impulse cartridges with high bullet velocity and the weapons designed for them. The research methods used in the article include the processing of archival data, a comparative-historical method, and a historical-scientific analysis of specialized literature. New data regarding V.G. Fedorov's development of a reduced-power cartridge and a reduced-caliber cartridge are introduced into scientific circulation for the first time. A comparison of the ballistic qualities of reduced-power cartridges of various calibers developed in 1945 is performed. Based on newly discovered archival materials and the study of V.G. Fedorov's personal files, conclusions are drawn about the reasons for his contradictions with the Main Artillery Directorate, which have not been previously addressed in domestic historiography. As a result of the conducted research, it is concluded that Fedorov had a correct understanding of the development path of domestic firearms. This is confirmed by the fact that the 5.45 mm automatic cartridge and the Kalashnikov AK74 were subsequently adopted by the Soviet Army in 1974.
Genesis: Historical Research. 2025;(6):63-71
63-71
The origins of domestic artificial intelligence: on the 70th anniversary of the manifesto of Soviet cybernetics by Sobolev, Kitov, and Lyapunov
Resumo
This publication is particularly relevant in the context of the 70th anniversary of a key document – the scientific article by S.L. Sobolev, A.I. Kitov, and A.A. Lyapunov (1955), rightly considered the origin of the domestic school of artificial intelligence. In an environment of increased attention to the history of science and technology, especially in the field of artificial intelligence, this work restores historical justice by emphasizing the priority of Soviet scientists in formulating the fundamental principles of artificial intelligence (machine self-learning, modeling of neural activity, heuristic methods, autonomy) long before these ideas gained wide recognition in the West. Understanding this "manifesto" is critically important not only for grasping the genesis and unique features of the Russian tradition in the conceptualization of artificial intelligence but also for recognizing the remarkable prophetic power of the ideas presented in 1955. The methodological basis of the study consists of principles of historical-scientific analysis, text hermeneutics, and conceptual reconstruction. The key method is a critical source analysis of the primary source – the article by Sobolev, Kitov, and Lyapunov from 1955. To define the historical context and scientific novelty of the manifesto, a comparative method is employed, contrasting its ideas with contemporary Western approaches in cybernetics. The novelty of the study lies in demonstrating for the first time how this article "Key Features of Cybernetics" (1955) anticipated the major development paths of global science in artificial intelligence for decades to come. In the era of neural network revolution and deep learning, revisiting these roots serves not only as a tribute to the pioneers but also as a powerful intellectual stimulus and guide for modern Russian research and development in the field of artificial intelligence. Understanding the depth and foresight of S.L. Sobolev, A.I. Kitov, and A.A. Lyapunov and their strategic vision is essential today for shaping a unique national agenda in the area of artificial intelligence. Furthermore, it is shown how these principles, which outpaced their Western counterparts (including the Dartmouth initiative) and were formulated in the terms of the Soviet cybernetic school, predetermined the specific trajectories of development for Soviet and Russian artificial intelligence.
Genesis: Historical Research. 2025;(6):72-92
72-92
Chinese migration to the territory of the Russian Far East in the materials of the periodical press of the end XIX century
Resumo
In the history of Sino-Russian relations, a special place is occupied by the problem of population migration from one state to another. Despite the fact that both Russian and foreign researchers are actively studying this topic, there are still a sufficient number of questions in it. The article discusses issues related to the coverage in the periodical press of the end 19th century of the process of Chinese migration to the territory of the Russian Far East. Previously, researchers did not cover the migration of the Chinese population based on the data of the periodical press. Particular attention is paid to the number of migrants, the employment of arriving Chinese citizens, as well as the social aspects of interaction (everyday life, complaints, conflicts, offenses) between migrants and the Russian population, between Chinese subjects and local authorities. The author analyzes publications showing the features of migration flows, the causes and consequences of Chinese migration for the local population and the economy of the region. The article was prepared on the analysis of materials from periodicals of the second half of the 19th century, which makes it possible to better understand the features of migration processes and the significance of this phenomenon for the development of the Russian Far East. The author concludes that Chinese subjects on Russian territory have successfully adapted and introduced themselves into the economic activities of the Far East. However, relations between local residents and the authorities, on the one hand, and the Chinese, on the other, were quite difficult in view of fears of loss of influence in the region, a decrease in the number of the Russian population, and conflict situations between Russian and Chinese subjects. On the one hand, migrants were perceived by local authorities as a necessary working resource, on the other hand, they often caused justified fears.
Genesis: Historical Research. 2025;(6):93-104
93-104